After Mamata Banerjee received the Bangla Academy Award for her “relentless literary pursuit”, BJP’s Swapan Dasgupta said honoring her for her poetry was a disgrace to the rich heritage of Bangla verse.
He said, “To reward Mamata for poetry is to dishonor a rich heritage of Bangla verse.”
Depoliticizing does not mean fleeing politics. This involves isolating large areas of socio-cultural life and education from political partisanship. Let’s not judge people on their voting preferences. To reward Mamata for poetry is to dishonor a rich heritage of Bengali verse
— Swapan Dasgupta (@swapan55) May 12, 2022
In a series of tweets, Swapan Dasgupta criticized the decision to honor the Chief Minister of Bengal. He said, “The over-politicization of arts, culture and education in WBengal has reached absurd heights. The Bangla Academy Award to CM Mamata Banerjee for his attempt at poetry is just one example of this perversion. What is needed is both good politics and a depoliticization of society”.
The over-politicization of arts, culture and education in WBengal has reached absurd heights. The Bangla Academy Award to CM Mamata Banerjee for his attempt at poetry is just one example of this perversion. What is needed is both good politics and a conscious depoliticization of society
— Swapan Dasgupta (@swapan55) May 12, 2022
“Let’s put it this way. If Mamata is to choose a post-political career, it would be unwise for her to try to make a mark for herself as a poet or artist. As for those who put their stamp of approval on her verses , the less said the better,” he said in another tweet.
Let’s put it this way. If Mamata has to choose a post-political career, it would be unwise to try to carve out a place for herself as a poet or an artist. As for those who put their stamp of approval on his verses, the less said the better.
— Swapan Dasgupta (@swapan55) May 12, 2022
It comes after a Bengal-based writer and researcher returned his award from the Paschimbanga Bangla Academy in protest against honoring CM Mamata Banerjee with an award.
Read: ‘I feel insulted’: Author returns award after Mamata Banerjee gets literary honor
On Monday, Bengal’s Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee received the Bangla Academy Award for her “relentless literary pursuit”.
The new award, presented this year by the Sahitya Academy, was given to the Chief Minister for her book “Kabita Bitan”, which honors the best writers in West Bengal.
Mamata Banerjee received the award at a ceremony organized by the government’s Department of Information and Culture on the occasion of Rabindranath Tagore’s birth anniversary.
