Days after the West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee chose the same day as “Direct Action Day” to celebrate the “Khela Hobe Diwas”, representatives of the Sanatan Organisations have met West Bengal governor Jagdeep Dhankar to seek a change in the date of the event. The Governor of WB took to Twitter to share the same.
“Representatives of Sanatan organisations called on Governor WB today to seek change in the date of “Khela Hobe Divas” as it reminds the horrendous memories of Direct Action Day and ‘the week of long knives’ in 1946 that led to killings of thousands”, Tweeted Dhankar.
Representatives of Sanatan organisations called on Governor WB today to seek change in the date of “Khela Hobe Divas” as it reminds the horrendous memories of of Direct Action Day and ‘the week of long knives’ in 1946 that led to killings of thousands. pic.twitter.com/P5og6cLdJM
— Governor West Bengal Jagdeep Dhankhar (@jdhankhar1) August 10, 2021
In his subsequent Tweet, the Governor of West Bengal, cleared that the monks had only objected to the selection of the date to celebrate ‘Khela Diwas’. He said that they wanted the Governor’s intervention to convey their feelings to the state government. The Governor, in turn, assured them that their feelings would be conveyed to the government.
Their only objection was to the date of “Khela Hobe Divas” and sought intervention to convey their feelings to the government. Governor assured them that there feelings would be conveyed to the government. pic.twitter.com/j25NY9ZBgT
— Governor West Bengal Jagdeep Dhankhar (@jdhankhar1) August 10, 2021
According to a report by TV9 Bharatvarsh, the representatives were accompanied by Suvendu Adhikari, the Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Assembly.
The BJP leader has also Tweeted about his visit to the WB Governor with the revered monks to request him to persuade the WB Govt to change the day of the proposed Khela Hobe Diwas.
“16th August is a blot on Bengal’s history. The day is horrifically remembered as Direct Action Day or Great Calcutta Killings which led to the brutal killings of thousands of Bengalis. Many dead bodies kept lying on road for days to be fed by dogs & vultures even”, wrote the BJP leader in his series of Tweets, adding that “any celebration on this day would only make the Bengalis relive the pain of the gory past”, Tweeted Adhikari.
16th August is a blot on Bengal’s history. The day is horrifically remmembered as Direct Action Day or Great Calcutta Killings which led to the brutal killings of thousands of Bengalis. Many dead bodies kept lying on road for days to be fed by dogs & vultures even.
— Suvendu Adhikari • শুভেন্দু অধিকারী (@SuvenduWB) August 10, 2021
For the uninitiated, Mamata Banerjee had announced her decision to celebrate the ‘Khala Hobe Diwas’ on August 16 this year, to launch her campaign to remove BJP from power in various states on July 23, 2021. She had then said that the “Khela Hobe” slogan would now be used at the national stage and declared that “Khela” will now happen in all states until the BJP is removed from the country.
The decision to choose the same day as Direct Action Day to celebrate the ‘Khela Hobe Diwas’, had, however, reminded the people of the great Calcutta Killings of 1946, when thousands of Hindus were butchered by Islamists of the Muslims Leagues on the streets of Kolkata. Mamata Banerjee has been widely condemned for her insensitive decision.
BJP attacks Mamata Banerjee over “Khela Hobe Diwas” celebrations
BJP had also criticised Mamata Banerjee’s decision to launch her “Khela Hobe Diwas’ on exactly the same say when Pakistan’s founder Mohammad Ali Jinnah of the Muslim League had launched the horrific “Direct Action Day” against Hindus in 1946.
“‘Khela’ will happen in all states until BJP is removed from the country. We’ll celebrate ‘Khela Diwas’ on August 16. We’ll give footballs to poor children,” Trinamool Congress chief said.
“The BJP took India to darkness, it will be ‘Khela Hobe’ till it’s ousted from Centre,” she said in her speech.
