‘Pashchimbanga Divas’ Row: BJP Accuses Police Of Blocking Rally, TMC Calls Celebration Forced

Last Updated:June 20, 2025, 22:13 IST

TMC accused the BJP of undermining the secular spirit of the Constitution, calling the celebration “politically motivated”

Union Minister and West Bengal BJP president Sukanta Majumdar. (Image via X/@DrSukantaBJP)

The ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC), led by Mamata Banerjee, and the opposition BJP engaged in a political slugfest on Friday over the celebration of ‘Pashchimbanga Divas’. Union Minister and West Bengal BJP president Sukanta Majumdar accused Kolkata Police of obstructing the party’s efforts to observe the day.

Majumdar alleged that police tried to stop his two-wheeler rally from reaching Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose’s residence on Elgin Road in south Kolkata.

The BJP, following a central government notification, marks June 20 — the date in 1947 when the undivided Bengal Assembly voted for the partition of the state — as ‘Pashchimbanga Divas’.

Earlier this morning, BJP Yuva Morcha members gathered at the Bhowanipore residence of Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee, the Jan Sangh founder, before planning to cycle and walk to Netaji Bhavan, about a kilometre away.

Majumdar alleged, “we told the police that we will only carry the Tricolour and no party flags in this rally. Even then the police obstructed our movement and arrested our workers.”

A small group, including Majumdar and state BJP Yuva Morcha chief Indranil Khan, later managed to reach Netaji’s house and garland his bust.

“We failed to understand the police’s logic behind this obstruction. This wasn’t a political rally and our destination was Netaji’s house which lies in the same ward as that of the residence of Shyama Prasad Mukherjee. It is evident that we will either walk or reach there on motorcycles,” Khan added.

West Bengal Opposition leader Suvendu Adhikari led legislators on a colourful march from the assembly to Dr Mukherjee’s statue on Red Road, where they garlanded it and chanted slogans calling for enduring recognition of June 20 as ‘Pashchimbanga Divas’.

“This is a historic day which we must observe,” Adhikari said.

The row centres on which date should be officially recognised as West Bengal Statehood Day. The ruling TMC government has declared Poila Baisakh — the Bengali New Year — as the statehood day, passing a resolution in the assembly.

In response to the allegations, TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh dismissed the BJP’s actions as contrived.

Ghosh said: “The people of Bengal have already chosen their statehood day on the first day of the Bengali calendar. It’s a day close to the hearts of all Bengalis. The state assembly has already endorsed it. It doesn’t matter where a motley band of BJP workers gather and try to force a celebration which lacks spontaneity and with which the people have no direct association.”

West Bengal’s Parliamentary Affairs Minister Sobhandeb Chatterjee accused the BJP of undermining the secular spirit of the Constitution, calling the celebration “politically motivated”.

He said the Poila Baisakh resolution had already been endorsed by the state assembly and criticised the BJP’s sudden interest in June 20.

(With inputs from agencies)

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