Why are rival Trinamool Congress factions competing to hold the July 21 Martyrs’ Day Rally? | Explained

The story so far: Since the change of regime in West Bengal after the recently concluded Assembly election, politics in the State is hinged on who is going to occupy the Opposition space. Despite registering a vote share of 40% and winning 80 seats in the Assembly polls, the Trinamool Congress is facing a rebellion with a majority of MLAs and MPs deciding to part ways with party chairperson Mamata Banerjee.

A rebel faction of the Trinamool Congress led by Leader of the Opposition Ritabrata Banerjee, who has support of more than 65 of the 80 MLAs, is claiming itself to be the “real Trinamool”. Another group of Lok Sabha MPs (20 of the 28) have joined the little-known Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI) and are asserting themselves as a separate grouping which will support the Bharatiya Janata party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) at the Centre. The loyalists of Mamata Banerjee, though diminished in number, say that there cannot be a Trinamool without her.

The Trinamool Congress was formed by Mamata Banerjee after she left the Congres in 1998. After two decades in the Opposition, the party came to power in West Bengal in 2011 and ruled the State for 15 years till 2026, before it was defeated by the BJP. With several factions of the Trinamool, the Congress is trying to assert itself and July 21 is going to be an important opportunity for them to show their strength.

What is the significance of Martyrs’ Day in West Bengal?

Martyrs’ Day, or Shaheed Divas, is observed every year in West Bengal to commemorate the 13 Youth Congress workers who were killed in police firing on July 21, 1993, during the Left Front regime.

Mamata Banerjee, who was in the Congress then, had organised a march towards the Writer’s Building (State Secretariat during the Left regime) demanding that voter IDs be the sole mandatory card for elections. The protest turned violent as police opened fire on the protesters, resulting in 13 deaths.

Over the past three decades, the July 21 Martyrs’ Day gathering has become Mamata Banerjee’s biggest annual political gathering. After 2011, when she came to power, not only her party leaders and supporters but prominent people from all walks of life would join the gathering. Sharing the stage with Mamata Banerjee at the July 21 event in the past 15 years would mean having the blessings of the ruling establishment in West Bengal. Lakhs of people from all across the State would gather outside Victoria House in Esplanade to catch a glimpse of the leader and hear her speak.

Who is holding Martyrs’ Day rally and where?

Both the Mamata Banerjee faction of the Trinamool Congress and Ritabrata Banerjee led faction of the party had sought permission from Kolkata Police to hold a rally outside Victoria House in Esplanade. Victoria House has been the traditional venue where party would hold protest every year. The Kolkata Police denied permission to both the factions, saying that prohibitory orders under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) have been imposed at the venue.

The police allowed the Ritabarta Banerjee faction to hold the gathering on Mayo Road next to the statue of Mahatma Gandhi. The Congress has been allocated space at the Shahid Minar grounds. The loyalists of Mamata Banerjee had approached the Calcutta High Court, which urged them to suggest an alternative venue.

Finally, on July 15, it was decided that the Mamata Banerjee faction will hold the rally next to Birla Planetarium in the Maidan area of the city. So, three different rallies, two by Trinamool factions and one by the Congress, will be held in Kolkata on a stretch of about two kilometres, on July 21. Former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has exhorted her supporters to attend the gathering addressed by her and not be misled by the police into attending the other rallies.

Why is the Congress pushing for a Martyrs’ Day rally ?

Those who were killed on July 21, 1993 were Youth Congress workers. However, Mamata Banerjee who led the march had taken over the event over the past three decades. The Congress would observe Martyrs’ Day but in a low-key manner. Now that the Trinamool Congress is facing its biggest existential crisis, the Congress has stepped up its campaign for the Martrys’ Day rally push. West Bengal Congress president Subhankar Sarkar, went to the extent of calling Mamata Banerjee to join the Congress event, provided she apologises for leaving the grand old party almost three decades ago.

Why are Martyrs’ Day rallies significant this year?

The rallies are likely to be a show of strength for all the three political groupings. While the Ritabrata Banerjee group has support of the majority of Trinamool MLAs, it is yet to be seen how people accept the formation. The Congress, whose vote share in West Bengal has been around 5% and is hoping for a revival, will have to draw people out of their homes to hear Subhankar Sarkar and other Congress leaders speak on July 21.

As far as Mamata Banerjee is concerned, this will be the most important political event after the defeat in the recently concluded Assembly polls and the defections and desertions in the party. It will be interesting to see how large a crowd assembles in response to Mamata Banerjee’s call on July 21, after she lost not only power but also her party.