TMC govt to tackle 'Jai Sri Ram' with Amartya Sen's words

Attending a programme at the Jadavpur University, economist Amartya Sen had recently decried the trend of shouting 'Jai Sri Ram', observing the culture was alien to Bengal.

For his utterances the Nobel laureate had earned the ire of Bengal BJP chief Dilip Ghosh.

The state's Urban Development department has now asked all municipalities to counter the saffron party's slogan with Dr Sen's words. Through an e-mail it has asked all municipality chiefs to put up flexes with Amartya Sen's photos and his observation.

Dr Sen had 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". His remarks 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.

In Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, while campaigning for the April-May Lok Sabha polls, was accosted with such slogan shouting people. She had even got down from her car and rushed at them for shouting 'Jai Sri Ram'.