Amid TMC crisis Congress gears up to reclaim 21 July Martyrs’ Day

As the Trinamool Congress (TMC) implosion has led to uncertainty over the 21 July Martyrs’ Day programme, the West Bengal Pradesh Congress Committee (WBPCC) has stepped up preparations to reclaim the day with a major rally at planned at Shahid Minar in the heart of Kolkata.

While the “Nabya Trinamul’ faction led by Bengal Leader of Opposition Ritabrata Banerjee has sought permission to hold a gathering at the base of the Gandhi statue in Esplanade, the Mamata Banerjee-Abhishek Banerjee faction of the party, however, is yet to secure permission for any venue for its annual Martyrs’ Day programme.

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In contrast, the WBPCC has already obtained permission to organise its programme at Shahid Minar on July 21.

According to sources from the Congress, the state unit is planning to bring a senior national leader from New Delhi to address the rally, although the name of the leader has not yet been announced.

As part of the preparations, WBPCC president Subhankar Sarkar visited the Shahid Minar grounds on Tuesday afternoon to inspect the venue and review arrangements for the party’s “Shahid Minar Chalo” programme scheduled for 21 July.

After the inspection, Sarkar said Congress workers, Youth Congress members and Mahila Congress activists from Kolkata as well as all districts of the state would participate in the rally.

He expressed confidence that the programme would witness a large turnout and said efforts were underway to bring a heavyweight Congress leader from Delhi to address the gathering.

The Congress has also announced that one of its principal demands during the programme will be the disclosure of the “Manish Gupta file.” The party has targeted former state home secretary Manish Gupta, who is now a senior Trinamool leader, over his alleged role in the events surrounding the police firing on 21 July, 1993.

The 21 July observance commemorates the death of 13 Youth Congress activists, who were killed in police firing during a march to the Writers’ Buildings on 21 July, 1993, when the erstwhile Left Front government was in power. The incident has remained one of the most politically significant episodes in West Bengal’s recent history.

After founding the Trinamool Congress, Mamata Banerjee transformed 21 July into the party’s biggest annual political event, with massive rallies being held at Esplanade every year until the change of government following the 2026 Assembly elections.