KOLKATA: The Centre has asked Visva-Bharati University to remove the earlier plaques that were installed on its premises to mark the Unesco heritage tag to Santiniketan. The Union ministry of education has also sent a detailed text in English and Hindi for the new plaque with Rabindranath Tagore's name.
As instructed by the ministry, VB has formed a six-member panel to prepare the text in Bengali. The new text does not mention the names of PM Narendra Modi or the varsity's former vice-chancellor, Bidyut Chakrabarty.
A source said the Bengali translation has already been done and sent to the ministry.
Visva-Bharati's interim V-C Sanjoy Kumar Mallick said: "The office of the vice-chancellor hasn't issued any official statement, yet."
The text sent by the ministry is in a plaque-like format with Unesco logo on the left, national emblem in the middle and VB's logo on the right.
A part of the text reads: "Established in rural West Bengal in 1901 by the great Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore, Santiniketan was a cradle of learning and education firmly rooted in India's classical traditions, aspiring to a concept of universal humanity... A 'World University' was established at Santiniketan in 1921, recognising the unity of humanity or 'Visva-Bharati.' What makes it noteworthy is the emphasis on research and scholarship that brings people and cultures together, to further world peace and encourage an exchange of ideas between the East and West. Santiniketan represents a unique approach towards modernity, drawing on ancient, medieval and folk traditions from across the world."
Santiniketan, Tagore's 'abode of peace' that houses Visva-Bharati, was inscribed as a Unesco 'World Heritage Site' on September 17. Following this, the VB authorities put up three marble plaques, which bore the names of Modi and Chakrabarty, the then VC. It triggered a major row for leaving out Tagore's name.
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