Vidyasagar statue vandalization culmination of hate culture: Gujarat memorandum

By A Representative
About 45 Gujarat activists have, in a memorandum to the President of India on the vandalisation of the statue of Iswarchandra Vidyasagar last week in West Bengal, have said that the incident is "the culmination of the culture and politics of hatred that has unleashed in our country." The memorandu, however, refrains from naming any political party.
"Words fail to condemn the vandalisation of the bust of Iswarchandra Vidyasagar, one of the pioneers of Indian social reform movement, during the election campaign of Loksabha poll at Kolkata", the memorandum reads, adding, "Starting from Vivekananda, Gandhiji, Tagore and many were inspired by Vidyasagar. Devaluating the greatness of renaissance and freedom struggle will push us to the dark age of feudal society."

Continues the memorandum, "A culture of talibisation has usurped in the country. Statues of Gandhiji, Ambedkar, Periyar, and Lenin have been vandalized in recent past. Vandalism of statues is not an isolated phenomenon but is on-going as the atmosphere of hatred and intolerance are growing."
It adds, "It is not only an attack on the statue of Vidyasagar but also attack on the culture and noble thought of the country, the modern India. We appeal to all to uphold the banner of renaissance values high in the country."
Among those who have signed the memorandum include litterateur Prakash N Shah, academic and former minister YK Alagh, social worker Indukumar Jani, political campaigner Dwarikanath Rath, journalist Tanushree Gangopadhayay, development expert Persis Ginwala, activists Harinesh Pandya and Rajesh Shah, and environmentalist Mahesh Pandya.