Mamata Banerjee was awarded DLitt degree and everyone seems to have a problem with it
A workaholic, well almost 24x7. And when she’s not working, meaning governing the state or minding politics, she is into creative pursuits — writing books, penning lyrics, composing songs, painting and doodling.
Mamata Banerjee has been recently awarded the prestigious DLitt by Calcutta University for her versatile contribution in the field of literature and language and for her gigantic footprints in social work.
There was much hue and cry, storm over tea stalls, debates dragging into court as to whether she merited the honorary degree. Ultimately she got the degree and she accepted it teary-eyed and her voice choking, partly for the love and appreciation of a section of people, who considered her eligible, and partly for the insult, humiliation and barbs she had to face in the process.
Without going into the sanctity of the awardee, the literary merit of her work, which can be purely subjective (depending on who are judging it, on what basis, under what condition and who are conferring the title), one cannot deny the sheer numbers she has added to the world of printed letters.
Half a dozen books a year is child’s play for her and she has been spewing such volume at every Kolkata Book Fair. And for all her detractors crying foul, the books are published by a leading publishing house of Bengal and they are always bestsellers — well at least as per the records of the publishing house.
This year too, as the city warms up to another book fair, chief minister Mamata Banerjee is coming out again with not less than half a dozen new publications. She has a volume of already 70 published works and this year it will increase to 76.
And think of the range, she has something for everyone: names of babies for would-be or new parents, rhyme-books for toddlers, Sishubela for children, Tamanna (voice of heart) Urdu shayaris for the youth, Byaktityo — something about personality development of the young generation, and Amar Nabajanma (exhorting the young brigade to consider politics as a noble profession) to travelogues (Chalo Jai) for the trotting community.
Her memoirs on struggle — Struggle for Existence, the tidbits of bitter-sweet memories of life — My Unforgettable Memories, her youth, desires sacrificed at the altar of politics — Bikel Hnariye Geche (a personal note on how the sweet spring has slipped by), and Kathanjali — a compilation of quotable quotes on the philosophy and ideology of her life, an allusion to Kathamrita — quotes of Ram Krishna Dev for the spiritually inclined, are her other book.
Not to be missed is the historical documentation of important landmark events from the political work — Nandi Ma (the land movement in Nandigram), Singur, Kutshapokksho (Rumour Mongers), a commentary on how the Opposition and the BJP-led Centre were engaged in a slandering campaign to malign her on the eve of 2016 Assembly, Notebandi (Demonetisation) and this year its Asohishnuta (intolerance).
Though the majority of the political memoirs are political campaign on her sweat and labour and the string of achievements she has been weaving in, Asohishnuta is an interesting record of the environment of hatred, fear and intolerance unleashed by the saffron party both in the country and her state.
The diversity of subject and magnitude of work apart, one should not miss the proficiency of language, the ease with which she nimbly moves through languages, Bengali, English, Urdu and Ol Chiki, some of her books are being translated into Ol Chiki. So if these are not grounds, solid enough to confer her the D.litt, what are? As for the sceptical and high-browed critics, especially those who are deprecating, the Calcutta University as the conferring body chose to seal all probable leaks.
The award has been given by virtue of her literary works and her social welfare activities, which have been acknowledged internationally and she has even got the prestigious UN Public Service award for Kanyashree — the scheme for empowering women.
The DLitt debate has been dismissed by the court perhaps because it realised that wisdom lies in closing the chapter. After all, there is nothing new in conferring titles and awards to political personalities, great administrators and statesman and it has been the practice all over the world.
When men of letters like Dr Mammohan Singh, Pranab Mukherjee and legends like Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, Javed Akhtar and Shabana Azmi get awarded, the country bursts into euphoria, and rightly so. But the feeling definitely cannot be the same when Akshay Kumar (University of Windsor in 2008) and Shilpa Shetty Kundra flaunt one or godman Gurmeet Ram Rahim claims a doctorate title from some little known UK university.
The fact that PM Narendra Modi declined to be awarded a doctorate by BHU in 2016 at the peak of his popularity in recognition of him being a reformer and an outstanding leader in public service and governance is a rare, pragmatic thing. Had he accepted he would have invited similar muck throwing as happened in the case of Mamata.
(Courtesy of Mail Today)