West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday said the Centre’s choice of June 20 as the state’s Foundation Day is “wrong” and the date for observing the occasion will be decided in the assembly.
She was speaking at an all-party meeting convened by the West Bengal government to discuss a date for the State's Foundation Day.
The TMC boss expressed displeasure at the absence of Opposition parties such as CPI(M) and CPI from the all-party meeting, even though both Left parties are constituents of the Opposition alliance INDIA, of which the TMC is also a part.
The BJP and Congress had also boycotted the meeting.
The majority of the dignitaries who attended the meeting, cutting across the professional, political, social and cultural spectrum, however, advocated that April 15, celebrated as the Bengali New Year (‘Poila Baisakh’), be observed as the state's foundation day.
"We have received your opinions. The decision to decide on the date for the State's Foundation Day will be taken after a discussion on a resolution in the West Bengal assembly," she said after the meeting.
Banerjee who initially suggested Rabindranath Tagore's renowned song "Banglar Mati Banglar Jol” (Soil of Bengal, Water of Bengal)" as the state anthem has now deferred the decision to the dignitaries' proposals on the matter.
"Why are they (BJP) so eager to observe this day? I have never heard that June 20 is Bengal's foundation day. I have written a letter to the Union Home Ministry opposing it as it was decided unilaterally by the Centre without discussing it with us. This is a distortion of facts and history." On June 20, 1947, two meetings of separate sets of legislators in the Bengal Assembly were held. One of those who wanted West Bengal as part of India voted in favour of the resolution by a majority. The other was of legislators of areas which eventually became East Pakistan.
Despite strong objections from the chief minister, the State Foundation Day was observed in the Raj Bhavan here and in other states on June 20 this year, following an instruction from the Centre.
"If we don't oppose it, this day (June 20) would be established as State Foundation Day. That is why we need to decide on this matter. There has never been any precedence of observing this date as the foundation day," Banerjee said.
She wondered why the CPI(M), CPI, Congress and the BJP did not attend the meeting.
"We have invited all parties to this meeting. We are not here to impose any decision. It's an open forum. It is expected that the BJP would raise objections. Though we are part of the INDIA alliance, CPI (M) and CPI questioned why this meeting was held on the State's Foundation day. They could have attended the meeting and placed their views," Banerjee said.
Speaking at the meeting, West Bengal Assembly Speaker Biman Banerjee said many proposals have been submitted, and the matter will be discussed at length in the assembly.
The CPI(M) and Congress boycotted the meeting saying there are several burning issues on which such all-party meetings are needed. In contrast, the BJP chose to abstain by terming it as an attempt to distort the history of the country and the state.
Several dignitaries, such as noted historian Sugata Bose, grandnephew of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, and poet Subodh Sarkar, spoke in favour of April 15 to be observed as the state's foundation day.
"We feel the date April 15 is auspicious and also resonates with the culture of Bengal. None of us want the reflection of the trauma of partition and killings on the day we observe our state day," Bose said at the meeting.
Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha’s state working president Chandrachur Goswami also said, "The foundation day of the state should not be observed on a day which is synonymous with bloodshed, and secondly, we think Bengali New Year (Poila Baisakh) is the best day to observe the foundation day." Earlier this month, a committee set up by the West Bengal Assembly to determine the day for the 'Paschimbanga Diwas' (state's foundation day) recommended that it be observed on April 15 as 'Bangla Diwas'.
The celebration of the day on June 20 had kicked off a storm in the state this year, with the state government and Raj Bhawan locking horns with Banerjee, who accused the BJP and Governor CV Ananda Bose of using the state's 'Foundation Day' for political gains and promoting a narrative favoured by the saffron camp.
The governor, who organised the state's 'Foundation Day' programme at Raj Bhavan despite objections by Banerjee, said the state government's concerns would be "treated with all seriousness." The BJP, too, had observed the day across the state.
Nearly 2.5 million people were displaced from both sides, and properties worth crores of rupees were burnt down in post-partition rioting.
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