Swamiji’s bust stolen before 150th birth anniversary

11 January 2012
statesman news service
MALDA/SILIGURI, 11 JAN: When the whole nation will pay reverence to
Swami Vivekananda tomorrow on his 150th birth anniversary,
disappearance of his marble bust from a park named after him has
generated sharp criticism from all walks of the society. However, the
railway authorities, who are assigned to maintain the statue and the
park, kept mum on the issue.
Local youths had planned to hold a programme tomorrow to commemorate
the National Youth Day at Vivekananda Park located at municipal ward
22 of English Bazaar Municipality (EBM). To their utter dismay, they
youths found that the statue of Swami Vivekananda was missing. Worse
still, cans and bottles of liquors were placed on the pedestal on
which the statue was lodged. The aggrieved youths rushed to the local
municipal councillors, Mrs Anju Tiwary and Mr Subhadip Sanya.
Lack of maintenance had turned Swami Vivekananda Park into a den of
criminals and goons, people said. “It is now the feasting ground for
the drunkards. The criminals have made it their den,” they alleged.
Notably, the former secretary of Ramakrishna Mission Ashram of Malda,
Swami Divyanandaji, requested the railway authorities to take proper
care of the park.
“However, his pleas resulted in only temporary cleaning operations.
Soon the park was covered in bushes,” said Mr Subir Das Gupta, a
senior citizen. “Last year Swamiji’s birthday was an ordinary even
organised by the railway authorities,” Mr Das Gupta said, adding, it
was an insult to Vivekananda.
Mrs Tiwary, a Congress councillor said: “None has the right to insult
the noble soul of Swamiji. We will soon meet the railway officials and
demand a high-level probe into the matter.”
“If the railway authorities cannot maintain the park, they should
admit their failure and hand-over the park to the EBM authorities,”
she said.
Mr Sanyal, the leader of the Opposition in EBM and a senior CPI-M
leader, said if the railway authorities failed then the Democratic
Youth Federation of India (DYFI) would install a statue at their own
cost. Mr Sanyal also demanded the recovery of Swamiji’s statue
immediately.
Some children of the locality said the statue was taken away by three
persons  a few days ago. The railway authorities refused to comment on
the issue claiming that they were busy because of the Sahibganj
accident today.
The secretary of Ramakrishna Mission Ashram of Malda, Swami
Parashranandaji, refused to comment and said: “Swami Vivekananda is
not the property of Ramakrishna Math and Mission alone. He is an asset
for the nation. Hence, the railway authorities will speak about the
issue.”