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Journalism of Courage
The Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Tuesday commemorated ‘Khela Hobe Dibas’ by organising football matches to promote sports and taking out rallies across the state to protest the “biased functioning” of central agencies —CBI and ED — against its leaders.
Commonwealth Games medallists from the state were also felicitated by the government on this occasion.
‘Khela Hobe’ (the game is on) had been the battle cry of the TMC during the Assembly polls last year when the party defeated the BJP to storm back to power for the third consecutive term. Last year, Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee announced that August 16 would be observed as ‘Khela Hobe Dibas’. “The agitation will start again from August 16. It will be ‘khela hobe dibas’. Do marches, meetings, protests, resistance, actions…. Take to the streets. The road will show us the way. So, another political war will start. That war will be played from day one. The game will be played, everyone will also participate in the game day. Do some sports. Do march in the streets with playing… It would be nice,” Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee had tweeted on Sunday.
On Tuesday, TMC workers across the state hit the streets in various parts of the state, demanding the arrest of Opposition leader Shuvendu Adhikari, and protesting the hike in prices of daily use products. They were seen wearing masks resembling BJP leaders allegedly facing graft charges.
Questioning the impartiality of the central probe agencies, TMC workers holding posters and placards in their hands demanded unbiased probes by the ED and the CBI.
“We doubt the way in which central agencies function. We have seen that no action is being taken against BJP leaders facing allegations of corruption. However, they are very prompt when acting against opposition leaders,” a TMC leader said.
In Calcutta, a procession was taken out from Maniktala to Rajabazar in the morning. Speaking at the procession, councillor Ayan Chakraborty said, “By using CBI and ED, BJP is trying to divert our attention from common people’s issues like price rise. Besides, what the central agencies are doing in the state is not right, and thus, Trinamool is protesting this.”
In Baranagar, TMC MP Sougata Roy participated in a rally. Here, too, TMC workers demanded the arrest of BJP leaders against whom corruption charges had been levelled. They demanded that the central agencies should behave impartially.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) arrested TMC Birbhum district president Anubrata Mondal from his residence in Bolpur area on August 12 for allegedly not cooperating in its probe into the alleged cattle smuggling case.
Partha Chatterjee, now suspended TMC leader, was arrested on July 23 by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with the alleged school recruitment scam.
Meanwhile, Football matches were organised to promote sports and as a mark of respect to 16 people who died in a stampede during a football match at the Eden Gardens here in 1980.
“All the party leaders were instructed to organise programmes at every block of the state,” senior TMC leader Tapas Ray said. State sports minister Aroop Biswas felicitated winners of CWG gold and bronze medals weightlifter Achinta Sheuli and squash player Saurav Ghosal, respectively, at Netaji Indoor Stadium. Biswas presented cheques for Rs 5 lakh to Sheuli and Rs 2 lakh to Ghoshal. As Ghoshal was out of the station, the cheque was handed over to his father Rajendra Nath Ghoshal.
Minister of State in West Bengal Manoj Tiwari, Mohun Bagan secretary Debashis Dutta, one of the organisers of East Bengal Debbrata Sarkar and Mohammedan Sporting vice-president Kamaruddin were also present on the occasion.
“I want to extend my heartfelt wishes on #KhelaHobeDibas. After the exemplary success of the event last year, we look forward to greater participation by the youth today. Let this day uphold the zeal of our young citizens, who are the most credible harbingers of progress!” Banerjee tweeted on Tuesday.
— WITH PTI INPUTS
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