Tag: Tagore

Mamata Banerjee attacks BJP pointing out Tagore stood for secular vision

[ad_1]
Kolkata: Even as a controversy broke out over what political rivals saw as an attempt to usurp the legacy of national poet Rabindranath Tagore by the BJP, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in a speech here on Tuesday to mark the Nobel Laurette’s birth anniversary pointedly spoke about his secular vision and his use of Raksha Bandhan to promote Hindu-Muslim unity.
Analysts saw this as thinly veiled attack on the BJP and Home Minister Amit Shah who is in the city to pay homage to the poet at a function organised by a BJP supported cultural NGO. TMC has long accused BJP and its top leadership of promoting a political ideology opposed to the tenets of secularism.
“We hardly have the qualifications to define the Poet Laurette he is in our soul, he is the poet of the freedom movement, the poet who stood against communal disharmony, who stood for Raksha Bandhan (Tagore tied Rakhis on the wrist of Muslim leaders to unite them with Hindus in the struggle against the British move to divide Bengal in 1905),” Banerjee said.

She also said that many things are being bandied about for the sake of electoral calculations such as that “Tagore was born in Santiniketan”.
“We should not think that for the sake of elections we can purchase someone spending Rs 5, or mistakenly we can say that Rabindranath Tagore was born in Santiniketan,” Banerjee said.
The TMC had two-and-a-half years ago gone to town with a screenshot of a tweet by BJP’s Bengal unit quoting the party president J P Nadda as making the claim as against the fact that he was born in Kolkata at Jorashankho Palace, where Shah had gone Tuesday morning. It has also long been claiming that the BJP hired people for its rallies and processions.
She also pointed to an incident which occurred a few years back when a bust of Bengal renaissance icon and educationist Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar was destroyed in a college in Kolkata during a BJP rally some years back, shocking people in the state.
“We should not think that one can vandalise the bust of Vidyasagar,” Banerjee said.

“Those who have Tagore in their hearts always feel him. If ‘Ravi-upasana’ (Rabindranath homage) is done from the bottom of your heart, then that will be the real homage to the real Rabindranath,” Banerjee added.
Earlier in the day, one of Banerjee’s lieutenant’s, state urban minister Firhad Hakim alleged that the BJP was trying to reap benefits from Tagore’s cult status in the state by organising a visit by Shah’s to pay homage to the poet.
Hakim said, “The BJP is trying to woo Bengalis before next year’s Lok Sabha polls. But Rabindranath Tagore should not be used for political reasons or electoral benefits.
He said that Tagore’s ideology of secularism, humanism needs to be understood. “You need to follow his path of tolerance, harmony among all religions, which the BJP does not,” the minister said.
CPI(M) state secretary Md Salim also alleged that both TMC and BJP were trying to use Tagore politically.
“Today those who are playing with religion, are trying to use Tagore for their divisive politics. Tagore was against all this. Neither BJP’s nor TMC’s ideologies match with that of Tagore,” Salim told reporters.
[ad_2]
#Mamata #Banerjee #attacks #BJP #pointing #Tagore #stood #secular #vision
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

May 9, 2023
BJP evading questions by blocking parliamentary proceeding: Cong MP Manickam Tagore

[ad_1]
Panaji: Congress MP Manickam Tagore on Saturday alleged that ruling members are blocking the process of parliament to evade the questions on ‘Adani scam’ and relation of latter with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Addressing a press conference, Manickam Tagore said, “We want parliament to function, but BJP doesn’t want it as we are asking questions about Adani’s scam and relation between Modi and Adani. For that, proceedings are being blocked by the ruling party. But we will continue to raise these issues,” Tagore said.
Manickam Tagore, who is also Congress’ Goa in-charge, is on a two-day visit to the state to attend party meetings and ‘Haath Se Haath Jodo Yatra’.
He said that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi wanted to clarify over his remarks on Indian democracy, however he has not been allowed to speak.
“Rahul Gandhi wanted to speak from Thursday, because allegations were made by the defence minister, law minister and parliamentary affairs minister… he wanted to clarify and put his views. He has not been allowed to speak,” he said.
“It’s a black day for democracy. Attack on parliamentary proceedings shows that Modi’s government doesn’t believe in democratic process. Opposition parties are demanding Joint Parliamentary Committee on ‘Adani scam’. All 18 parties are demanding it,” Tagore further said.
“In parliament for the past one week oppositions are not allowed to speak. BJP leaders are blocking the parliament functioning. First time in the history of parliament in India, the ruling party is involved in adjournment of parliament. Only the ministers are allowed to speak in parliament. Members of all 18 opposition parties are not given the opportunity to speak,” he lamented.
Meanwhile, the Political Affairs Committee of Congress in Goa has expressed solidarity with their leader Rahul Gandhi.

[ad_2]
#BJP #evading #questions #blocking #parliamentary #proceeding #Cong #Manickam #Tagore
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

March 18, 2023
Horrors of Drug Abuse Staged in Dakh-e-Loor At Tagore Hall

[ad_1]
by Maleeha Sofi
SRINAGAR: Given the rise in drug addiction in Kashmir, the seventh play of Theatre Festival Kashmir 2023 staged the consequences of the menace. The name Dakh-e-Loor (Walking stick or walking cane) implies the old age support of people that are their children who are ruined due to drugs. The play is written by Dildar Ashraf Shah and presented by the Shahkaar Cultural society.
The play starts with a conversation between an old man – Khoje Salaam and a lady. The former asks the latter about her brother. She replies in anger that he has spoiled the lives of the young people and their families.
The next scene is a conversation between Bilal and Waseem. Bilal is lying on the road and, when asked why, replies that he needs the drug. They belong to low-income families and can’t manage money from their homes, so they choose theft and involve other people. While talking, they see Jehangir and call him. Jehangir belongs to an affluent family. He shares his problem of not being loved enough by his father – Mansoor since he lost his mother. He craves love, even though he gets more than enough money from his father. Waseem and Bilal somehow persuade him to attain happiness through drugs. Jehangir argues with his father every day to get the money.
Jehangir starts to return home late. Tota, their servant, whom he treats like a brother, gets concerned about Jehangir’s condition and repeatedly insists his father take the matter seriously. Mansoor always gives excuses for his busy schedule.
One day when Jehangir leaves home, Tota convinces Mansoor to follow him. Meanwhile, Jehangir, Waseem, and Bilal go to a graveyard to have a ‘special drug’ where Waseem gives them injections for intravenous intoxicants. As soon as Jehangir injects it, he falls unconscious. The other two ignored him and went to have a meal. Mansoor and Tota while trying to find Jehangir reached the same spot and found him lying unconscious. Coincidentally, a doctor passes by and Mansoor calls her for help. On checking, she declared him dead. Mansoor couldn’t bear the shock and he died too.
Artists who performed in the theatre play Dakh-e-Loor, focusing on the costs and consequences of drug abuse in Kashmir. KL Image: Bilal Bahadur
The play sheds light on the alarming rise in drug abuse and its consequences. During the whole play, there was a good mix of seriousness and comedy. A few incidents could have been improved, especially in the beginning Bilal was shown in dire need of drugs that he was losing himself, but as soon as the conversation began, without consuming any intoxicant he was behaving fine which seemed a little off. In another act where Mansoor moves out to find a doctor, he finds her family doctor outside the graveyard in full uniform and a stethoscope which also appeared unnatural.

The play was written and directed by Dildar Ashraf Shah, and presented by Shahkaar Cultural Society and assistant director of the play is Jameela Akhter. The character of Mansoor was played by Mohammad Rafiq Mattoo, Jehangir by Fuzail Farooq, Tota by Mohammad Zaki, Waseem by Gulzar Ahmad Khanday, Bilal by Junaid Manzoor, Khoje Salaam by Shakeel Ahmad Naqash, Nargis by Tehseena Afaq Mir and Dr Henna by Jameela Akhter. The set effects were managed by Waris Hamid Khan, make up by Tehseena and Jameela, sound operation by Ajaz Ahad Saboon, Light operation by Tariq Hajini, costume by Javeed Jameel, property by Bilal Ganderbali, and overall in-charge is Shakeel-ul-Rehman.

[ad_2]
#Horrors #Drug #Abuse #Staged #DakheLoor #Tagore #Hall
( With inputs from : kashmirlife.net )

March 15, 2023
Theatre Festival 2023 Starts At Tagore Hall

[ad_1]
SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir Cultural Academy of Art, Culture, and Languages inaugurates the eight-day long Theatre Festival Kashmir 2023 in presence of Secretary Culture Department Syed Abid Rasheed, OCD Culture Tufail Matto and Incharge Cultural Academy Mirza Farooq Anwar as special guests on Thursday.
The guests were welcomed by performers of Band Pather headed by Manzoor-Ul-Haque. The programme is aimed to promote the rich cultural heritage in Jammu and Kashmir. Mirza Farooq Anwar delivered a welcome speech where he spoke about several upcoming cultural programmes.
While addressing the audience Tufail Matto focused on the need for attachment with culture. He said, “Kashmiri Pandits teach kids Kashmiri language primarily but in Kashmir, it is the least preferred language.” “Theatre has helped people to get international recognition. We should develop the habit of engagement with Kashmiri music, art and culture in our kids to keep it alive,” he added further.
Syed Abid Rasheed also spoke at the event and promised to work on the revival of theatre in Kashmir. He said, “If we do not revive our culture of language, art and music, we will be left with buildings, roads and infrastructure only. It is important too but cultural heritage is the soul of a society.”
While interacting with the audience he asked for suggestions for the theatre to evolve with the needs of the present generation. He expressed his views on saving cultural heritage along with incorporating the interests of youngsters by saying, “We should be open to change and evolution.”
He also mentioned some measures that the Cultural Academy will be taking under his leadership including involvement of stakeholders to take decisions, taking up initiatives for handholding of artists, providing platforms for artists on school level, acceptability of all the true artists and providing international opportunities to artists from Jammu and Kashmir.
The event is being held in collaboration with Cluster University Srinagar, Government College for Women MA Road, Abdul Ahad Azad Memorial Degree College, Government Degree College Chadoora, and Chief Education Office Budgam. The ceremony was attended by Srinagar Coordinator of the National School of Drama Gulzar Ahmed Ganie, Mohammad Amin Bhat, and Javed Ahmed among hundreds of other people in the audience.

[ad_2]
#Theatre #Festival #Starts #Tagore #Hall
( With inputs from : kashmirlife.net )

March 3, 2023