Poor Calcutta - A commentary on Mother Theresa in the New York Times

Mother Teresa

During the same discussion in which one of the participants opined that had Gandhi lived during Jesus's time, he would have been regarded with the same reverence as Jesus, my husband voiced his criticism of Mother Theresa and the shame that she brought on Calcutta, where he grew up. One person said that all great people are criticized, while another person didn't see anything wrong with Mother Teresa's promoting Roman Catholic orthodoxy. This commentary from the New York Times echoes my husband's criticisms.

Poor Calcutta - New York Times
By CHITRITA BANERJI
Ten years and one beatification later, the tunnel vision of the news media continues to equate Calcutta with the destitution and succor publicized by Mother Teresa.

The author rightly notes the massive influx of refugees into Calcutta after Partition and after the Bangladesh war of independence. Many of my friends are surprised to learn that Calcutta has also provided a home for Jewish and Armenian refugees, among others.