Demand for Tagore's Statue at Jallianwala Bagh Ignites Debate
Trinamool Congress MP Ritabrata Banerjee has called for a statue of Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore at Jallianwala Bagh, highlighting his protest against the 1919 massacre. The Indian government, however, denies any plans for such an installation, emphasizing the memorial's focus on commemorating massacre victims.
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Trinamool Congress MP Ritabrata Banerjee demanded on Thursday that a statue of the Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore be installed at Punjab's Jallianwala Bagh. Tagore, a renowned Bengali polymath and the first Asian to win the Nobel Prize in Literature, had fiercely opposed the 1919 massacre.
Minister of Culture Gajendra Singh Shekhawat stated in the Rajya Sabha that the government has no plans to install Tagore's statue, as the memorial is dedicated to the victims, featuring a Martyr's Gallery and a well where people tried to escape.
Emphasizing Tagore's protest, Banerjee argued that Tagore's renouncement of his knighthood should be honored. The TMC echoed this call, urging the government to acknowledge Bengal's contributions to India's freedom struggle by recognizing Tagore at the historic site.
(With inputs from agencies.)
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