BJP workers repainted the Academy of Fine Arts ticket counter saffron on Wednesday.
Theatre personalities had painted the same structure white a day earlier.
BJP MLA Rudranil Ghosh accused CPI(M)-linked theatre groups of politicising the issue.
BJP workers on Wednesday repainted the old ticket counter at Kolkata’s Academy of Fine Arts saffron, a day after theatre personalities covered the structure in white paint.
The latest repainting marks another turn in a dispute that began after members associated with right wing painted the counter saffron on July 6.
The Academy of Fine Arts, founded in 1933 by Lady Ranu Mukherjee and Maharaja Prodyot Kumar Tagore, is one of Kolkata’s prominent cultural institutions. The old ticket counter stands beside the main entrance.
Actor and BJP MLA Rudranil Ghosh led the group that repainted the structure on Wednesday afternoon and accused the CPI(M) of trying to retain influence over the institution through its trade union wing, CITU, Hindustan Times reported.
“The CPI(M) is desperately trying to retain control of its trade union wing, the Citu, over this heritage institution. Theatre personalities controlled by the CPI(M) have no respect for the saffron colour which symbolises sacrifice,” Ghosh said.
He also alleged that those who painted the counter white had done so without permission from the Academy’s trustee board.
“They are not bothered by the condition of the art galleries which need renovation. They painted the room white without permission from the trustee board,” he added.
On Tuesday, several theatre personalities had gathered at the Academy and repainted the counter white.
Thespian Chandan Sen said the counter was originally terracotta-coloured and that theatre representatives had earlier raised objections after it was painted saffron.
“The ticket counter was terracotta-colored. We raised our voice and met Samik Bhattacharya (state BJP president) after some people painted the room saffron around July 6. He said he would get it repainted,” Sen said.
Bhattacharya had also publicly criticised the earlier saffron repainting in July, HT Reported.
“Painting things saffron at random is not the BJP’s culture. Identify those who did it and I will take action,” the Bengal BJP president said on July 12.
Bhattacharya and Bengal BJP chief spokesperson Debjit Sarkar could not be reached for comment on Wednesday.
The Academy of Fine Arts began operations from a small room at the Indian Museum on Chowringhee Road before shifting to its present location beside St Paul’s Cathedral in the 1950s. The move was supported by then West Bengal chief minister Bidhan Chandra Roy and Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru.
The institution houses works by several major Indian artists, including Gaganendranath Tagore, Jamini Roy, Ramkinkar Baij, Benode Behari Mukherjee and Nandalal Bose. It also has a gallery containing personal artefacts and manuscripts associated with Rabindranath Tagore.
