Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], July 21 (ANI): West Bengal Chief Minister and All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) chairperson Mamata Banerjee inspected the arrangements for the 'Shahid Dibas' rally in Kolkata's Dharmatala area on Sunday. The event honours 13 'martyrs' who lost their lives during the 1993 Kolkata Writers Building march.

Addressing an event ahead of the AITC program, CM Banerjee said, 'When CPI(M) was in power in West Bengal, we fought a lot... our comrades fought, sacrificed their lives. In their memory, we observe July 21 as Martyrs' Day, and for the past 33 years, this program has been held at the same place because many people sacrificed their lives here, some people even object to this.'

For the past three decades, AITC has been carrying out events and rallies on July 21 annually to remember the death of 13 people in 1993.

In a post on X, CM Banerjee stated, 'The right to vote freely, fearlessly, and with dignity, something we take for granted today, was once denied to the people of Bengal under an oppressive regime that silenced dissent and shut doors on democracy. We observe Shahid Dibas as a solemn tribute to the 13 brave souls who laid down their lives in the fight for Maa, Mati, and Manush, and as a reaffirmation of our commitment to protect our constitutional values at any cost. As always, I personally visited Dharmatala today to ensure that all arrangements are in place for tomorrow's programme, including proper accommodation for our guests and seating for the media. To the people of Bengal, I say this: Come peacefully, come in strength. Even if it rains, let it be seen as the tears of the martyrs reminding us of why we gather, why we remember, and why we must never stop fighting for democracy.'

https://x.com/MamataOfficial/status/1946968383452581951

Earlier today, mentioning the Chief Minister's visit to Dharmatala, AITC posted on X, 'As is tradition, Mamata Banerjee visited Dharmatala on the eve of Shahid Dibas to personally review the preparations. She has shaped history. With unyielding resolve and the unshakable support of the people, she has dismantled empires that thought themselves invincible.'

While remembering the 13 'brave souls,' Mamata Banerjee posted on X, 'We observe Shahid Dibas as a solemn tribute to the 13 brave souls who laid down their lives in the fight for Maa, Mati, and Manush, and as a reaffirmation of our commitment to protect our constitutional values at any cost. As always, I personally visited Dharmatala today to ensure that all arrangements are in place for tomorrow's programme, including proper accommodation for our guests and seating for the media.'

'On July 21, 1993, our 13 comrades lost their lives prematurely due to the barbaric atrocities and ruthless firing by the CPIM police,' she added in another post.

Continuing her remembrance of the 'martyrs' Bandan Das, Murari Chakraborty, Ratan Mondal, Bishwanath Roy, Kalyan Banerjee, Asim Das, Keshab Bairagi, Shrikanta Sharma, Dilip Das, Ranjit Das, Pradeep Roy, Mohammad Khaleq, and Inu, the Bengal CM invited everyone to participate in the rally.

In 1993, Mamata Banerjee, part of the Indian National Congress, participated in the Writers' Building March, during which 13 people were killed in a police firing. A few years later, in 1998, the All India Trinamool Congress was formed, breaking away from the Congress, with Banerjee leading the party to this day. (ANI)