Former central minister and Trinamool Congress MLA Babul Supriyo on 5 August stoked a fresh controversy with his comment on Nobel laureate Amartya Sen, suggesting the latter that he could not come out of his political ideologies.
Supriyo made the comments on Sen, who received the Muzaffar Ahmad Memorial Prize for his book ‘Home in the World: A Memoir’ weeks after ‘declining’ an award from the Mamata Banerjee government.
With his comments led to discomfort inside the party, Babul Supriyo took to Twitter to explain what he said about Amartya Sen.
The West Bengal Cabinet Minister took to Twitter and wrote, “I simply said that whenever Shri Amartya Sen ‘visit’s India, we would rather have him impart his valuable advices, analysis and suggestions to any govt, than see him being extraordinarily critical abt everything & everyone making him seem biased. Politically.”
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The TMC leader added, “He surely has the right to accept or refuse any award but we/India/Indians, who look up to him as an world acclaimed economist, wud want to see him play a more constructive role, rising above his political ideology•Sadly that rarely happens & it our loss•I stand by what I said.”
Supriyo alleged that the controversy has been created by the CPM, “distorting the essence” of what he said because of their (CPM leaders’) political compulsion.
Sen, though was not physically present to accept Friday’s award, in a written statement said how his family shared a close association with CPM leader Muzaffar Ahmad.’
“I am very happy that my book has been linked with the memory of Ahmad, one of the torchbearers of Communist movement in India with whom I have family ties, apart from having my deep regards,” Sen said in a message read out by Manabi Majumdar, the director of Sen’s Pratichi Trust.
Earlier in July, Amartya Sen did not receive the government’s ‘Bangabibhusan’, the highest civilian award conferred by the West Bengal government.
Citing the reason, his family members said he had informed the government that he will not be in India at the time of the event.
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