Pawan Khera hit out at BJP for renaming Suhrawardy Avenue, calling it 'intellectual bankruptcy.' Suvendu Adhikari praised the move, but TMC's Saket Gokhale countered that the road was named after a different, respected Suhrawardy.
Congress' Media and Publicity chairperson, Pawan Khera, on Monday took a jibe at the BJP government in West Bengal after Suhrawardy Avenue in Kolkata was renamed as Gopal Mukherjee Road.
In an X post, Khera cited Prime Minister Narendra Modi's message in the book 'Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee: The Great Educationist,' which stated that Mookerjee was a supporter of Dr Hassan Suhrawardy. Hitting out at the BJP, the Congress leader called out the "intellectual bankruptcy." "This book (published by Prabhat Prakashan and authored by senior BJP leader Dr Nand Kishore Garg), which carries the message of Prime Minister Modi claims that Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee was the chief counsel and a huge supporter of Dr Hasan Suhrawardy. Bhakt-Brigade should do what it is best at doing - WhatsApp satsang with each other. Spare the country from your intellectual bankruptcy please," Khera wrote on X.
Suvendu Adhikari praises renaming
Earlier on Sunday, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari lauded the Kolkata Municipal Corporation for renaming Suhrawardy Avenue, while slamming Dr Hassan Suhrawardy's nephew, Huseyn Suhrawardy's role in violence in Kolkata (then Calcutta) during the Muslim League's call for Direct Action Day in 1946.
Adhikari wrote on X, "I commend the historic decision taken by the Kolkata Municipal Corporation, yesterday, on the solemn occasion of Paschimbanga Divas, which would be instrumental in rectifying a historical wrong. Suhrawardy Avenue will now be renamed as Gopal Mukherjee Road." "For decades, a major artery of our City bore the name of someone who wilfully misused state power as a weapon, orchestrating the massacre of innocent citizens for sheer political gain. By renaming it after Shri Gopal Mukherjee, the fearless soul who stepped up as a protector-in-chief to defend and save thousands of innocent lives, finally, the restoration of historical justice will be achieved by honouring a true guardian and saviour. It's time, West Bengal remembers, corrects and honours the Real Heroes," the CM added.
TMC claims BJP targeted wrong Suhrawardy
However, TMC MP Saket Gokhale stated that the Suhrawardy Avenue was named after Dr Hassan Suhrawardy and not his nephew Huseyn Suhrawardy. Gokhale posted, "This is what happens when absolute fools take control of the govt. Suhrawardy Avenue in Kolkata was named after Hassan Suhrawardy - an academic and art critic who also became the first Muslim Vice-Chancellor of Calcutta University. The road was named in his honour in April 1933. The road was NOT named after Huseyn Suhrawardy, who is known as the Butcher of Bengal."
"We know that the BJP hates books & knowledge. But a simple online search would have told them this. The fact that NO ONE from KMC to the CM's office bothered to even find out the truth reflects on how the BJP Govt is being run. Bengal, which has a rich intellectual history, is now sadly being run by people who are allergic to history, intelligence, & facts," the TMC leader wrote. (ANI)
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