Universalism and self-reliance were among Tagore’s views that Modi has connected to his policies and politics. As the Trinamool Congress gears up to attack the PM when he begins his canvassing in Bengal, it’s these teachings of Tagore and their use in his policies which will be put into the electioneering, even as people are caught up in speculation on Modi’s appearance.
Imaging does matter. Especially if you are in politics. And if the battle is as fierce as the one for Bengal, then even more so. There is no denying that for every Bengali, Rabindranath Tagore holds a special place. There is almost no Bengali household which does not possess a book or two by the Nobel laureate or a collection of Rabindra Sangeet. The younger generation may be hooked to hip-hop and techno, but Tagore’s tunes are often de rigueur in a lot of households.
Says poet Sudeep Sen who has worked on Tagore’s poems, “For Bengal, the relevance of Tagore is paramount. For the older generation and for the Bengali diaspora abroad, it is like what society in its holistic sense ought to be — educated, fair, egalitarian, hunger-free, and forward-looking. For the younger generation, Tagore is something that was a reality of the past, and this notion needs to be updated urgently. And that is because the relevance of what Tagore stood for has not changed — it is the way his vision is carried forward for the new generation in a language they understand (without any dilution) is the key.”
