West Bengal minister Dilip Ghosh on Tuesday accused Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief Mamata Banerjee of betraying the martyrs and their families, alleging that the July 21 ‘Shaheed Diwas’ has been turned into a political event.
Speaking to reporters, Ghosh said, “This is not a mere protest stage; it is a Shahid stage. There is a program today, but why did they (Mamata Banerjee) sit there all night? Sitting at night or during the day makes no difference; there is no one there. You betrayed the martyrs, betrayed their families, and now you have betrayed the public; that is why you stand alone–and that is why you are facing this day.”
He further alleged that the families of those killed in the July 21, 1993 police firing were denied the compensation they were entitled to.
“You are afraid because, although the courts had ordered ₹25 lakh in compensation for the martyrs, the authorities settled for just ₹2 lakh and pocketed the rest–betraying the martyrs’ families. Meanwhile, those responsible for the firing on July 21st were elevated to positions of power–made ministers, MPs, and MLAs–while the families of the martyrs continued to be deceived,” he said.
July 21 is observed every year as ‘Shaheed Diwas’ in West Bengal to commemorate the 13 Youth Congress workers who were killed in police firing during a protest under the Left Front regime in 1993.
TMC MLA Sandipan Saha on Monday said the party’s programme has been organised for several years and will be held this time at the spot where the firing took place.
“This programme has been organised by the TMC for many years… This is not the first time. It has been an ongoing tradition. Previously, it used to be held in front of Victoria House. This time, it is taking place on the main road at the very spot where the firing occurred on July 21, 1993. We will observe Martyrs’ Day. We are conducting this program with the families of the martyrs,” Saha told ANI.
He said preparations for the programme were complete and people had started arriving.
“The pandal is ready, and the stage is set. People have started arriving. There is great enthusiasm among the people and the party workers,” Saha said.
Meanwhile, rebel TMC MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar said those who lost their lives in the firing would be remembered and said her group would visit Rajghat to pay tribute to the martyrs.
“Those who were martyred lost their lives due to firing by the Leftists. We will visit Rajghat at 10:30 AM to pay our respects and offer tributes to those martyrs,” she said.
Earlier, West Bengal Congress president Shubhankar Sarkar said the party had received official permission to hold a tribute programme at Shaheed Minar to commemorate the Youth Congress workers killed in the 1993 police firing.
Sarkar said Congress would hold its own memorial programme, asserting that the victims had been carrying the Congress flag when they were killed.
“We have received full permission to hold the event at Shaheed Minar. We began planning this programme quite some time ago, and there is a specific reason behind it: the incident that took place on July 21, 1993,” he said.
“Our brothers from the Youth Congress and Congress were protesting while carrying party flags when firing was opened on them,” Sarkar said.
He also questioned the banner under which Mamata Banerjee has been observing the day.
“Mamata-ji held an event under a different banner, not under the flag beneath which they made the ultimate sacrifice, the flag they were carrying when they were fired upon and killed,” he said.
The remarks come amid an escalating political confrontation within the TMC, with the Mamata Banerjee-led faction and the rebel camp planning separate rallies on a day traditionally observed by the party as ‘Shaheed Diwas’.
Banerjee had earlier appealed to leaders intending to leave the TMC to do so before the July 21 rally. She said those under pressure were free to take their own decisions but urged them to leave before the annual programme.
The TMC chief also urged the state administration to remain neutral during the July 21 programmes and said her faction would hold its rally peacefully in accordance with court directions.
The political crisis within the TMC has deepened in recent days, with several leaders switching to the rebel faction led by Ritabrata Banerjee. Former minister Madan Mitra has joined the rebel camp.
