The political climate in West Bengal has recently seen heightened tensions between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Trinamool Congress (TMC) surrounding the legacy and respect for Bengal's cultural icons, particularly Rabindranath Tagore and Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, the composer of "Vande Mataram".

The latest controversy erupted when the TMC accused Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar of disrespecting Tagore and Chattopadhyay. TMC leaders alleged that during an event, photographs of Tagore and Chattopadhyay were placed near Majumdar's feet, which they deemed disrespectful. TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh asserted that the BJP was placing these revered figures "under its feet," accusing the party of abandoning Bengali heritage to please their superiors in Delhi. State Education Minister Bratya Basu drew a contrast, stating that when a TMC member burned a photo of Tagore in the past, the party took immediate action, emphasizing that Bengal would not tolerate any insult to Tagore. The TMC is demanding an unconditional apology from Sukanta Majumdar.

Majumdar refuted the allegations, dismissing them as "fake propaganda". He claimed that the photos were at a distance and that the TMC was circulating a misleading picture from a skewed angle.

This is not the first time that the BJP and TMC have clashed over cultural icons. In February 2021, a poster war erupted outside Bankim Chandra's house in West Bengal. This occurred after Prime Minister Narendra Modi criticized the TMC government for neglecting a house associated with Chattopadhyay. The TMC retorted by showcasing the well-maintained condition of Chattopadhyay's residence in a different district, accusing the Prime Minister of spreading misinformation.

Earlier, in 2018, Amit Shah, then BJP president, had controversially linked the Congress party's decision to accept a truncated version of "Vande Mataram" as the national song to the Partition of India.

These incidents underscore the significance of cultural symbols in the political discourse of West Bengal. The TMC has been actively emphasizing Bengali identity and culture, particularly in the context of alleged harassment of Bengali migrant workers in other states. The party accuses the BJP of being "anti-Bengal" and misunderstanding the state's culture and legacy.

The BJP, on the other hand, is attempting to assert its connection to Bengal's icons, with leaders like J.P. Nadda visiting Bankim Chandra's residence. The party's efforts to align itself with these figures are seen by some as an attempt to gain political ground in the state.

The ongoing conflict highlights the deep-seated political and cultural divisions in West Bengal, where reverence for historical figures and cultural symbols is often intertwined with partisan politics.