Kolkata police set up SIT to probe Tagore song row

Bengal govt refuses to accept RBU V-C’S resignation

Rabindra Bharati University (RBU) vicechancellor Sabyasachi Basu Ray Chaudhury's resignation from his post Friday over the vulgar distortion of a famous song by the great poet-author Rabindra Nath Tagore during Basanta Utsob (Spring Festival) celebrations at the varsity campus on March 5 has been rejected by the Mamata Banerjee government as the Kolkata police has formed a special investigation team (SIT) to probe the incident.

However, the RBU V-C's move has left the ruling Trinamul Congress divided. Condemning the incident on the RBU BT Road campus, state education minister Partha Chatterjee Saturday informed that prof Ray Chaudhury's resignation has not been accepted.

“I had a word with him. He was told that his resignation will not be accepted. I have asked him to continue with his job. He has also agreed to it,” he said.

The Trinamul secretary general added, “It is not only the RBU V-C’s moral responsibility. It is a social decay of which all have to be made aware. Those who did it pushed back the culture of Bengal.”

However, state panchayat minister Subrata Mukherjee supported prof Basu Ray Chaudhury's step. He said, “The RBU VC

chose the best way to protest.”

Earlier in the day when prof Basu Ray Chaudhury visited the RBU campus, the students appealed to him to withdraw his resignation. But he said, “I will stay but only as a professor. I have no complaint against anyone as I got support from all. I sought relief taking moral responsibility for the incident, being head of the institution for the last seven years.”

A day after the RBU authorities lodged a FIR against a group of students for distorting the Rabindra sangeet (song) Chand Uthechhilo Gogone (The Moon Rose in the Sky) by prefixing the line with vulgar words and flaunting them in Aabir (colourful powder) on their body parts, the city police set up a SIT including its cyber crime cell officers since the controversial photos and a video of the display were posted on Facebook.

● CONDEMNING THE incident on the RBU BT Road campus, state education minister Partha Chatterjee Saturday informed that prof Ray Chaudhury's resignation has not been accepted.

● EARLIER IN THE DAY when prof Basu Ray Chaudhury visited the RBU campus, the students appealed to him to withdraw his resignation.