Tagore songs at signals: Didi calls it enchanting, CPM says hypocrisy

Playing of Rabindra Sangeet at various traffic intersections in Kolkata became a subject of fierce debate in the Assembly between the Opposition CPM members and the treasury benches led by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

Soon after coming to power, Mamata had ordered playing of the Nobel Laureate's songs at street crossings with a view to entertain public.

The Chief Minister, during the budget speech on Friday in the Assembly, said "commuters and walkers get enchanted listening to Rabindra Sangeet at 39 crossings in Kolkata".

CPM member Gouranga Chatterjee, while opening the debate in the Assembly on Home police budget, launched a virulent attack on the issue.

He described Rabindra Sangeet being played at the city's street crossings as "hypocrisy".

Quoting Bengali satire writer Shivram Chakravarty, the CPM legislator said: "Chengis Khan and Rabindranath coexisted among some Bengalis."

He also quoted Utpal Dutta to say that "Rabindranath should be saved from the hands of hypocrites."

"Yours is a party of hypocrites," he charged and pointed at the Trinamool members.

Subash Naskar of RSP, a Left Front constituent, said Rabindra Sangeet at street crossings has become a joke.

"When it is raining, the songs playing on the system are about summer, when it is scorching hot, the songs are about rain... It is a ridiculous situation," he said.

Tapas Roy of the Trinamool Congress mounted a counter-attack, describing CPM members as "Harmads" (hired goons of killers).

In her reply to the debate, Mamata said the way the name of Tagore has been maligned in the House is shameful.

"This exceeds all limits of political decency. Political opponents will obviously oppose but that does not mean that there will not be any limits for decency. It is simply reprehensible," she said.

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