‘Discussion to be held in Assembly on Sept 7’

Kolkata: The state Assembly will discuss on September 7 to decide on the date to observe the state's foundation day (Paschim Banga Divas) an official said.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had last week said the Centre's choice of June 20 as the state's foundation day is "wrong," and the day for observing the occasion will be decided in the Assembly.

She was speaking at an all-party meeting convened by the Bengal government to discuss a date for the state's foundation day. "On Thursday (September 7), a discussion will be held and a resolution passed in the Assembly regarding the state's foundation day," TMC chief whip Nirmal Ghosh said.

Most of the dignitaries who attended the meeting, cutting across the professional, political, social and cultural spectrum, advocated that April 15, celebrated as the Bengali New Year (Poila Baisakh), be observed as the state's foundation day.

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.

The celebration of the day on June 20 had kicked off a storm, 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.with agency inputs