Ahead of the announcement of a series of mass movements in Bengal at BJP’s working committee meeting to be held this week, Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari announced a ‘Ganatantra Hatya Divas’ rally on July 21, the day Trinamool observes as Martyrs’ Day.
The BJP plans to stage protests across West Bengal, including Kolkata, against the State’s deteriorating law and order, particularly in response to post-poll violence. Adhikari said that party workers would burn the effigies of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Kolkata Mayor Firhad Hakim in front of police stations on July 21.
The BJP, which has previously called for implementation of the President’s rule in the State, has now demanded the enforcement of the Disturbed Areas Act in the State. A Disturbed Area Act is one that has been declared by notification under Section 3 of the AFSPA.
Adhikari, who held a dharna in front of Raj Bhavan on Sunday, also announced the launching of a portal to register names of those who could not cast their votes in the recently held Lok Sabha elections and four assembly by-polls.
“We will observe July 21 as ‘Ganatantra Hatya Divas’. Millions of people could not vote in the Lok Sabha polls. A specific community was not allowed to vote as the Trinamool party was afraid of losing in many seats. We will organize mass movements for such people who were denied their right to vote,” Adhikari said.
Bengal BJP, which got permission to hold a dharna in front of Raj Bhavan following a Calcutta High Court order, claimed that nearly one crore people could not cast their votes in the 2023 panchayat election. “In the bypolls, nearly 50,000 people in Raiganj could not vote; in Ranaghat 70,000 people were stopped from casting their votes, while in Bagda 10,000 people could not vote. People in at least eight wards in Maniktala could not vote this time,” Adhikari said.
While more than a dozen MLAs attended the dharna, Bengal BJP president Sukanta Majumdar and the party’s former national vice-president, Dilip Ghosh were not present. Former Lok Sabha MP Arjun Singh said that merely issuing statements would not be sufficient to build an offensive against the Trinamool Congress.
Adhikari said that mass movements, on the lines of those in Nandigram, would be launched soon.
Adhikari also demanded implementation of the Disturbed Areas (Special Courts) Act, 1976, in Bengal. “Like in Manipur, the Disturbed Areas act should be enforced in Bengal. We don’t need Article 356 here. We are in no hurry to come to office in the State. We want to give protection to people.”
Every year on July 21, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee addresses a public gathering in Kolkata to commemorate the 1993 firing. At least 13 people were shot by the city police and scores more were wounded during a rally by the West Bengal Youth Congress under Mamata Banerjee’s leadership on July 21, 1993.
Reacting to the BJP’s plans, Kunal Ghosh, Trinamool Congress spokesperson, said: “Are they mad that they are talking about having a programme against Mamata Banerjee on July 21? That day marks the martyrdom of innocent people who, under Mamata di’s leadership, were demanding proper voting rights. The context, importance and depth of martyrs’ day rally is beyond conventional politics. It is a watershed moment in Indian democracy.”
“On the other hand, the BJP has been staring at successive electoral defeats,” he said. “Every leader is working at cross purposes. They are alienated from people. They have spoken about launching a grievance portal. We believe the first caller will be Dilip Ghosh, who might ask why he was forced out of the Midnapore Lok Sabha seat to Bardhaman-Durgapur. Agnimitra Paul might complain about why Dilip loyalists worked at cross purposes in Midnapore, leading to her defeat. It remains a fact that wherever Adhikari has campaigned, including the four bypolls, they have only faced defeats. So, it is nothing but a feeble attempt to divert attention from the losses,” he said.