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Journalism of Courage
Prime Minister A B Vajpayee spread some feel good in a feel-bad campus by saying the Nobel theft was no ‘‘ordinary theft’’ but a ‘‘question of national pride’’ and offered all ‘‘administrative help’’ to recover Tagore’s medal and the priceless herilooms.
But by the time he left, Vajpayee’s visit had been hijacked by the party and his allies, all trying to show, in a poll year, how much they were concerned over the theft.
‘‘I am appalled by the shocking absence of adequate security at the Tagore memorial museum,’’ said Vajpayee. ‘‘(I regret) that even eight days after the theft, not a single item could be recovered.’’
In a swipe at those in charge of the museum, Vajpayee said: ‘‘I am appalled to see the gross inadequacy of the security measures in protecting these priceless items belonging to Gurudev…It is an expert job. Thieves had come prepared. They had implements with them and they knew exactly what they had come for. They were sure about the places where these were kept.’’
But there was no mistaking the election backdrop. The entourage accompanying the Prime Minister from Kolkata included Mamata Banerjee of the Trinamool Congress and Tapan Sikdar of the BJP. The BJP’s state president Tathagata Roy arrived by road to catch up with the team. ‘‘I am a politician, I was hit by the model code of conduct and could not accompany the PM from Kolkata in the helicopter.’’
But this didn’t matter to either Banerjee or Sikdar. In official circles, the message was loud and clear: it was Didi who had convinced the PM to make this trip. Vajpayee, who is the Chancellor, hasn’t been here in three years.
The Trinamool candidate for Bolpur Lok Sabha seat, Nirmal Majhi, who is pitted against Somnath Chatterjee of CPI(M) was also hanging around all through though Chatterjee was conspicuous by his absence.
For the Trinamool-BJP combine, the day was picture perfect: Mamata squatting on the stairs of the museum complex, flanked by Sikdar and Roy. For the media, coffee and chocolates on the house.
There were others who felt good as well. Antari Aich, Sonali Choudhury, Sudhitri Ganguly and Barnila Mitra, all students, felt good that the ‘‘Acharaya of the university has come at a time of distress to reassure us.’’
But the black posters they carried said: ‘‘Welcome PM, go back VC.’’ These were seized by the police who said ‘‘black’’ posters could not be allowed. So they came back with the same message on white placards and this time, the police didn’t object.
Earlier, Vajpayee, on his arrival, went straight to the Tagore museum where a CBI team, with director U S Mishra, showed him the burgled displays and the window through which the burglars were suspected to have entered.
The PM spent about 15 minutes there and later reviewed safety measures during a meeting with Vice Chancellor Sujit Basu and other university officials. Meanwhile, the ‘‘mystery bundle’’found late last night turned out to be of little help. The CBI chief said it contained a ‘‘small piece of ivory suspected to be part of a stolen item from the museum.’’ He, however, clarified that it had nothing to do with a breakthrough in the Nobel theft case.
