Why the controversy erupted due to the statement of the Union Minister on Rabindranath Tagore?

After becoming a minister in the central government, Subhash Sarkar was on his first visit to Santiniketan where a function was organized in his honor.

Before mentioning the growing controversy over his remarks, let us know what exactly he said?

During his speech in Bengali, Sarkar had said, “Tar ma abang barir aneke kalo bole taake kole niten na. sei rabindranath thakur bharter hoye vishwa jai korechen (his mother and other family members do not adopt him because he is black). It was the same Rabindranath who won the world for India.)”

He said that there are two types of people with fair skin. One who is very fair with a yellow aura and the other who are fair but have the effect of red aura. Tagore belonged to the second category. Despite the controversy arising over the statement, he also justified his remarks in a conversation with journalists in Bankura on Wednesday evening.

Sarkar said, “I have documents to prove Kaviguru’s remarks about the color of his skin.”

The PRESS24 NEWS tried to contact the Union Minister to know his side. But he could not be contacted.

After the remarks of the Union Minister, various political parties and educationists, including TMC, have expressed surprise that such remarks from the mouth of the Education Minister do not suit. Along with this, the question is also arising that why did the minister feel the need to mention Tagore’s complexion?

A senior state BJP leader, on the condition of anonymity, said, “What was the need for the minister to mention Tagore’s skin colour? There was no such incident and no occasion.”

TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee says, “Subhash Sarkar has no knowledge of history. It is known to all that Rabindranath’s skin color was fair. This remark of the minister is apartheid and an insult to the great men of Bengal. should not be allowed to enter.”

“They (BJP leaders) have no idea about Tagore. That’s why they are trying to tarnish his image,” says TMC chief of Birbhum district, under which Shantiniketan is located. Mandal’s question is how did Subhash Babu come to know about Tagore’s complexion? Was he born before Tagore?

The CPM has also said almost the same thing. Sujan Chakraborty, a member of the party’s central committee, says, “The minister’s remarks reflect the apartheid and anti-Bengali mindset of the BJP.”

He says that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other party leaders should condemn the statement of the government.

The CPM leader alleged, “BJP has been dividing the country on the basis of religion and caste. Now it has also made skin color an issue to divide the society.”

Pavitra Sarkar, former vice-chancellor of Kolkata-based Rabindra Bharati University, says, “I do not know on what basis the Union Minister has made this remark. I do not know whether he has read Tagore’s biography carefully or not. After all, what did the minister prove? Wanted to do? What is the role of the skin in winning the Nobel Prize or creating classics? Such a comment from the mouth of the Education Minister does not suit.”

But BJP has defended Subhash Sarkar. Party spokesperson Shamik Bhattacharya says that Subhash Sarkar has not made any remarks against Rabindranath or his family. He was speaking out against discrimination on the basis of skin colour. His intention was not to insult anyone. TMC should refrain from giving political color to every issue.

Senior BJP leader and former Tripura Governor Tathagata Rai has also said that the minister’s statement is being unnecessarily given importance.

“In Bengali families, white brides and grooms are always mentioned in wedding advertisements too. Her remarks were against discrimination based on color and such a social mindset,” says Rai.