‘Paschim Banga Divas’ date: Bengal to take resolution in Assembly on Sep 7

Kolkata: Bengal government is set to take resolution in the state Assembly on September 7, selecting the date on which Paschim Banga Divas (Bengal Foundation Day) will be observed.

Banerjee also alleged that BJP was trying to distort the history of the state and if the date of June 20 is not opposed, it will be established as the State Foundation Day.

State government has already received several proposals in this regard during an all-party meeting held at Nabanna on Tuesday.

Banerjee sought suggestions from the litterateurs, intellectuals, historians and also from senior journalists on how to select the date of the foundation day celebration. The intellectuals present in the programme rejected the Union Home Ministry’s proposal to celebrate June 20 as the state’s foundation day.

Raj Bhavan celebrated the state’s ‘Foundation Day’ on June 20 this year for the first time, a demand made by the BJP a year ago and opposed by the ruling Trinamool Congress.

Ahead of Independence in 1947, the Bengal Assembly held two separate meetings of legislators on 20 June. One group voted to stay in India, while the other chose to go with Pakistan. The day 20 June marks this significant day in history.

The ruling Trinamool Congress raised its protest as 20 June is a day of sorrow and bloodshed for the people of Bengal. It marks the division of Bengal into West Bengal and East Pakistan (later, Bangladesh). Therefore, it should not be celebrated as Bengal Foundation Day, Trinamool argued.

In addition to the two resolutions on 20 June 1947, which decided the division of Bengal, a referendum took place in Assam’s Sylhet, where there was a large Bengali-speaking population. Sylhet chose Bangladesh.

Chief Minister Banerjee after holding an all-party meeting said that based on the suggestions received from the people it has decided to select Rabindranath Tagore’s song “Banglar Mati, Banglar Jol, Banglar Vayu, Banglar Fol” as the state’s song.

Opposition BJP and Congress skipped Chief Minister Banerjee’s all-party meeting on Tuesday to discuss the proposed West Bengal Foundation Day.

Banerjee on Thursday last invited the opposition parties to the meeting. Banerjee expressed unhappiness as CPIM and Congress did not join the meeting. She said that she attends all the meetings of the grand alliance INDIA, of which the CPI(M) and Congress are a part.