News Desk :
Nobel Prize-winning economist Amartya Sen has expressed concern about what he described as rising linguistic intolerance in India, particularly targeting Bengali speakers.
Speaking at a public discussion on Friday, the 91-year-old scholar referred to media reports suggesting that some Bengali speakers in West Bengal were being sent across the border to Bangladesh due to suspicions about their origins.
“I read in the newspaper that someone was sent to Bangladesh simply for speaking Bengali. It worried me,” Sen told The Telegraph India, according to bdnews24.com.
With characteristic humour, Sen added that he had briefly considered switching languages. “I thought about speaking French, but the only problem is I do not know French,” he quipped. He also joked about the possibility of being sent to Bangladesh himself, noting that his ancestral home is in Dhaka, and added that he would not have much objection to that.
Later, responding to questions from reporters, Sen emphasised the importance of celebrating India’s cultural diversity and cautioned against discrimination or disrespect towards Bengali speakers. “People from Bengal or Bengali-speaking communities are facing professional obstacles and are often disrespected,” he said.
“I am not claiming that Bengali culture or civilisation is the best, but the history of the Bengali language, culture, and civilisation must be recognised and respected. Where respect is lacking, there is a need for protest,” he added.
