Kolkata, Nov 1 Ahead of the annual Kolkata International Film Festival, a plaque bearing the name of former West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee at the city’s cultural hub Nandan was painted over, while another with the name of Jyoti Basu remained untouched.
This led to a heated exchange of words between the ruling BJP and the opposition party led by Mamata Banerjee, with veteran actor Mithun Chakraborty wondering if “anyone wants to see her name anymore”.
Nandan is a premier state government-sponsored film and cultural centre in the heart of Kolkata. It is the primary hub of the Kolkata International Film Festival, the 32nd edition of which would be held from December 16 to 23, with Ireland as the focus country.
Incidentally, the controversy over the plaque being painted over came on the day a logo for the film festival was unveiled. The new logo includes the colour saffron, besides blue, white and black that featured in the earlier design.
The new logo has been designed by legendary auteur Satyajit Ray’s filmmaker son Sandip Ray.
The foundation stone of Nandan was laid in 1980 by the then chief minister Jyoti Basu. The cultural complex was inaugurated in 1985 by Satyajit Ray.
After 2011, several plaques bearing Mamata Banerjee’s name were installed at different locations. However, a plaque bearing her name being painted over ahead of the first film festival under the BJP government created ripples in West Bengal’s political circle.
When asked about it, West Bengal government’s cultural advisor and veteran actor Mithun Chakraborty responded, “Does anyone want to see Mamata Banerjee’s name anymore?”
Mamata All India Trinamool Congress spokesperson Upasana Chowdhury hit back, alleging that an authoritarian government was in power in the state.
(PTI News)
