Kolkata, July 15 -- Ahead of the July 21 programmes, NCPI MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar announced that the NCPI will also observe Martyrs' Day, saying martyrs cannot be divided on political lines.
Recalling the 1993 police firing, which she said she had witnessed, Kakoli remarked, "My martyr, your martyr- this cannot be the way. It is our duty to honour all martyrs." She added that those who sacrificed their lives for the country, law and order, or any just cause deserve equal respect, including those killed in the July 21 police firing.
Meanwhile, the Ritabrata Banerjee-led faction, which is set to organise a separate July 21 programme near the Gandhi statue, said the families of the 1993 martyrs- not celebrities or prominent personalities- will be given priority on the stage.
Addressing a preparatory meeting, Ritabrata said the platform belongs to grassroots workers who fought and shed blood for the movement, adding that there would be no cultural performances at the event.
Anubrata Mondal stated: "We used to bring thousands of supporters yet we had to remain backstage. This time supporters and workers would be in the front row."
The developments come after the Calcutta High Court permitted the Mamata Banerjee led Trinamool faction to hold its July 21 programme in front of Birla Planetarium.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.