History in the making
Kolkata: For the first time in the history of post-Independent Bengal, around 22 national leaders opposing the BJP will address a gathering at the historic Brigade Parade Ground on Saturday afternoon, determining a new course of action for the forthcoming 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee's dream of setting up an anti-BJP Federal Front is going to take concrete shape at this rally. It was Banerjee who first conceived the idea of this formation and had opened dialogues with all-India leaders from the middle of 2018. She had announced the date of the Brigade Parade Ground rally from the stage of the Martyrs' Day rally held on July 21, 2018.
Former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda who reached the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport on Friday afternoon said: "Madam Mamata Banerjee is trying hard to bring all the Opposition parties under one umbrella. Narendra Modi had attacked Banerjee on the floor of Parliament and outside in very harsh words. People of the country will give him a befitting reply. In my view, the regional parties that have come together and are quite capable to form a stable government. The people of India will select the Prime Minister."
Former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav said: "I congratulate Mamatadi for her efforts. Under the BJP rule, the condition of farmers, small traders and common people have turned from bad to worse."
BJP MP and former Union minister Shatrughan Sinha added: "Mamata Banerjee is no longer a regional leader. She has become a national leader and after the elections, when the Prime Minister will be selected, she is surely going to be a contender."
The entire 7.5 km stretch from the airport to Ultadanga has been decorated with festoons, banners, photos and cut-outs of all the leaders who are coming to attend the rally. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee paid a visit to the places and called on the leaders.
A time travel to the past brings out the rich history of the ground, located in the backdrop of the iconic Victoria Memorial and the Indian Museum, and under the control of the Indian Army whose, Eastern Command headquarters Fort William lie in the vicinity.
The Brigade Parade Ground has been a witness to many great events since Independence. In 1955, Russian leaders — Nikita Khrushchev and Nikolai Bulganin — visited Kolkata and addressed a gathering. Indira Gandhi and Sheikh Mujibur Rahman had addressed a gathering in 1972. Jyoti Basu had led a rally in 1989 where all the anti-Congress leaders had gathered. Mamata Banerjee as a youth Congress leader had addressed a rally and sounded a bell to end the CPI(M) rule in 1992.
A thick security blanket has been thrown on the sprawling Brigade Parade Ground to prevent any untoward incident.
Large-scale preparations have been made to ensure that it is a complete success. Besides the huge stages, 20 watch towers have been erected and 1,000 microphones and 30 LED screens put up. Hundreds of TMC volunteers will be on the grounds to take care of supporters.
