CM Mamata Banerjee slams history distortion, former governor bats for freedom

KOLKATA: Chief minister Mamata Banerjee did not mince words on the Calcutta University convocation dais on Monday, slamming an attempt to distort history according to a certain political ideology. She also used the platform — where former governor Gopalkrishna Gandhi had been bestowed a DLitt minutes earlier — to deliver a strong message: that Bengal would reject such attempts.

“Let us not forget our history. History should not be misconstrued or distorted following a political ideology. The freedom of institutions should not be curbed and there should not be divisions between humans,” she said. She added that Bengal stood by unity, where divisive and distorted history had no place.

With great honour comes “great responsibility”, Gandhi said in his address, referring to the DLitt conferred on him. In the same vein, and considering the prevalent “unrest” in several corners of the country, he batted for freedom: of thought and expression.

“I would want to say that it is of vital importance that the freedom of thought, expression and the freedom of writing be exercised freely and fearlessly in our country,” said Mahatma Gandhi’s youngest grandson, who had served as Bengal’s governor from 2004 to 2009.

Stating that “fear” was a great evil, Gandhi said it was inconsistent with democracy and republicanism. “Those who have the capacity to think, as all of us do, have the right to write with the same freedom without being bullied by anybody,” he said after receiving the DLitt. He pointed out that fear and democracy, inhibition and republic do not go together.

The former bureaucrat said the chief minister had a great role to play, and has a lot of responsibility. He said Banerjee and Bengal could be the torchbearers of liberty, democracy and keep republicanism alive in the country. “And, may this state be the torch-bearer of those ideals of freedom,” he said.

Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi, who’s the ex-officio chancellor of CU, reminded the students that institutions were not playground of politics, but a temple to gather knowledge and learning.