Kolkata is a crucible of cultures as a cosmopolitan city and, above all, Urdu-speakers are not hated in West Bengal.
KARACHI: Pakistan’s outgoing High Commissioner in New Delhi is reported to have visited West Bengal’s Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, along with his wife and a couple of diplomats from his mission, on a courtesy call. He delivered her an invitation from Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to visit Pakistan at a time convenient for her. He also conveyed Pakistan’s interest in cultural and other exchanges with West Bengal. The news was broken by a Bangladesh newspaper which, obviously miffed at the overture by Pakistan, wondered why it should cultivate ties with a distant region in the east of India “with which it has no borders”.
Yet, if true, it is a welcome move. West Bengal is the seat of Bengali culture. It is the home of the great sage Shri Chaitanya, besides, Vivekananda, Rabindranath Tagore, Bankim Chatterjee, Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, Kazi Nazrul Islam and many more. It is where Tagore’s famous residential educational institution, Shantiniketan, is situated and the remains of Sirajuddowlah are buried. Muslim Bengalis do not dwell only in Bangladesh. West Bengal also has a sizable population of Muslims in Malda and Murshidabad districts besides, Hoogly and 24 Parganas. Kolkata is a crucible of cultures as a cosmopolitan city and, above all, Urdu-speakers are not hated in West Bengal. In fact, there are a few such in Ms Banerjee’s cabinet. Cultural exchanges between West Bengal and Pakistan should, therefore, be mutually rewarding. Pakistani artists would find a receptive audience in West Bengal as Pakistan will welcome West Bengal performers. The initial move needs to be followed up vigorously. If Hasina Wajed is too puffed up, let us welcome Ms Banerjee.
SG Jilanee
Published in The Express Tribune, January 6th, 2014.
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