The ruling BJP continues to hit the streets in Agartala over violence and vandalism at the ancestral home of Nobel-laureate poet Rabindranath Tagore in Bangladesh’s Sirajganj district. Hundreds of party supporters led by the party’s State president and Rajya Sabha member, Rajib Bhattacharjee on Monday staged a massive protest  near the Bangladesh Assistant High Commission (AHC) demanding the resignation of the country’s interim government headed by Muhammad Yunus.

BJP supporters shouting slogans against interim Yunus government in Bangladesh says  “Rabindranath lives in our heart”  organized a large protest rally from Vivekananda stadium to Circuit House area of Agartala before their protest in front of Bangladesh Assistant High Commission office .

As a large contingent of security personnel deployed in that area stopped the rally at least 300 meters away from the AHC. Central forces were deployed inside and on the approach road leading to the Bangladesh mission as authorities wanted strict security measures in place in view of vandalism carried out in this Bangladesh diplomatic office last year.

The BJP earlier organised a road march to the Agartala Integrated Check Post (ICP) and held a candle march in the city in protest against vandalism at Rabindranath’s ancestral property in Bangladesh, also known as Rabindra Kachharibari or Rabindra Memorial Museum in Sirajganj district.

While speaking with media persons during the protest, BJP state president Rajib Bhattacharjee said that Yunus' government is powered by extremist elements and is taking no action against the perpetrators of attacks on minorities. The attack on Rabindranath’s ancestral home is the latest of endless targeted violence under the full watch of the interim government.

Bhattacharjee termed the act as a blow to literature, culture and humanism. “Tagore is the architect of the national anthem of both India and Bangladesh," the BJP leader said and demanded exemplary punishment for those who are involved in the shocking incident.

The ruling BJP on Saturday held protests at more than six places in seven districts along Tripura’s border with Bangladesh.

Senior leaders, including ministers, led the protest rallies in Agartala, Bishalgarh, Udaipur, Belonia, Kailashahar, Dharmanagar and Khowai.

 BJP organized similar protests  in all Assembly constituencies in Tripura on Monday (June 16). State BJP General Secretary and MLA Bhagaban Das said “A barbaric incident of attack and vandalisation at the ancestral home of Rabindranath Tagore in Bangladesh has shocked people in India.”

He said that such an attack on the shared cultural heritage is totally unacceptable. “There must be a limit to such atrocious actions. The properties and heritage relating to a towering cultural icon like Tagore have not been spared in Bangladesh. Such acts are an unforgivable crime,” he told the media.

The protest ended peacefully, but organisers announced they would hold another series of protests if the situation concerning minorities in Bangladesh remained unchanged.

On June 8, a mob attacked and vandalised the ancestral home of Rabindranath Tagore in Bangladesh, also known as Rabindra Kachharibari or Rabindra Memorial Museum in Sirajganj district.

Media reports said that the attackers also assaulted a director of the institution.

Situated in Shahzadpur in Rajshahi division, Rabindra Kachharibari is the ancestral home and revenue office of the Tagore family. Many of Tagore's literary works came up while living in this mansion.

India’s Ministry of External Affairs also on June 12 strongly condemned the vandalism of Tagore’s ancestral home in Bangladesh, describing it as part of a “systematic” pattern by extremists to undermine the country’s syncretic cultural heritage.

MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal termed the June 8 attack on the Rabindra Kachharibari as a “despicable” act and “a disgrace to the memory and the inclusive philosophy” of the Nobel Laureate.

Earlier, Tripura Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha also condemned the attack and vandalisation of Tagore's ancestral home in Bangladesh and termed it as an "attack on our culture and heritage". He said that the act was a strongly condemnable and shameful incident for the entire nation.  “The interim government of Bangladesh needs to act strongly,” the Chief Minister said.