Kolkata: It seems to be double bonanza for West Bengal this year as even though entire West Bengal got decked up for 75th Independence Day, but this year it was even special as Kolkata and its adjoining areas got a special touch as Didi would celebrate ‘Khela Hobe Diwas’ on August 16, despite strong criticism from the saffron camp.
Camps and makeshift marquees have been set up with extra lights in almost every locality and playgrounds in Kolkata where a football tournament will be held on August 16 giving a festivity flavor to the minds of all Bengalis.
It can be recalled that Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari met the Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar with several monks and urged him to request the TMC Supremo Mamata Banerjee to shift the date of Khela Hobe Diwas as August 16 coincides with ‘Great Calcutta Killing’ of 1946. Following Suvendu’s request, Dhankhar had also appealed to the West Bengal Chief Minister to change the date but was of no avail.
The BJP sources even confirmed that Suvendu had also appealed from Union Home Minister Amit Shah so that even he could intervene and change the date but shockingly no central leadership had spoken on this issue.
Incidentally, footballs were seen being distributed to various clubs across the state so that every club can organise a football tournament and celebrate the day.
Notably, apart from West Bengal the Trinamool Congress had planned to organise the tournament in other states like Tripura, Uttar Pradesh and even Gujarat, the strong citadel of the BJP.
While announcing the date of Khela Hobe Diwas, the Chief Minister was heard saying that in order to make people understand the importance of being Independent she has kept the celebration a day after Independence Day.
“Apart from Independence, an untoward incident which happened in Eden Gardens over a football match where several people have died, to remember that incident Khela Hobe Diwas is kept on August 16,” Mamata was heard saying.
Incidentally, on Sunday the St. Arnold’s school in Gujarat’s Godhra, whose playground would have been utilized for football match had declined permission citing pandemic issue.
BJP Leader Rahul Sinha claimed that TMC’s Khela Hobe slogan turned out to be violent as they (TMC) are playing with the lives of people.
TMC MLA Tapas Roy said that cancellation of the playground is due to the instigation of BJP.
It is pertinent to mention that Khela Hobe TMCs poll campaign slogan had been hugely popular and recently ace poet Javed Akhtar was asked to write a song on Khela Hobe by Mamata Banerjee.
