‘Despicable act’: MEA condemns attack on Rabindranath Tagore’s ancestral home in Bangladesh, says attempt to erase symbols of tolerance | India News

NEW DELHI: The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Thursday strongly condemned the vandalisation of Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore’s ancestral home in Bangladesh, describing it as a “despicable” and “violent” act that disrespects the memory and inclusive values espoused by the poet.“We strongly condemn the despicable act of vandalisation of Rabindranath Tagore’s ancestral home in Bangladesh by a mob,” MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a statement. “This violent act is a disgrace to the memory and inclusive values espoused by the Nobel Laureate.”The MEA further noted that such actions are part of “broad, systematic attempts by extremists to erase symbols of tolerance,” reflecting a concerning trend.“We have urged interim government of Bangladesh to rein in perpetrators and take strict action them,” he said.According to reports, the incident occurred at the Rabindra Kachharibari (also known as Rabindra Memorial Museum) in Shahzadpur, Sirajganj, on Wednesday. The Kachharibari is a historic mansion where Tagore lived and composed many of his works.The unrest reportedly began on June 8, when a visitor and his family had an argument with a museum employee over motorcycle parking fees. The altercation escalated, and the visitor was allegedly confined in an office and physically assaulted.In reaction, locals staged a protest by forming a human chain on Tuesday. Subsequently, a mob stormed the premises, vandalised the museum’s auditorium, and reportedly assaulted a senior director of the institution.Following the attack, Bangladesh’s department of archaeology formed a three-member committee to investigate the incident. The committee has been instructed to submit its report within five working days.Md Habibur Rahman, custodian of the Kachharibari, told local media that the site has been temporarily closed to visitors due to “unavoidable circumstances.” The Department of Archaeology is monitoring the situation closely.Located in the Rajshahi division, the Kachharibari is not just a historical site but a cultural symbol. It served as both the family estate and revenue office of the Tagore family. Rabindranath Tagore, who became the first non-European to win the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1913, created several of his iconic works while residing in this mansion.The vandalisation of the site has triggered widespread outrage and concern across both India and Bangladesh, with scholars, diplomats, and cultural institutions calling for the protection of shared heritage and historical legacies.