An explosive letter mentioning the latest case surrounding Trinamool MP Mahua Moitra and the arrest of party leaders has become the latest bone of contention between the Visva Bharati administration and the Mamata Banerjee government.

Vice-Chancellor Bidyut Chakraborty’s letter to the Chief Minister came loaded with political statements on issues completely unrelated to Visva-Bharati after Ms Banerjee objected to a plaque not mentioning Rabindranath Tagore’s name at Shantiniketan.

The letter is an attempt to earn brownie points from the central government as Mr Chakraborty is seeking an extension, Trinamool has hit back.

Watch | Santiniketan, Tagore’s Evergreen Legacy, Now A UNESCO World Heritage Site

Shantiniketan, where the Nobel laureate had built Visva-Bharati over a century ago, recently made it to the list of UNESCO World Heritage sites. A plaque unveiled to commemorate this honour triggered a controversy as it reportedly mentioned the names of the Vice Chancellor and the Prime Minister, but not of Tagore.

Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore created a world heritage site (now recognized by UNESCO) at Santiniketan – Visva Bharati, but the current institutional authorities there have arranged site memorial plaques on this occasion which display even the Vice Chancellor’s name but not the…

— Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) October 28, 2023

“This insults Tagore and belittles the anti-colonial heritage-creating efforts of our Nation’s founding fathers. The central government will be well advised to remove this narcissistic display of arrogant self-exhibitionism forthwith, and to give Gurudev the tribute that the country owes to him,” Ms Banerjee had said.

The Vice Chancellor, in his response, said, “We need to follow the ASI instructions while preparing the plaque and we are doing it, the result of which will soon be visible.”

But he did not stop there. “Madam, please be magnanimous because you are as much a Chief Minister of your loyalists as others who may not always be your sycophants…A megalomaniac Rajya Sabha member of your political party tried to gain this recognition and the then Prime Minister also tried without, of course, success,” added Mr Chakraborty.

He went further to defend his administration and said, “We have also here in the campus competent individuals who are completely different from the sycophants surrounding you…The Hon’ble Prime Minister is our Hon’ble Chancellor and his role in getting this World Heritage tag cannot be gauged in any of the available yardsticks.”

Visva-Bharati is the only central university which has the Prime Minister as its chancellor.

Mr Chakraborty also sought to remind her how former Trinamool ministers are languishing in jails and about Mahua Moitra, who is being probed by the Ethics Committee of the Parliament over allegations of allowing a businessman drafts questions on behalf of her in exchange of gifts.

“Two of your senior ministers are in jail; some of your trusted aides (even from Birbhum) in jail, including in Tihar jail in Delhi. Your most vocal member of parliament is being charged with activities which have already drawn the parliamentary ethics committee to examine the issue,” the letter read.

“We have purged Visva-Bharati of evil forces involved in activities which stand in contradiction with Visva-Bharati’s ethos,” the Vice Chancellor said. “Visva-Bharati was a nursery of corruption. By dint of hard work, it has now changed, and we are sure, in course of time, we will see the results,” he added.

In his letter, Mr Chakraborty also raised the issue of a road passing through the university but is under the possession of the government. “A face-to-face dialogue with us will give you an opportunity to see the other side of the narrative,” he said.

The Vice-Chancellor had earlier clashed with the Chief Minister over the property dispute between Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen and the university.

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Calling the ongoing Israel-Hamas war worrisome, Lebanese Ambassador to India Rabie Narsh said that the two-state solution is the only way to end the conflict.

Speaking to NDTV, Dr Narsh said, “The situation didn’t start on October 7, the crisis has been there since 1967. Since then, Israel has been refusing all peace initiatives and has been inflicting horrendous damages on the Palestinians. The only way out of this violence is the 2-state solution.”

The idea of a two-state solution — with a sovereign Palestinian state alongside Israel and Jerusalem as their shared capital — has been the cornerstone of decades of international diplomacy aimed at ending the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Dr Narsh said that the Arab world, the United Nations, and several other countries have been pushing for the two-state solution, but Israel has not backed any of the peace initiatives.

“It (Israel) does not abide by the UN resolutions. It has been denying all calls for a two-state solution. The Arab world was ready to restore ties with Israel if they restored sovereignty to Palestine. But it deprives them of basic rights, Palestineans have no dignity,” Dr Narsh told NDTV.

Israel has tightened its blockade and bombardment of Gaza since Hamas gunmen stormed into Israel on October 7. Israeli authorities say the militants killed some 1,400 people and took at least 239 hostages.

The country has also been striking “Hezbollah terrorist targets in Lebanon”, which it claims is in retaliation to rocket fire. Cross-border exchanges with Hezbollah have become an almost daily occurrence since October 7, according to Israeli officials.

Dr Narsh though claimed that the attacks are being initiated by Israel and Lebanon is not interested in a war.

“Any war needs two parties and Lebanon is not interested in a war. But Israel has been provoking Lebanon and Hezbollah along the border. They have been bombing homes and have killed civilians, and journalists in Lebanon,” he said.

“Israel believes that it is above international law. and this has to stop,” Dr Narsh added.

Speaking on the October 7 attack, the Lebanese envoy said that Hamas does not represent the Palestinian people and was only a result of the Israeli occupation of the Gaza Strip.

“Hamas does not represent Palestinian people. Hamas is just a militant group, resisting for their land. Wherever there is occupation, resistance is guaranteed,” he said.

Israel’s military today said it had struck over 600 militant targets over the past few days as it continued to expand ground operations in the Gaza Strip, where Palestinian civilians are in dire need of fuel, food, and clean water as the conflict enters its fourth week.

Karwa Chauth or Karak Chaturthi is an auspicious Hindu festival celebrated with enormous zeal across the country. This year, the festival will be observed on November 1. Married women fast for their husband’s safety and well being from sunrise to moonrise.

Also Read | Karwa Chauth 2023: Do’s And Don’ts For Those Fasting

This day is celebrated to strengthen the bonds between a couple. On this day, women dress traditionally, apply henna on their hands, receive gifts, and get together to enjoy the auspicious day.  

Most women, especially Punjabis, receive sargi from their mother-in-law. Here’s what you need to know about the Karwa Chauth fast.

What is Sargi?

A sargi is a pre-dawn meal traditionally prepared by mothers-in-law to bestow blessings upon their daughters-in-law for a joyful and prosperous marriage. This custom is prevalent among women in northern India, particularly in the states of Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, and Haryana. It involves women rising before sunrise, typically around 4-5 am, and consuming a plate filled with a variety of savory and sweet dishes to sustain them throughout the day without food or water. According to the ritual, the mother-in-law presents her daughter-in-law with a thali (plate) containing sweets, snacks, dried fruits, coconut, matthri, and various gifts such as sarees and jewelry.

Also Read | Can Unmarried Women Also Observe Karwa Chauth Fast? All You Need To Know

What Goes Into The Sargi Thali?

Sargi comprises a selection of scrumptious and delightful foods believed to assist women in sustaining their fast throughout the day. Here’s what goes into the sargi thali:

Fruits: Fruits have a high water content that will help keep you hydrated during the nirjala vrat. Moreover, they are rich in fibre content that will keep you fuller for longer. Fibre takes time to digest, hence, keeping you off from feeling hungry.

Dry fruits: Raisins, almonds, cashews and pistachios are given, considering they come packed with numerous nutrients that will give you energy and keep you active through the day.

Sweets: Eating anything sweet before you start something is considered auspicious. So a few sweets are kept to lift your spirits and complete the fast on a positive note.

Light-cooked foods: Generally, light-cooked foods are prepared that are nutritious and filling at the same time. Heavy foods will only make you sluggish and lethargic through the day.

Importance of Sargi?

The Sargi is considered a special thali containing different food items and gifts, it is prepared by mother-in-law.