Patna (Bihar) [India]: Union Minister Giriraj Singh on Monday backed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's remarks on West Bengal's political history, alleging that Congress indulged in "appeasement politics" after Partition and later left the state to its own fate.
Referring to the Partition-era violence, Singh said Syama Prasad Mukherjee played a key role in "saving Bengal" during that period. He further alleged that the "wounds of 1946", referring to the violence during Direct Action Day, continued due to Congress policies.
"The time of partition, Syama Prasad Mukherjee saved Bengal. However, after Congress came into power, the 'wounds of 1946', the massacre and attacks on Hindus in the name of 'Direct Action Day', persisted. Congress engaged in appeasement politics and left Bengal entirely to its own fate. Eventually, the TMC almost destroyed it through looting. Now that the BJP has arrived, the people there are celebrating what feels like a second independence," Singh told reporters.
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Responding to a question on an alleged fund dispute within the Trinamool Congress (TMC), Singh said, "Mamata Banerjee, who presented herself as a simple person wearing only slippers and a saree, was actually leading a regime of looting, involving everyone from her ministers downwards. This is now being exposed."
On Saturday (June 20), addressing the public rally in Tarakeswar in Hooghly district, West Bengal, PM Modi said that the younger generation must be made aware of the significance of West Bengal Day and the historical events linked to the state's formation.
He referred to the partition-era developments and said there were attempts at the time to include undivided Bengal in Pakistan. He said leaders like Syama Prasad Mukherjee opposed such moves and raised their voice strongly.
"We need to repeatedly tell today's generation about the importance of West Bengal Day. The young generation needs to know what happened during that time, when there was an attempt to make the entire Bengal a part of Pakistan and the Congress was bowing down before those conspirators. It was at that time that Dr. Syama Prasad Mukherjee raised his voice against it. In April 1947, he got a historic resolution passed. He declared that the whole of Bengal would not become a part of Pakistan, and for this, the Bengali-Hindu Homeland Movement was launched," PM Modi said.
He said that attempts were made to ignore and dilute the significance of West Bengal Day over the years and that the state's history was "whitewashed due to political agendas."
He further said that the role of leaders such as Syama Prasad Mukherjee was not given due recognition, adding that his contributions were overlooked despite his role in shaping post-independence political developments.
Paschimbanga Divas is observed as the official foundation day of West Bengal every year on 20 June, celebrating the state's distinct cultural heritage, historical legacy, and the legislative process behind its formation.
The date holds significance from 20 June 1947, when the Bengal Legislative Assembly met to vote on the partition of Bengal under the Mountbatten Plan.
