Mamata asks Governor not to hold 'foundation day' event

She said she is 'stunned and shocked' by the Raj Bhavan's plan to commemorate "the State Foundation Day of West Bengal" on Tuesday, June 20.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee wrote to Governor C V Ananda Bose on Monday, saying she is "stunned and shocked" by the Raj Bhavan's plan to commemorate "the State Foundation Day of West Bengal" on Tuesday, June 20.

Benerjee mentioned the earlier discussion she had with Governor Bose — “Kindly refer to our telephonic discussion today when you had admitted that unilateral and non-consultative decision to declare a particular day as the Foundation Day of the State of West Bengal is not warranted. You were kind enough to assure that you would not proceed to hold the programme.”

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The CM stated that West Bengal was carved out of the undivided state of Bengal in 1947, and this was through a “painful and traumatic process”. The act involved the “uprooting of millions of people across the border and death and displacement of innumerable families”. This affected state’s economy and disrupted communication.

Banerjee mentioned that the “slicing” out of West Bengal was seen as a “historical necessity at that point of time”. She added that there’s no particular day for being considered as a foundation day.

“Contrarily, the State was formed through the infamous Radcliffe Award, which was given legitimacy by the departing colonial/imperial government,” the chief minister added.

Banerjee further stated that the partition of the state is seen as a result of the “unleashing of communal forces that could not be resisted at that point of time”. She stated that the commemoration of the state’s foundation – which has never happened, at best, could be of a “political party, driven by vendetta, but not of the people or its Government”.

The letter considered the step as “unprecedented” and “unilateral” on the part of the governor, which lacks consent of the state cabinet and the state legislature, and the act would hurt sentiments of the people, and “insult and defame the millions of people” of the state today.

Banerjee added: “In so far as any communication of the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India on this subject is concerned, we strongly protest against this ahistorical, unconstitutional and unilateral decision of the Government of India to commemorate the so-called ‘Foundation Day of the State of West Bengal’ on 20th June.”

“As agreed by you,” Banerjee concluded, “I request you kindly not to hold any such programme which will rekindle the bitter memories of crores of people in West Bengal and re-incite undesirable forces.”

The Raj Bhavan’s commemoration of the Foundation Day of West Bengal includes “Peace Run by NCC cadets”, a sit and draw by school children on the theme of ‘Tiger’, and the celebration at Throne Hall.