Vandalism at Tagore's ancestral home in Bangladesh attack on India's civilisational heritage: BJP

New Delhi, Jun 12 (PTI) The BJP on Thursday condemned the interim government in Bangladesh for the vandalism at Rabindranath Tagore's ancestral home in that country, slamming it as an assault on the very soul of India's rich cultural and civilizational heritage.

Addressing a press conference, BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra called for global denunciation of the incident targeting the legacy of the iconic Indian personality as he described it as a "preplanned" attack orchestrated by Islamic groups.

A mob attacked and vandalised the ancestral home of Nobel laureate Tagore in Bangladesh's Sirajganj district on Tuesday.

Patra cited media reports to say that Jamaat-e-Islami and Hefazat-e-Islam were behind the attack, noting that Tagore is an iconic symbol of Bengal, and Indian culture and civilisation.

He also slammed West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for not raising the issue, alleging that she saw infiltrators from the neighbouring Bangladesh as a vote bank and has opted to keep quiet for political reasons.

"She is driven by vote bank politics. We are driven by cultural politics," Patra said.

The interim government headed by Muhammad Yunus has not taken any action, and its conduct has not been appropriate, Patra said.

He appealed to the world community to come together against it, adding that his party believes in inclusivity.

"The Bharatiya Janata Party, which stands firmly by the principle of 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas' issues a global appeal that all nations that uphold the values of morality, cultural integrity, creativity, and civilizational harmony must come together in unequivocal condemnation of this heinous act," he said.

The BJP strongly feels that India's culture and civilization, which stretches beyond national boundaries, has come under attack in Bangladesh.

Patra said Tagore, who is called Gurudev out of respect for his immense contribution in different fields, created many of memorable works in this ancestral home, known as Kachharibari. It is also a government museum to respect his legacy.

The BJP MP noted that he not only wrote India's national anthem but also that of Bangladesh, which has seen a surge in the activities of Islamic hardlines following the deposition of Sheikh Hasina last year. PTI KR ZMN