Troubled by the split in her Trinamool Congress (TMC) in West Bengal, party chief Mamata Banerjee announced on Wednesday that her party's Martyr's Day rally will be held on July 21 under any circumstances. He said that if the rebel faction of the party or the Bharatiya Janata Party tried to disrupt it, then he was ready to address the rally even sitting on a rickshaw without a mike.
These comments of former Chief Minister Mamata have come amid the rebellion in Trinamool Congress. The rebel faction of the party is planning to organize a separate program on 'Martyrs' Day' on July 21 next week. In her live post on social media Facebook, Mamata thanked the Calcutta High Court for granting permission to her camp to organize the Martyr's Day rally near Birla Planetarium. The High Court on Wednesday directed the police to allow the Mamata faction to hold a 'Martyr's Day' rally on July 21 near Birla Planetarium.
However, the Trinamool chief also expressed apprehension that those preparing the rally and operating the sound system could be intimidated. He appealed to the police and administration to be impartial in this matter. Mamta said, "I request the administration to be impartial in this matter. They may try to intimidate the decorators or those operating the sound system. Please do not do it like this."
With his rebellious attitude, he further said, "We can speak even without a mic. If needed, we will stand on a rickshaw or handcart and address the public meeting. Once we announce the rally, it will definitely happen." Mamta also claimed that a few days ago, the police had called senior party leaders Derek O'Brien and Shobhandev Chattopadhyay and advised them to organize a program at Hazra Crossing.
Amidst the confusion regarding the rally, Mamata said, "They are doing something like this, they have shown it as if it is a small local roadside event. After all, how can they even think like this? She also requested the party workers to decide that they should reach Birla Planetarium only and not go anywhere else.
Making this request to her supporters, Mamta said, "Our program is being held at Birla Planetarium. Everyone reached there only. Do not go to any other place even by mistake. Even if someone tries to take you somewhere else, leave from there and come back to our program." Mamata Banerjee also appealed to the families of those killed in police firing on 21 July 1993 to participate in this program. In the memory of these people, the party organizes Martyr's Day program every year on 21 July.
