West Bengal Minister Dilip Ghosh on Tuesday accused Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief Mamata Banerjee of betraying martyrs and their families, alleging that the July 21 ‘martyr diwas’ had turned into a political event.
Speaking to reporters, Gosh said: “This is not just a protest phase; it is a martyr phase. 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 have betrayed the martyrs, you have betrayed their families, and now you have betrayed the public; that is why you stand alone – that is why you are facing this day.”
He further claimed that the families of those killed in the July 21, 1993 police shooting were denied compensation to which they were entitled.
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“You are afraid because even though the courts ordered it $The authorities settled on only 25 thousand compensation for the martyrs $2 lakh and seized the rest – betraying the families of the martyrs. Meanwhile, those responsible for the July 21 shooting were promoted to positions of power – ministers, deputies, local ministers – while the families of the martyrs continued to be deceived.”
July 21 is celebrated every year as ‘Martyr Diwas’ in West Bengal to commemorate the 13 Youth Congress workers who were shot dead by police during a protest under the Left Front regime in 1993.
TMC MLA Sandipan Saha on Monday said that the party program was organized several years ago and this time it will be held at the place where the shooting took place.
“The TMC has been organizing this program for many years… This is not the first time. It has been an ongoing tradition. Earlier, it was being held in front of Victoria’s house. This time, it is being held on the main road at the same place where the shooting took place on July 21, 1993. We will be celebrating Martyrs’ Day. We are conducting this program with the families of the martyrs,” Saha told ANI.
He added that preparations for the program have been completed and people have begun arriving.
“The criminal is ready, the stage is set. People have started arriving. There is great enthusiasm among the people and party workers,” Saha said.
Meanwhile, 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 honor these martyrs,” she said.
Earlier, West Bengal Congress president Shubhankar Sarkar said the party has received official permission to hold a tribute program at Shaheed Minar to commemorate Youth Congress workers killed in the 1993 police firing.
Sarkar said the Congress would hold its own memorial programme, stressing that the victims were carrying the Congress flag when they were killed.
“We have obtained full permission to hold the event at Shaheed Minar. We started planning this program a long time ago, and there is a specific reason behind it: the incident that occurred on July 21, 1993,” he said.
“Our brothers from the Youth Congress and the Congress were protesting carrying party flags when they were shot at,” Sarkar said.
He also questioned the banner under which Mamata Banerjee was celebrating the day.
“Mamata ji held an event under a different flag, not under the flag under which they made the supreme sacrifice, the flag they were carrying when they were shot and killed,” he added.
The remarks come amid an escalating political standoff within the TMC, with the Mamata Banerjee-led faction and the rebel camp planning separate rallies on a day traditionally celebrated by the party as ‘Shaheed Diwa’.
Banerjee had earlier appealed to leaders who intend to leave the TMC to do so before the July 21 march. She said those under pressure were free to make 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 meeting peacefully as per the court’s directions.
The political crisis within the TMC has worsened in recent days, with several leaders turning to the rebel faction led by Ritabrata Banerjee. Former minister Madan Mitra has joined the rebel camp.
