A much talked about poem written by poet, Srijato Bandopadhay, ‘Trishule Condom’, in March, 2017, has come to haunt him once again.
At a symposium for writing and sketch for the youths, organized at a posh hotel in Silchar town of Cachar district in Assam on Saturday evening, Bajrang Dal activists ransacked the venue, creating sensation till, midnight.
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More than two hours, the poet and the participants were holed up in this hotel and the district administration had to call in police personnel and CRPF jawans to diffuse the tension. Led by Additional S P, V Rakesh Reddy, poet Srijato Bandopadhay was later taken out guarded from the hotel and the local participants too were sent back home.
Srijato Bandpadhay was here to take part in a programme titled, ‘Aesho Boli’, but, talks for his controversial poem started to do the rounds through social media even before his arrival on Friday afternoon for which the organizers moved him from circuit house Silchar and took him to the hotel where he was scheduled to take part.
Later in the evening police personnel were lined up before the commencement of this symposium, but, not to be, as Basudev Sarma, president of All Assam Bengali Hindu Association (AABHA), along with Gautam Chakraborty of the Bajrang Dal, who also was present among the audience, questioned Srijato, as to why he has put in those words in his poem.
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This infuriated the other participants as well as the organizers which led to these leaders being shoved out of the hotel. In no time, a large contingent of Bajrang Dal activists reached the venue and shouted slogans against the poet. In the ensuing melee, some activists pelted stones which led to the shattering of window panes of the hotel.
Frightened by what was going on outside, the organizers as well as the local police had to put a complete halt to the programme and move out Srijato from this venue.
Talking to Northeast Now for all this ruckus, Gautam Chakraborty of the Bajrang Dal, said, “At a time when we have our NRC process going on, Srijato Bandopadhay, an agent of Trinamool Congress has come to disrupt the brotherhood and bond that we share between the Bengalis and Assamese. He has come here to create a communal riot, and nothing else, said Chakraborty”
Ajay Chakraborty, general secretary of Sammilito Sanskritik Mancha of Silchar, condemning the whole incident, informed, “Silchar is a land of the poets. Such things should not have happened in Silchar. Had the district administration intervened earlier, they could have stopped what had happened out here, tonight.”
Notably, on March 19, 2017, when, Yogi Adithyanath took oath as the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, poet Srijato posted his controversial poem with lines of Trishule Condom through facebook, on that very day.
FIRs against him and a huge hue and cry was witnessed even during those days, said, a cultural activist, talking to this correspondent.