Kolkata’s Damnatio memoriae moment
The city of Kolkata has undergone a transformation following the collapse of the Trinamool Congress regime, with several symbols associated with the previous government being removed. A 70-foot statue of footballer Lionel Messi was taken down from a prominent intersection, along with hoardings and posters of former leaders. The removal of these symbols marks a significant change in the city's landscape, with the new government seeking to erase remnants of the previous regime.
- ▪The practice of damnatio memoriae, or condemnation of memory, was used in ancient Rome to erase disgraced emperors from history.
- ▪The Messi statue was installed in December 2025 during the football legend's GOAT India Tour and became a iconic landmark in the city.
- ▪The removal of the statue and other symbols is part of the new government's efforts to beautify the city and distance itself from the previous regime.
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| Original publisher | The Hindu — Top |
| Canonical URL | https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/kolkata/kolkatasdamnatio-memoriaemoment/article71100969.ece |
| Publication time | Mon, 15 Jun 2026 05:50:15 +0530 |
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Almost 2,000 years ago in ancient Rome, after an emperor was removed unceremoniously, busts, statues, and portraits of the ruler were destroyed. Called damnatio memoriae (condemnation of memory), it was the ancient Roman equivalent of cancel culture. The practice of damnatio memoriae was used by the Senate to officially erase a disgraced or deposed emperor from history.In the last century and the present one, following the fall of communist regimes, the toppling of Saddam Hussein in Iraq in 2003, and the change of government led by Sheikh Hasina in Bangladesh in 2024, statues representing the fallen rulers were pulled down.On June 1, 2026, as 35 Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLAs were being administered the oath of office as Ministers at Lok Bhawan in Kolkata, a 70-foot statue of…
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