Tagore Home In Bangladesh Vandalized

NEW DELHI (IANS)– India on June 12 strongly condemned the vandalization of the ancestral home of Rabindranath Tagore – historically called the Rabindra Kachharibari – in the Sirajganj district of Bangladesh. New Delhi urged the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government in the country to take strict action against the extremist elements involved in the incident.

“The violent act is a disgrace to the memory, the inclusive philosophy, and the teachings that the Nobel laureate espoused in Bangladesh. The attack falls in a broad pattern of systematic attempts by extremists to erase the symbols of tolerance and eviscerate the synchronic culture and cultural legacy of Bangladesh,” said Randhir Jaiswal, spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs.

Bangladeshi media reported that a mob of 50–60 people broke into the Rabindra Kachharibari, which also houses a memorial museum, and vandalized the auditorium and custodian’s office, causing significant damage to the historic building.

“There were visitors at the site who panicked due to the sudden attack. We took shelter during the attack and informed police immediately,” Bangladesh’s Daily Star quoted the as saying.