Union minister Subhas Sarkar kicks up row with remarks on Rabindranath Tagore's complexion
Santiniketan/Kolkata, Aug 19: Union Minister Subhas Sarkar courted a controversy on Wednesday with his remarks that Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore's mother did not cradle him in her arms when he was a child because of his "not so fair complexion", provoking angry reactions from West Bengal's ruling TMC, which said it was an "insult" to a state icon.
The BJP, however, defended the minister, saying his remarks were against "racism".
The Minister of State for Education made the comments during a visit to Visva Bharati, the university founded by Tagore.
The doctor-turned-BJP MP said before a small audience that while other members of the Tagore family had "bright yellowish fair" complexion, Tagore was fair but had a reddish hue to his skin.
"There are two types of fair skinned people. One that are very fair with a yellowish hue and those who are fair but with a reddish tinge. Kabiguru belonged to the second category," he said.
Sarkar went on to say that "due to his not so fair complexion, his mother and many others in the family did not cradle Rabindranath in their arms or sat him in their laps."
Sarkar's comments triggered a controversy, with educationists and politicians denouncing him.
Former Rabindra Bharati University Vice-Chancellor Pabitra Sarkar said, "No idea on what basis the Hon'ble minister made such comments. Don't know if he has read biographies of Tagore thoroughly or whether he understood the spirit of these writings properly."
"Tagore was not of dark complexion though people like his elder sister had described him as Rabi, our dark-complexioned boy. This was an exaggeration. Did the minister mean to say Rabindranath was as dark as Africans? Or he meant he had a complexion that was somewhat between fair and dark?"
"The minister did not clarify. And will he say what he wanted to prove by referring to the complexion of Tagore? How does it matter? Did that matter for Tagore when he got the Nobel, did it matter for Tagore when he became a world visionary, a poet-writer-painter-playwright, a Mohican?" Pabitra Sarkar said.
He said the remarks were "unexpected from an education minister" and only indicated the "insanity we see all around and the sad state of affairs in the country".
In his speech at the varsity, the union minister talked about the world vision of Tagore which prompted him to found Visva Bharati and his multifaceted personality. He likened his visit to Visva Bharati to a pilgrimage and promised to transform it into one of the top universities in the world.
The TMC reacted angrily, accusing him of insulting the icons of Bengal.
"Subhas Sarkar is not aware of history. By all accounts, it is well known that Rabindranath Tagore was fair skinned. This is a racist comment (by the minister) and an insult to the icons of Bengal. Subhas Sarkar should not be allowed to enter Viswa-Bharati ever again," senior TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee said.
Echoing him, CPI(M) central committee member Sujan Chakraborty said such comments only reflect the "racist and anti-Bengali mindset of the BJP".
However, the West Bengal BJP leadership stood by the union minister and said his comments were, in fact, against racism.
"Subhas Sarkar has neither said anything against Rabindranath Tagore nor his family. He has spoken against discrimination on the basis of the colour of skin. His comments were not at all intended to insult anyone. The TMC should stop politicising just everything," state BJP spokesperson Shamik Bhattacharya said.
Echoing him, senior BJP leader and former Tripura governor Tathagatha Roy said Sarkar's comments had been blown out of proportion.
"His comments are being blown out of proportion. If you go through matrimonial advertisements, you will find Bengali families always seek a fair-complexioned groom or bride. His comments are just a reflection of the society and against such discrimination," Roy said.
Repeated calls to Subhas Sarkar for his comments on the controversy went unanswered.
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Government should immediately start decadal census, caste census: Mallikarjun Kharge in RS
New Delhi (PTI): Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge on Tuesday asked the government to immediately start the decadal census as well as caste census, saying a large number of people are being left out of welfare schemes due to the delay.
Expressing concern over the delay in conducting the decadal census during the Zero Hour in the House, the senior Congress leader said India has been conducting a census every 10 years since 1881.
It was conducted even during wars, emergencies, or other crises.
He recalled that back in 1931, a caste census was conducted along with the regular census.
Right before the 1931 census, Mahatma Gandhi had said that just like 'we need periodic medical checkups to assess our health, a census is the most important checkup for a nation', Kharge stated.
He said the census is a crucial exercise and involves a large number of people who collect data not just on population but also on employment, family structures, socio-economic conditions, and several other key aspects.
Even during major events like World War II and the India-Pakistan war of 1971-72, the census was conducted.
"But it is unfortunate that for the first time in history, the government has made a record delay (in conducting census)", he said.
Kharge further said that along with the general census, a caste census is also possible because the government already collects data on Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST), so it could collect data on other castes as well.
"But the government is silent on both the census and caste census," he said.
He noted that 81 percent of the countries in the world have successfully completed censuses despite Covid.
He said no clear statement is being made by the government regarding census in India.
Kharge said this year's budget has allocated only Rs 575 crore for the census which shows the government is unwilling to conduct it, Kharge said, and added delaying the census has serious consequences.
Without accurate and updated data, policies become arbitrary and ineffective.
He said several crucial surveys and welfare programs — such as the Consumer Survey, National Family Health Survey, Periodic Labour Force Survey, National Food Security Act, and National Social Assistance Programme — rely on census data.
Due to the delay in the census, a large number of people are being left out of welfare schemes.
Policymakers are making decisions without reliable and up-to-date data.
"Thus, I urge the government to immediately start the decadal census. Caste census and census should be conducted at the earliest," the senior Congress leader said.
