Bangladesh should rein in terrorists: India after vandalisation of Tagore’s ancestral home

Dhaka/New Delhi: India on Thursday strongly condemned the vandalisation of the ancestral home of Rabindranath Tagore – historically called the Rabindra Kachharibari – in the Sirajganj district of Bangladesh, urging the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government in the country to take strict action against the extremist elements involved in the incident.

“We strongly condemn the despicable attack and vandalisation of the ancestral home of Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore by a mob on June 8, 2025. The violent act is a disgrace to the memory and the inclusive philosophy and the teachings that the Nobel laureate espoused in Bangladesh. The attack falls in a broad pattern of systematic attempts by extremists to erase the symbols of tolerance and eviscerate the synchronic culture and cultural legacy of Bangladesh,” said Randhir Jaiswal, Spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), during a weekly media briefing.

“We urge the interim government to rein in the terrorists and take strict action against the perpetrators to prevent recurrence of such incidents that sadly have become a repetitive feature,” he added.

The MEA also reiterated that it wants to establish a positive and constructive relationship with the South Asian neighbour.

“Our approach to engagement with Bangladesh and our ties with the country are well known. I have stated this from this podium several times. We seek a positive and constructive relationship with Bangladesh, one that is anchored in the aspirations of the people of both countries,” mentioned Jaiswal.

Bangladeshi media reported that a mob of 50–60 people broke into the Rabindra Kachharibari, which also houses a memorial museum, and vandalised the auditorium and custodian’s office, causing significant damage to the historic building.

“There were visitors at the site who panicked due to the sudden attack. We took shelter during the attack and informed police immediately,” Bangladesh’s Daily Star quoted Habibur Rahman, a custodian of the Kachharibari, as saying.

One of the visitors, Enamul Haque, who had arrived with his family, criticised the attack. “Criminal activities at a historic site like Shahzadpur Rabindra Kachharibari are unacceptable,” he said.

Confirming the incident, Shahzadpur Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC)stated, “A complaint was lodged earlier. We are investigating the matter.”

The leader of the opposition in the West Bengal assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, had also raised the issue during his speech at the Indian Council for Cultural Relations in Kolkata, on Wednesday.

“The sacred legacy of our most precious Kobiguru Rabindranath Thakur was desecrated in Sirajganj, Bangladesh, where a mob led by BNP and Chhatra Shibir activists vandalised the historic Rabindra Kachari Bari. This shameful and utterly disgraceful act of destruction targetted a site that embodies Bengal’s cultural soul and Tagore’s universal message of humanity. Windows shattered, furniture ruined, and a Global Icon’s memory insulted,” he posted on X.

IANS