Kolkata: Rajya Sabha MP Jawhar Sircar, an alumnus of Presidency University, erstwhile Presidency College, said that religion was more of a cover for political strategies and cautioned people not to be fooled by the narrative. He thinks that a majority of the people is interested in governance, jobs, roads, electricity, water and that is their political and civic involvement.
Sircar was speaking against the motion ‘Indians are more religious than political’ at Sudhansu Dasgupta Memorial Debate 2024 on Friday at the Meghnad Saha Lecture Theatre at Presidency University. Organised by the Presidency Alumni Association, the debate was between the former and the present students of Presidency.
“Are we bothered about propaganda around a particular edifice that remains a monument to absolute vandalism and lack of tolerance twice?” Sircar questioned. Without naming the Babdi Masjid demolition incident, Sircar said: “The first time when a politically armed voyeur chose that spot, it was to show their political strength. It was a greater vandalism when that structure was torn down. These were expressions of politics. Religion is more of a cover for political strategies.” He feels the political Indians are wise enough and they dump governments whenever they want. The use of religion, he said, will suffice two elections, may be three. But that is enough.
Among the former students who spoke against the topic were academician Somok Roy, retired Calcutta HC judge Subrata Talukdar and Taniya Bhardwaj. The present students — Sampurna Sanyal, Jyotirmoy Datta, Srinjoy Debgupta and Rik Bhattacharya — spoke for the motion.
Jyotirmoy shared the incident of a Muslim man beaten to death for stealing prasad from a Ganpati stall and questioned if that is the country we want. Srinjoy reminded the audience the religion supersedes politics when he gave an example of divide and rule policy and Partition of India. Academician Roy, however felt that true religion unites and transcends the mundane.