Nobel laureate Amartya Sen has expressed concerns over the rising linguistic intolerance in India, particularly towards Bengali-speaking individuals.
During a discussion on Friday, the 91-year-old economist highlighted reports that Bengali speakers in West Bengal were being pushed across the border to Bangladesh due to suspicions about their origins.
“I read the news that someone was sent to Bangladesh simply for speaking Bengali, and that made me quite anxious,” Sen told PTI.
In his usual humorous style, Sen revealed that he had briefly considered switching languages.
“I even thought about speaking in French, but the problem is, I don’t know French,” he added with a smile.
Sen, who was born in Shantiniketan with ancestral roots in Dhaka, further joked, “There’s always a chance I could be sent back to Bangladesh because of my family’s origins in Dhaka. I wouldn’t mind that, honestly.”
Addressing reporters after his remarks, Sen emphasized the importance of embracing India’s cultural diversity and warned against the marginalization of Bengali speakers.
“People from Bengal are facing discrimination in various sectors and are not being given the respect they deserve,” he concluded.