BJP Stronly Condemns Vandalism at Rabindranath Tagore’s Ancestral Home in Bangladesh, Calls Attack Politically Motivated
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has strongly condemned the vandalism of Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore’s ancestral home ‘Kachhari Bari’ in Sirajganj district of Bangladesh, describing the incident as a “pre-planned and politically motivated” attack intended to disturb communal harmony and target a symbol of South Asia’s shared cultural heritage.
Tripura BJP president and MP Rajib Bhattacharjee condemned the incident strongly and demanded exemplary actions against the perpetrators of the crime.
Bhattacharjee in his public statement also called for a united fight against such vandalism at the ancestral residence of Bishwakabi. He also announced that a protest rally would be organized and a march would towards Bangladesh Assistant High Commission in Agartala would be launched by the party
Earlier, in New Delhi also at a press conference held at the BJP headquarters, BJP national spokesperson and Member of Parliament Dr. Sambit Patra accused radical Islamist outfits of orchestrating the violence and criticised the interim Bangladeshi government for its “inaction and silence” following the disturbing events.
“According to media reports, this was not a spontaneous act of violence. It was a deliberate and premeditated attempt to send a message by desecrating the memory of Rabindranath Tagore, a global literary and cultural icon,” Patra said.
What Happened at ‘Kachhari Bari’?
On June 10, an agitated mob stormed and vandalised the Rabindra Memorial Museum, housed in Tagore’s ancestral residence, Kachhari Bari, in Shajadpur, located in Sirajganj district of Bangladesh. Eyewitness accounts and local reports suggest the crowd raised aggressive slogans against Tagore and damaged parts of the museum, including exhibits and artefacts related to his life and work.
It is known to all of you that on Tuesday, Rabindranath Tagore’s ancestral home located in Bangladesh was attacked and suffered significant damage.
According to media reports, this house was recently attacked in a pre-planned act of violence, carried out by members of… pic.twitter.com/N7QvA5UBTU
— Sambit Patra (@sambitswaraj) June 12, 2025
The violence was reportedly triggered by an incident two days earlier, on June 8, involving a confrontation between a museum staffer and a visitor over a motorcycle parking fee. The altercation allegedly turned physical, with the museum official reportedly assaulting the visitor. The incident quickly went viral on social media and appears to have fuelled local tensions, culminating in the violent mob attack.
While Bangladeshi authorities have not yet provided a detailed official account, several media outlets in the country have reported that radical groups may have taken advantage of the incident to incite unrest.
https://youtu.be/KMEVT3OC5KU?si=ybTptrMYUNcGmZp5
BJP Blames Jamaat and Hefazat
The BJP has pointed fingers at Jamaat-e-Islami and Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh, two controversial Islamist organisations often accused of stoking religious extremism in Bangladesh. “These groups have a history of attacking cultural and secular symbols. The attack on Tagore’s home appears to be in line with their ideological agenda,” said Patra, referring to local media reports.
He added, “Tagore is not just a Bengali figure—he is a civilizational bridge between India and Bangladesh, a Nobel laureate who composed the national anthems of both countries. An attack on his legacy is an attack on our shared cultural and literary identity.”
BJP Slams Bangladesh Interim Government
In an unusually strong diplomatic tone, the BJP spokesperson also criticised the interim government of Bangladesh, led by Nobel Peace laureate Dr. Muhammad Yunus, for what the party called a “lack of action” following the incident.
“The silence and inaction of the Yunus-led administration in the wake of such a serious cultural attack is deeply concerning. It raises questions about the security of historical sites and minorities in Bangladesh under the current dispensation,” Patra said.
Although Muhammad Yunus has not responded publicly to the incident, diplomatic observers note that the current interim setup in Bangladesh is under increasing scrutiny for its handling of religious and cultural tensions in the run-up to national elections.
|Alo Read : Attack on Tagore’s ancestral home in Bangladesh was preplanned by Jamaat-e-Islami and Hefazat-e-Islam: BJP |
India-Bangladesh Cultural Ties at Stake?
The incident has cast a shadow over India-Bangladesh cultural diplomacy, particularly given the central role Rabindranath Tagore plays in both nations’ cultural imagination. Tagore, who won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1913, spent considerable time at Kachhari Bari in Shajadpur and wrote many of his famous works there.
|Also Read : UK PM refuses to meet Bangladesh’s Yunus during London visit |
The attack has sparked outrage among literary figures, civil society members, and Tagore scholars across India and Bangladesh, with many calling for tighter protection of cultural heritage sites and swift justice for those responsible.
Several intellectuals have also urged New Delhi to raise the issue diplomatically with Dhaka, as it concerns not just historical memory but also the safety of heritage sites that represent shared subcontinental history.
Background: ‘Kachhari Bari’ – A Cultural Treasure
The Kachhari Bari estate, once the ancestral zamindari office of the Tagore family, was where Rabindranath Tagore stayed during his administrative tours in then East Bengal. The house was converted into a museum and cultural centre in his honour and is frequented by students, scholars, and tourists alike.
Tagore’s connection to East Bengal, now Bangladesh, is deeply rooted. He penned several poems and parts of his Gitanjali—the collection that earned him the Nobel Prize—while residing there.
As investigations into the vandalism continue, voices across India are calling for international condemnation and preservation of such sites that bind the two nations through a common cultural thread.
|Also Read : Tripura’s rich tribute to Tagore on his 164th birth anniversary |
