Kolkata, August 28; GANASHAKTI: Aghast at the current hegemonic politics of “divisiveness’ in the country, Nobel Laureate Prof Amartya Sen has opined that “Democracy is not a Majoratarian Exercize”. Winning one election do not guarantee that you can bulldoz all the pluralism of society, he opined, and also added that being divided is not a problem, rather “divisiveness” being spread now, is the problem.
Ruing over the recent diminished influence of Communist Party of India(Marxist) in West Bengal, he also attributed the spurt of communal polarisation. Infact for the first time in the recent past, he also attributed Majoratarianism, as is being practiced current politics, be it in Bengal by TMC and by BJP at the centre, as the cause of the diminished space of people and pluralistic opinion of society and he pointed out, that in those cases also resentments continue, and many people sacrificed their lives to oppose it.
Remarking that weaning away of “Reason” as the sign of advent of Fascist ideology, he implored all to see a film called “Reason” by Anand Patawardhan, whom he proudly called as a Able Film Maker from our Shantiniketan”. He said film like Reason should be seen by everybody. He also attributed withering away of “Reason” as the sole cause of the devastating Communal Riot, during the 40’s decade in Bengal.
Dr Sen was at his flamboyant best on Tuesday at Rabindra Sadan in Kolkata, delivering the title lecture “On being a Bengali” at Institute of Development Studies, Kolkata, one of the best multidisciplinary Social research Institute in the country. August Economist and Founding Director of IDSK, Prof Amiyo Bagchi presided over the programme, and summed up the event. Prof Achin Chakraborty, Present Director introduced the dignitaries and gave the vote of thanks in the “Talk” organised as part of the foundation Day programme of the institute.
Whos’ and who of Art science and culture, of the country, including Economist Jean Dreze, Actress Sharmilla Tagore (Pataudi ) Former Finance Minister Dr Ashim Dasgupta, Avant garde historian Dr Atish Dasgupta, Plethora of Indian Administrative service Officers posted in Kolkata, Economist Ratan Khasnobis, TMC ideologue, and State Pay revision committee ChairmanDr Abhirup Guhatharota, were present in the highly sought after” Talk” in Kolkata.
Sounding a subtle warning he spoke of his Father in Law who was killed by Italian Fascists, and told a story of a socialist in the 1930’s decade in Italy, who was pestered to join the fascist party of Mussolini, by the Fascist Party members. When he refuted, saying that he cannot as his father, Grandfather has all bee socialists, hence also he can’t’ deviate. To which the Fascist Party leader questioned as to what would happen if his Father and Grandfather was a murderer, to which the Committed Socialist activist replied that in that case he would surely join the Fascist party.” Amidst the followed Laughter, Dr Sen opined and warned that these forces to take the garb of social work, like the fascist party in Italy did, claiming that they are fighting to eradicate Malaria from Italy, he said that taking these garbs, they spread the hatred in society. He also remarked that Left’s role is crucial in halting the progress of culture of hatred and said that Lefts Tactics of understanding on this is clear and Antonio Gramschi is clear, about what is to be done in such a situation.
Tracing the route of syncretic culture associated with Bengal, he said that even after the Buddhist era in Bengal, there had been violence. He pointed out that Quoting from Sahajiya sect of Buddhism as present in the “Charyapad”, the oldest Bengali written literary work and Chandimangal of Mukundadas, how syncretism has always been the backbone of Bengals’ evolution. He also pointed out that “Chandimangal” the famous Bengal Epic, wholeheartedly welcomed the influx of Muslim poppulace from West, and the fact that it is the dynamism of the Muslim religion, which are creating new Urban centres in Barren lands, by felling trees’ and shoving away the Bengal Tiger, from those areas.
Creating waves of Laughter in the packed Auditorium, he told of a conversation that he heard from his Maternal Grandfather Kshitimohan Sen (a doyen of Bengali Literature in his own right and an close associate of Tagore), that in his village at Dhaka Bikrampur’s Sonagaon village, where he resided, years ago, there was a open hearted Maulavi who upon seeing a Prominent Hindu resident, invited him for a cup of Tea. When they both were having their tea a Hindu Priest was passing by, who when invited to join the duo declined stating that he is a pious Hindu priest (Chakraborty), and cannot do it. Then the Maulavi laughing told him that both are the same, as he fleeces innocent Muslim population in the name of Allah, and the Hindu Priest also does the exactly so in the name of God (Bhagaban in Bengali).”
He also alleged that presently there has been aspurt in identity politics, in the name of religion, which is giving rise to the ”cultivation of dissonance and Hatred”. He traced the roots of the present Bengali calendar, as the proof of Akbar's syncretic calendar, which he introduced, by taking both from the Hindu Solar calendar and Muslim Hijli calendar. Though Akbar’s own court member do not accepted and followed the ”Tahrikh I ilahi”, the Akbar’s Calender, however his newly acquired province of Bengal, introduced the calendar successfully.
He also said that the advent of British had given rise to communal feeling out of their own interest, and the Permanent Settlement, gave land to Hindu Landholders to Zamindari, though during the Sultanate Period and Nawab era, they did not try to do the same for the Muslim community. He also traced that the earliest works of translating Ramayana, Mahabharata to Bengali, was commissioned by Muslim Rulers in Bengal and it should be kept in mind that the last independent Nawab of Bengal, Sirajouddula’s core team consisted of 4 Hindus and two from his own religion. Infact Kazi Nazruls’ poems’ he remarked are the most popular Bengali verses after Tagore, and he pioneered Socialist thoughts and used to write for Langol, a mouthpiece of Communists, and had translated the biography of Karl Marx, to Bengali”.
