Visva-Bharati on Tuesday deployed security personnel to guard two marble plaques, installed at the university to mark it as a Unesco heritage site, after a controversy erupted over the omission of Rabindranath Tagore's name.
The plaques are inscribed with the names of chancellor Narendra Modi and vice-chancellor Bidyut Chakrabarty but do not mention Tagore, who founded the university.
“I don’t know the reason,” the university’s acting public relations officer Mahua Banerjee said when asked about the deployment of security guards.
A source said the decision was taken over fears that groups unhappy with the omission of Tagore's name could damage or destroy the plaques in protest.
Santiniketan was added to Unesco’s World Heritage List on September 17.
“The plaques became controversial because of the absence of Tagore’s name. We will certainly replace them with newer ones provided by the Archeological Survey of India, as soon as possible. However, we aren’t willing to further any controversy over those plaques, especially by way of vandalism,” said a source in the varsity.
The security personnel on duty said the direction to guard the plaques had come from the “top boss”.
Visva-Bharati is now shut for Puja vacations and will reopen on November 1.
The deployment of security guards was noticed by Santiniketan residents as well as a section of senior teachers.
“It is unfortunate that the varsity installed plaques that need security guards for protection. The deployment of security personnel proves that they did something wrong,” said a senior varsity teacher.
To commemorate the honour, Visva-Bharati authorities recently set up the plaques — one each in front of the Upasana Griha (the glass prayer hall) and the Rabindra Bhavana complex that houses five of Tagore’s residences and a museum. The two plaques have “UNESCO INSCRIBED WORLD HERITAGE SITE” written on them and mention the names of Modi and Chakrabarty.
The plaques invited controversy from various quarters, including the Opposition.
A BJP leader said the office of the Prime Minister was “not happy” with Chakrabarty over this.
“Officials in the PMO are not happy, as the controversy dragged in the name of Modiji. Tagore’s name should have been on the display, besides that of Modiji,” said a BJP leader, who claims to have communicated with the Prime Minister’s Office.
Visva-Bharati had claimed the plaques were temporary and would be replaced soon.
The varsity’s decision to replace the plaques prompted murmurs that top officials from Delhi sent a verbal message to senior Visva-Bharati officials to have the contentious plaques removed.
“They were not installed temporarily. We have learnt Chakrabarty was told to replace them. Let’s see what happens,” said an official.
Banerjee, however, said she had no information about any communication from Delhi on replacing the plaques.
“I don’t know whether any such communications came,” she claimed.
The Congress’s communications chief Jairam Ramesh on Monday posted on X: “Erasure of Nehru wasn’t enough. Now, erasure of Rabindranath Tagore also begins.”
The BJP’s IT cell chief Amit Malviya counter-posted.
“Is the Congress comparing an ineffectual Nehru with the revered Rabindranath Tagore? Speaking of them in the same vein is insulting the legacy of Guru ji. Shame,” Malviya wrote on X.
“Also, Prime Minister is the Chancellor or Acharya of Shantiniketan, which is what the signage says. Educate yourself,” he added.
