‘Paschim Banga Divas’: CM calls all-party meeting on August 29
Assembly panel had earlier unanimously decided upon ‘Poila Baishakh’ as ‘Paschim Banga Divas’
Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has convened an all-party meeting at Nabanna Sabhagar on August 29, to discuss the proposed ‘Paschim Banga Divas’.
The committee formed by the state Assembly for determining the date for celebrating ‘Paschim Banga Divas’ in the state has recommended Poila Baisakh (April 15), which marks the beginning of the Bengali New Year to be observed as ‘Paschim Banga Divas’.
“The committee that has been formed under the directions of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has proposed a date. Now, the Chief Minister wants all political parties to share their opinion on the statehood day of Bengal. It should go with the historical relevance, emotion, heritage and culture associated with Bengal,” state Parliamentary Affairs minister Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay, a member of the Committee said.
According to a senior Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader, the need for earmarking a day for celebrating ‘Paschim Banga Divas’ emerged in the backdrop of Governor C V Ananda Bose observing the same on June 20 without taking the state government into confidence. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had vehemently opposed the Governor’s move in this regard.
On June 19, Banerjee had written to Bose expressing “shock” at his “unilateral” decision to commemorate the state’s foundation day on June 20 and requested him not to organise any such programme as it might hurt the sentiment of crores of people of Bengal.
Banerjee may also call the intellectuals at the meeting at Nabanna Sabhaghar and seek their opinion too before finalising the date.
The committee, constituted by the state Assembly, earlier this week unanimously decided upon ‘Poila Baishakh’ (the first day of the Bengali calendar) as the ‘Paschim Banga Divas’.
The panel comprised West Bengal Assembly Deputy Speaker Asish Banerjee, Parliamentary Affairs minister Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay, Education minister Bratya Basu, Urban Development minister and Kolkata Mayor Firhad Hakim and others. Harvard University Professor Sugata Bose was an advisor to the committee.
