Poet's relatives favour renaming Indira Bhaban after Nazrul
Saturday, 7 January 2012
Chandan Banerjee
KOLKATA, Jan 6: The family of rebel poet Quazi Nazrul Islam yesterday joined the ongoing controversy over renaming Indira Bhaban after their forefather, throwing their weight behind Poshimbangla Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in this matter.
Two granddaughters of the poet met Urban Development Minister at the Secretariat and later told journalists that while they had due respects for the former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, they were with Ms Banerjee on this issue.
They alleged that the previous government had done little to commemorate their grandfather, whose literary works, lyrical compositions and patriotic spirit were lauded throughout the country.
They, however, expressed their regret over the ongoing controversy being spearheaded by a political party over the renaming of a building, saying that the poet was far above such petty politics.
To a question as to whether they would take it up with the Prime Minister by writing a letter to him on this issue, they said that if necessary, they would do so.
At the heart of the matter is a change proposed by the Chief Minister in the usage and the name of the two-storied building in Salt Lake, which was used by the late Prime Minister during her stay in the city and much later by the former Chief Minister Jyoti Basu as his official residence for over two decades.
Mamata Banerjee's announcement that an academy to preserve the memory of Quazi Nazrul Islam and to conduct research on him would be set up at the building (known as Indira Bhaban), drew protests from the Congress whose decibels rose in tandem with the souring of relations between the two allies in the Centre over the Lokpal Bill issue.
KOLKATA, Jan 6: The family of rebel poet Quazi Nazrul Islam yesterday joined the ongoing controversy over renaming Indira Bhaban after their forefather, throwing their weight behind Poshimbangla Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in this matter.
Two granddaughters of the poet met Urban Development Minister at the Secretariat and later told journalists that while they had due respects for the former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, they were with Ms Banerjee on this issue.
They alleged that the previous government had done little to commemorate their grandfather, whose literary works, lyrical compositions and patriotic spirit were lauded throughout the country.
They, however, expressed their regret over the ongoing controversy being spearheaded by a political party over the renaming of a building, saying that the poet was far above such petty politics.
To a question as to whether they would take it up with the Prime Minister by writing a letter to him on this issue, they said that if necessary, they would do so.
At the heart of the matter is a change proposed by the Chief Minister in the usage and the name of the two-storied building in Salt Lake, which was used by the late Prime Minister during her stay in the city and much later by the former Chief Minister Jyoti Basu as his official residence for over two decades.
Mamata Banerjee's announcement that an academy to preserve the memory of Quazi Nazrul Islam and to conduct research on him would be set up at the building (known as Indira Bhaban), drew protests from the Congress whose decibels rose in tandem with the souring of relations between the two allies in the Centre over the Lokpal Bill issue.