Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], June 30 (ANI): West Bengal Leader of Opposition Ritabrata Banerjee on Tuesday termed the denial of permission for the July 21 Shahid Diwas (Martyrs’ Day) event “detrimental to democracy,” asserting that the programme would be held despite the rejection and that the venue and format would be decided soon.
Addressing a press conference here, Banerjee said his faction had expected permission from the Kolkata Police as the event had been organised for years.
“This is detrimental to democracy; since this is an event that has been taking place for a long time, we had certain expectations. We had applied to the Kolkata Police for permission, hoping it would be granted. However, permission was denied, and we believe this should not have happened,” he said.
Banerjee said his faction would go ahead with the July 21 event, with priority being given to political workers and the families of martyrs instead of celebrities, adding that the venue and format would be decided by the party leadership.
“We will observe it, and celebrities and entertainers won’t occupy the front rows; previously, politicians would sit in the very last rows, while the families of the martyrs were pushed to the back, leaving the front rows for celebrities. In our Trinamool, however, the highest priority is given to political workers and the families of martyrs. So, we will hold the event, but the question remains: how and where? The entire team will sit down to decide the venue and the format,” he said.
Banerjee also took a swipe at TMC leaders Kunal Ghosh and Dola Sen, accusing them of indulging in publicity-driven politics and theatrics to remain in the spotlight.
“There is a limit to theatrics; sometimes, the drama goes too far. If my memory serves me right, Kunal Ghosh was on the dais last year. The time before that, perhaps his name wasn’t on the list. Has anyone ever seen Kunal Ghosh or Dola Sen going around with a measuring tape on July 21st? No one has ever seen such a thing. When one has to do anything just to stay in the news–this is the sort of thing they do. It is their habit,” he said.
He also criticised what he termed “charter bureaucrats,” saying, “As for our MLAs, over the past two months, many have spent their own money–money from their own pockets–to handle bail and other necessary tasks for ground-level workers; yet, during these two months, no one saw this ‘charter bureaucrat’ anywhere. If we were to go to Delhi, we wouldn’t fly business class; we would travel in normal economy class, just like the common man. So, regarding this ‘charter bureaucrat’ who flies in chartered jets and has now–after two months–issued this number: I feel he likely conducts his politics from the comfort of his home.”
His remarks come amid an ongoing dispute between two factions of the TMC, with both groups seeking permission to organise the annual July 21 Shahid Diwas rally at Victoria House in Kolkata’s Esplanade area.
Earlier in the day, TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee said his faction would move court after its application to hold the July 21 event was rejected. Calling the decision “undemocratic,” he alleged that the government was attempting to suppress democratic protests and said the party would fight both politically and legally.
“The application we submitted for July 21 has been rejected… We will challenge this in court; it is undemocratic,” Kalyan Banerjee had said, adding that the event would be held on July 21 regardless of the venue.
Earlier, TMC MP Dola Sen, representing the Mamata Banerjee-led faction, said the party had been observing Shahid Diwas since 1994 in memory of the 13 party workers killed in 1993.
She questioned the rival faction’s move to organise a parallel programme, saying it had neither received approval regarding the party’s name and symbol nor permission to proceed. Sen also said she had lodged a complaint with the Cyber Crime division at Lalbazar.
The All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) has sought permission from the Kolkata Police Commissioner to organise the July 21 Shahid Diwas programme at Victoria House and requested approval for arrangements from July 19 to July 21, stating that it intended to continue the longstanding tradition under the leadership of former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. (ANI)
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