Amartya Sen unaware of ground realities: BJP's Dilip Ghosh

Mr Ghosh also accused a section of intellectuals of turning a blind eye to the killings of BJP workers in West Bengal for chanting the slogan.

"He (Amartya Sen) stays abroad, he is not aware of the ground realities. It will be good for everybody if he continues to stay abroad," Ghosh was quoted as saying by the local media yesterday.

The newly-elected Midnapore MP's comments came a day after Sen, speaking at a programme at the Jadavpur University in Kolkata, said unlike "Maa Durga", the "Jai Shri Ram" slogan is not associated with the Bengali culture and is used as a "pretext to beat up people".

The remarks of the economist, who was born in Birbhum district's Shantiniketan, came in the backdrop of sections of people in several parts of the country forcing others to chant "Jai Sri Ram" and beating up those refusing to so.