Along with the BJP, descendants of Bankim Chandra highlight neglect to writer’s house in Kolkata

Family members of Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay on Sunday (November 9, 2025) joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leadership in highlighting the neglect to the house of the writer, which was taken over by the West Bengal government almost two decades ago.

Sajal Chattopadhyay and Sumitra Chattopadhyay, fifth generation descendants of the celebrated poet and novelist, joined State BJP president Samik Bhattacharya in raising the neglect of the house.

Also Read | BJP cites insult to Bankim Chandra, Trinamool highlights snub to Tagore

The State BJP president said that the house on 5, Pratap Chatterjee Street in Kolkata was taken over by the West Bengal government in the Left Front regime, and in 2026, the late Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee set up a library in the house. Later, in 2014, a statue of Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay was set up in the compound of the house by local Trinamool Congress (TMC) councillor Partha Bose.

During the press conference, the BJP leader played a video of the library where people were seen occupying the space, and clothes were put up for drying over Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay’s statue.

Mr. Bhattacharya questioned the timing of the TMC government in making the singing of Rabindranath Tagore’s song ‘Banglar Mati, Banglar Jol’ compulsory during morning assembly in State-run schools. The BJP leader said that the decision came when the entire country was paying tributes to Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay on 150 years of ‘Vande Mataram’.

On November 7, Leader of the Opposition in the State Assembly Suvendu Adhikari led a procession to the house of Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, and expressed his resentment that the house was closed and there was no garland on the statue of the national icon.

“Bengalis should watch this. The Trinamool shouts Bengali… Bengali. Rishi Bankim Chandra is the soul to the people of Bengal,” Mr. Adhikari had said after finding the gates of the premises closed. He also accused Trinamool of disrespecting the proud son of Bengal.

Sajal Chattopadhyay, one of the descendants of Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, who joined the West Bengal BJP president at the press conference, said that the State administration undertook the restoration of the property but the family members had not completely handed over their rights to the property. He questioned why the library was not being maintained properly and why the State government was failing in its responsibilities.

Sumitra Chattopadhyay, another descendent of the national icon, urged the West Bengal government’s Department of Library to conduct an investigation into the “misuse of the property” taken over by the State government. Claiming that the celebration of 150 years of ‘Vande Mataram’ was not a political programme, he said that the West Bengal government should have held a similar celebration to honour the writer.

While the BJP leadership is highlighting the neglect of Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay by the State’s ruling party, the Trinamool Congress is alleging that the saffron party is disrespecting Rabindranath Tagore.

The Trinamool Congress leadership has recently alleged that BJP MP Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri had made derogatory remarks against Rabindranath Tagore and even held protests over the issue. The BJP MP had said that the country’s national anthem, penned by Tagore, was written “to welcome the British official”.