State to observe ‘Bangla Divas’ on ‘Poila Baisakh’; ECI ‘gives its nod’

The state government is all set to observe its first “Bangla Diwas” (Bengal Foundation Day) on ‘Poila Baisakh’ which falls on April 15.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has permitted the state allowing it to hold the programme.

The state government had sought permission from the ECI as the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) is in place, sources said.

It was learnt that the Information and Cultural department is going

to organise the event on Cathedral Road near Rabindra Sadan. However, it is not sure whether Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee

will be able to attend the programme as she may be busy in her election campaign. In September last year, the Bengal Assembly passed a resolution to observe Bangla Divas on ‘Poila Baisakh’ while selecting Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore’s ‘Banglar Maati, Banglar Jol’ (Bengal’s land, Bengal’s soil) as the state song.

A resolution under Rule 169 was tabled in the Assembly, proposing to observe Poila Baisakh, as ‘Bangla Divas’ and Tagore’s ‘Banglar Maati, Banglar Jol’ as the state song. The resolution was passed with 167 members, out of a total of 294, voting in favour of it.

Earlier, there was a proposal to the state from the Governor that Bangla Diwas can be observed on June 20.

The state government did not accept it. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had said on the resolution: “I support the proposal of making Rabindranath Tagore’s ‘Banglar Maati, Banglar Jol’ the official song of Bengal. People of Bengal don’t want June 20 to be observed as the state’s foundation day since it is associated with memories of violence and bloodshed which marked the partition.”

The Trinamool Congress had sought the opinion of people from all walks of life to decide on the date. Around 99 per cent of people voted for Poila Baisakh.