Paschimbanga Dibas
On 20 June 1947, legislators from predominantly Hindu western parts of Bengal at the Bengal Legislative Assembly voted against the inclusion of western Bengal in Pakistan and for the Partition of Bengal to create West Bengal include it in the Indian Union. Following the verdict, the Governor of Bengal presided over the formation of a West Bengal cabinet on 3 July. Since 2014, 20 June is being celebrated as Paschimbanga Dibas or West Bengal Day in commemoration of the formation of West Bengal on 20 June 1947.
Background[edit]
In 1940, the Muslim League adopted the Lahore resolution which called for the formation of independent Muslim-majority states in North Western and Eastern parts of British India. Through the resolution the Muslim League legitimized the idea of 'Pakistan', earlier put forward by Chaudhury Mohammad Ali in 1933. Throughout the first half of 1940s, the idea of Pakistan gained currency in eastern Bengal. In 1946, the Muslim League fought the provincial elections on the single point agenda of establishment of Pakistan. In the elections in Bengal, the Muslim League 114 out of 119 reserved seats for Muslims, and formed the government. In August 1946, the Muslim League launched a program, called 'Direct Action', for the achievement of Pakistan. On 16 August 1946, designated as Direct Action Day by the Muslim League, large scale loot and massacre of Hindus started in Kolkata, followed by reprisals of Hindus, which later came to be known as the Great Calcutta Killings. In October 1946, there was a general massacre of the Hindus in parts of Noakhali and Tipperah districts in eastern Bengal.
After the killings in Kolkata and Noakhali, a section of the Bengali Hindu intellectuals under the leadership of Syama Prasad Mookerjee started a movement for the parition of Bengal and the formation of West Bengal for the Hindus of West Bengal. With extensive campaigning in the districts of Bengal and lobbying, the intellectuals were able to convince the British that the demand for West Bengal was justified. While drawing up the Partition plan for India, the Partition of Bengal was also taken into consideration along with that of the Punjab.
On 20 June 1947, the Bengal Legislative Assembly voted to decide the fate of Bengal with respect to the Partition of India.[1] The first voting was held to decide whether Bengal would join the existing constituent assembly (i.e. India) or the new constituent assembly (i.e. Pakistan). The assembly voted 126-90 in favour of Pakistan.[1] After that, voting was held among the legislators of the predominantly Hindu western Bengal, to decide whether western Bengal would prefer to join Pakistan or remain in India. The legislators voted 58-21 in favour of India, which effected the Partition of Bengal and formation of West Bengal.[1]
Commemoration[edit]
In 2014, the formation of West Bengal on 20 June 1947, was commemorated for the first time by a forum called Paschimbanger Janya.[2] The speakers at the event credited Syama Prasad Mookerjee for the creation of West Bengal. At the event, environmentalist and human rights activist Dr. Mohit Ray reminded that West Bengal is not just a territory, it the space for the free existence of the Bengali Hindu people.[2] Referring to the recurrent anti-Hindu communal riots starting with the anti-Taslima violence in 2007, followed by Deganga, Kamduni, Canning and so on, he stressed that West Bengal was formed as a Hindu-majority political entity for the existence of the Bengali Hindu people, and therefore political control of West Bengal must rest with the Bengali Hindus and they should remain associated with the Indian culture. Tathagata Roy, cited that the dwindling Hindu population of East Pakistan and later Bangladesh from 29% to 8-9% justified the formation of West Bengal as a Bengali Hindu homeland.[2]
In 2017, Samakal Darpan, a Bengali fortnightly espoused the commemoration of the formation of West Bengal on 20 June.[3] In 2018, the Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee Research Foundation decided to celebrate Paschimbanga Dibas across the state.[4]
Criticism[edit]
Political commentator Garga Chatterjee has criticized the event as politics of remembering, which helped Bharatiya Janata Party rake up communally divisive issues in West Bengal and gain popular support among masses.[5] The event has also been criticized as an attempt to re-kindle the memories of the past that constitute the Hindu communal historical narrative.[6]
See also[edit]
- Bihar Diwas
- Karnataka Rajyotsava
- Maharashtra Day
- Odisha Day
- Telangana Formation Day
- Uttar Pradesh Day
References[edit]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Brahmachari, Upananda (20 June 2014). "আজ রাজ্যের প্রতিষ্ঠা দিবসেও ঔদাসীন্যে অবহেলিত শ্যামাপ্রসাদ". Dainik Statesman. The Statesman Limited.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 "পশ্চিমবঙ্গ দিবস পালনে দাবি উঠল এ রাজ্যে হিন্দু সংখ্যাগরিষ্ঠ অঞ্চলের" (PDF) (in Bengali). 66 (42). Kolkata: Swastika Prakashan Trust. 30 June 2014. p. 6. Retrieved 28 May 2019.
- ↑ "২০ জুন তারিখটিকে 'পশ্চিমবঙ্গ দিবস' হিসাবে পালন করা উচিত্" (PDF). Samakal Darpan (in Bengali) (New Issue Volume 7). Kolkata. 30 June 2017. p. 4. Retrieved 23 May 2019.
- ↑ Mondal, Dipankar (20 May 2018). "পশ্চিমবঙ্গের জন্মদিনে শ্যামাপ্রসাদের বহুমুখী চিন্তা ছড়িয়ে দিতে উদ্যোগ". Sangbad Pratidin (in Bengali). Kolkata: Pratidin Prakashani. Retrieved 23 May 2019.
- ↑ Chatterjee, Garga (25 September 2014). "The Battle For Bengal". Outlook. Outlook Publishing. Retrieved 28 May 2019.
- ↑ Basu, Rohan (2018). 'Samaj' and 'Swadesh' - A Study on contemporary communalism in West Bengal and reminiscences from late 19th century and early 20th century Bengal (Thesis). Tata Institute of Social Sciences. Retrieved 28 May 2019.
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