Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak Endorses Mamata Banerjee’s Secularism, Citing “Current Context”

Renowned academic and literary theorist Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak has voiced her support for West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s commitment to secularism, emphasizing its relevance “in the current context.” Spivak’s endorsement comes at a time when debates over India’s secular fabric have taken center stage, making her statement particularly significant.

In a letter dated March 19, the winner of 2025 Holberg Prize- almost equivalent to a Nobel in ‘Humanities’, thanked Mamata Banerjee for acknowledging her recent award from the University of Bergen and the Government of Norway. However, the letter’s most striking point was her explicit support for Mamata’s secular stance.

“In the current context, I support your secularism,” wrote Spivak, underscoring the urgency of preserving India’s secular traditions amid rising communal tensions.

Why Spivak’s Statement Stands Out

Spivak’s use of the phrase “in the current context” suggests a conscious recognition of the ongoing political and social climate in India, often attributed to rise of ‘Hindutva’ ideology patronised and endorsed by the ruling Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP). With increasing instances of communal riots, polarisation and open attacks on secular ideals, her support for Mamata Banerjee also makes a strong statement indicative of a choice in contrast of BJP since Mamata Banerjee is one of the strongest opposition to PM Narendra Modi. 

Mamata Banerjee has often positioned herself as a defender of secularism, frequently opposing communal rhetoric in the political sphere propagated by BJP. For example, the Bengal Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari has openly called for Hindu consolidation and often referred to Muslims as ‘Jihadis’. The chief minister has strongly condemned that and also defended her religious credentials. BJP has accused Mamata Banerjee’s government of appeasement vote bank politics. But the TMC supremo, who is running for a fourth term in 2026 state assembly election, had dismissed such aspersions, calling them lame. “When I attend Durga Puja, you don’t criticise me, when I go to the church you don’t find that wrong but only when I come to masjid or go for Iftar you call me communal. Thats because BJP is playing the divisive and anti Muslim politics. I will lay my life but will not let anyone divide the country”< Mamata Banerjee had said earlier this week after attending an Iftar ceremony at FurFura Sharif in Hooghly district. 

Observers note that this endorsement may also resonate beyond Bengal, where debates around secularism have become a national concern. In her letter, Spivak also referenced her forty-year commitment to democratic education in rural Bengal and her ongoing work on a bilingual edition of 1,000 years of Bengali literature. While highlighting these contributions, she expressed her concern for the future of Bengal and India, reinforcing her investment in the region’s socio-political fabric.