TMC, BJP spar over Bengal foundation day

Kolkata: Trinamool and BJP clashed on Friday over Bengal foundation day.
Bengal BJP president Sukanta Majumdar alleged that police tried to stop a two-wheeler rally led by him from reaching Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose's residence on Elgin Road.
TMC criticised BJP, saying that the saffron party attempted to force a celebration that lacked spontaneity and with which people have no association.
Centre has notified June 20 as statehood day in Bengal. Bengal govt has passed a resolution in the assembly and identified Poila Baisakh, the Bengali New Year's Day, for celebrating West Bengal Day.
The Friday faceoff between activists of BJP Yuva Morcha and the city police took place outside the Bhowanipore residence of Jan Sangh founding member Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee, where the workers had assembled to pay their respects to the leader and then planned to reach Netaji Bhavan, a kilometre away, on two-wheelers and on foot.
Suvendu Adhikari, state leader of the opposition, earlier led a march of BJP legislators from the assembly premises to the statue of Syama Prasad Mookerjee on Red Road, about two kilometres away, and garlanded it. "This is a historic day which we must observe. On this day in 1947, the West Bengal Assembly under the leadership of Syama Prasad Mookerjee passed a resolution to remain in India," Adhikari said.
Trinamool hit back strongly.
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
Heliopolis: Beautiful New Senior Apartments with Two Bedrooms
Senior Apartments | Search Ads
Search Now
Undo
"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 that lacks spontaneity and with which people have no direct association," said TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh.
State parliamentary affairs minister Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay described it as "politically motivated", pointing out that state govt had already passed a resolution in the assembly and identified Poila Baisakh, the Bengali New Year's Day, for celebrating West Bengal Day. "Why is BJP suddenly so much worked up on June 20 as Paschimbanga Divas?" he asked.

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

Hindustan Times

30 minutes ago

• Hindustan Times

Once branded as terror hub, Azamgarh now a fortress of courage, says Yogi Adityanath

Chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday said people of Uttar Pradesh were earlier scared of taking the name of Azamgarh or identifying with the place but under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, it has become the fortress of 'indomitable courage'. Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath inaugurating the Gorakhpur Link Expressway in Azamgarh on Friday. (ANI PHOTO) He was speaking at the inauguration of the Gorakhpur Link Expressway at Salarpur in Azamgarh. Taking a swipe at the Opposition, he alleged the previous (non-BJP) governments used to partner with D-company and Dawood gang instead of nurturing development, breached security and made Azamgarh a stronghold of terror but added that there was a sea change now. 'They did not do development, they nurtured Mumbai's D Company, they nurtured Dawood's gang with D Company, they did partnerships with them, they used to break the security, whenever there was a terrorist incident, Azamgarh would get a bad name, these youth of mine faced an identity crisis,' he alleged. 'Today if someone breaches the security of the country, the identity of Azamgarh will not be in danger, rather the person creating the crisis will be given a ticket to hell. This is the new India and Prime Minister Modi has also given a clear message to the enemies of the country through Operation Sindoor that if someone instigates terrorism, inspires and encourages terrorism, then (we) will enter and kill them, whether it is a surgical strike, air strike or Operation Sindoor. The brave soldiers of India will enter the enemy's den, flush them out and finish them off,' Adityanath said 'Today, if someone tries to play with the security of the state, then Yamraj's ticket is already booked for him, ' Adityanath said. 'In 2007-08, Ajit Rai was murdered in Shibli National College for advocating the singing of Vande Mataram, but now no one can dare to do such a thing,' he said, adding that Azamgarh had to beg for its identity earlier but now the situation has changed. 'Remember what the conditions were eight years ago. The youth of UP and the residents of the state would suffer from an identity crisis. People used to feel scared to take the name of Azamgarh and UP,' he said. He also said, 'When Veer Kunwar Singh, the hero of the first war of independence in 1857, fought the British till Azamgarh to defeat them, there was no connectivity. If this Purvanchal Expressway had been there at that time, the people of Azamgarh, along with Veer Kunwar Singh, would have beaten the British and then this country would have become independent in 1857 itself. There was no connectivity at that time.' He further said the construction of the grand Ram temple in Ayodhya, the Mahakumbh Prayagraj, the development of Kashi Vishwanath Dham in Kashi, Maa Vindhyavasini Dham and Chitrakoot Dham, all these are giving the state a new identity today. 'Our work has also started in Mathura-Vrindavan. Maharaja Suheldev University and Medical College in Azamgarh are strengthening the identity of culture,' he said. He mentioned the recruitment of 60,244 police personnel in Uttar Pradesh recently. The chief minister said that without recommendation or money, youth of every caste and community, including 12,045 women, have been recruited in Uttar Pradesh police in a transparent manner. Before 2017, uncle and nephew used to go out for recovery, but now Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas is happening, he alleged. After 2017, the double engine government gave a new identity to Azamgarh's saree, black pottery and Hariharpur's musical gharana, he said. Earlier, they were ignored, but when Nirahua (former Azamgarh MP Dinesh Lal Yadav) and Neelam Sonkar became MPs, development in the district picked up pace, he added. Yogi also saw a sand and photo exhibition about the construction work of the link expressway. In his address in Bhagwanpur, the chief minister further mentioned that over 2.16 lakh appointments have been made in the police department alone, with a total of more than 8.5 lakh government jobs filled in the last eight years. He praised Prime Minister Modi's vision for enabling the state to balance cultural heritage with modern development. He pointed to examples like Ayodhya, Kashi, Mathura, Prayagraj, Naimisharanya, and Chitrakoot, where the integration of tradition and progress is clearly visible. 'No society can move forward by forgetting its history,' he said, adding that the journey of heritage and development will continue together. PRESIDENT TO INAUGURATE UP'S FIRST AYUSH UNIVERSITY IN GORAKHPUR ON JUNE 30 Chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday announced that Uttar Pradesh's first Ayush University, located in Bhathat, Gorakhpur, will be inaugurated by the President of India on June 30. HTC

The Hindu

32 minutes ago

• The Hindu

Sharmila accuses Jagan of supporting ‘objectionable' comments by YSRCP cadre

Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president Y.S. Sharmila has accused YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) chief Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy of backing the objectionable and inflammatory remarks made by his party's supporters during his visit to Rentapalla in Palnadu district. 'Unfortunately, Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy is supporting such violent statements instead of condemning them,' Mr. Sharmila told the media at the Congress office in the city on Friday. Earlier, she conducted a review meeting with the party cadre, discussing the current political situation, the troubles faced by party members, and strategies to strengthen the party in the region. Ms. Sharmila asserted that the Congress was the only party capable of holding the BJP accountable. She said while the TDP and the JSP have an alliance with the BJP, the YSRCP maintains ties with the BJP unofficially. She criticised the TDP, the JSP, and the YSRCP for supporting the BJP over the past decade, despite the Centre's failure to fulfil promises made during the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh. Ms. Sharmila demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi speak about the promised Special Category Status (SCS) for Andhra Pradesh, the completion of Polavaram project, and special financial packages for Uttarandhra and Rayalaseema. She urged him to address the concerns regarding privatisation of the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (VSP).

Time of India

33 minutes ago

• Time of India

'Operation Sindoor not over': Rajnath Singh warns Pakistan, says any attack on India will invite 'disastrous' consequences

Defence minister Rajnath Singh (Image credits: PTI) NEW DELHI: Defence minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday issued a strong warning to Pakistan , saying that ' Operation Sindoor ' is not over yet and any future act of terrorism against India would invite severe consequences. 'Any terror attack on the soil of India will prove disastrous for Pakistan. India is ready to take any type of action against terrorism,' Singh said while addressing soldiers at the Northern Command headquarters in Udhampur, where he participated in International Yoga Day celebrations. With Army chief Upendra Dwivedi by his side, he added, 'Operation Sindoor is not over yet... through this operation, we have told Pakistan that continuing terrorism against India will not be tolerated and the response will get from bad to worse.' Under Operation Sindoor, the Armed Forces targeted terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir during the night of May 6 and 7. The strikes were carried out in retaliation for the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22, which claimed the lives of 26 people, most of them tourists. Singh described Operation Sindoor as a natural extension of the 2016 surgical strikes and the 2019 air strike across the border. 'We conveyed to Pakistan that its policy of thousand cuts against India will not succeed,' the defence minister asserted. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Perdagangkan CFD Emas dengan Broker Tepercaya IC Markets Mendaftar Undo Later, while attending the 'barakhana' organised on the eve of Yoga Day, the Union Minister encouraged army personnel to prioritise their physical and mental well-being, emphasizing the crucial role of strength and wellness in a soldier's life. 'If you are strong, our borders will be strong. When the borders are strong, India will be strong,' he said.