'Khela Hobe Divas' observed across Bengal

Kolkata: The Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Monday observed 'Khela Hobe Divas' across Bengal. Party leaders marked the day by organising football matches in every nook and corner of the state.

These events are aimed at promoting sports and as a mark of respect to those 16 persons who died in a stampede during a football match — between Mohun Bagan and East Bengal — in Kolkata on this day in 1980.

TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee had announced last month that August 16 would be observed as 'Khela Hobe Divas'.

"The Khela Hobe Divas is being observed across the state. In other parts of the country, too, we have plans to organise events. However, in some BJP-ruled states, we were not given permission. We are still pursuing the matter with the authorities," TMC state general secretary Kunal Ghosh had earlier said.

Over 5,000 footballs were distributed in 343 blocks, 117 municipalities, six municipal corporations, 144 wards, 23 SDO offices and 309 authorised clubs and societies in Bengal.

'Khela Hobe' (Game On) was the battle cry of the TMC and was made popular by the party chief during the high octave Assembly polls in April-May this year, as the party defeated the BJP to storm back to power in Bengal for the third consecutive time.

During her campaigns, Banerjee had promised to distribute footballs among clubs and school students and was often seen dribbling the ball on stage during several of her programmes and throwing it to the crowd.

'Khela Hobe Divas' was observed in all the wards of KMC. In South Kolkata, party MP Mala Roy took part in a football match. She kicked a ball to mark the start of the game.

In North Kolkata, Shashi Panja, the state minister for Women and Child Development and Social Welfare, also kicked a ball to mark the beginning of the occasion in her area. Football matches were held in all the wards in Kolkata in presence of ward coordinators.

Debasish Kumar, a member of the Board of Administrators of Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC), organised a football tournament for the specially-abled at Deshapriya Park.

"We want to give a message through Khela Hobe Divas that the specially-abled can also play the game of football like normal players do," said Kumar.

Firhad Hakim, chairman of the Board of Administrators of KMC, on Thursday, had distributed footballs to all borough chairmen.