Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has strongly condemned the Governor’s decision to celebrate the Foundation Day of the State of West Bengal on June 20. In a letter to the Governor, she wrote “ In so far as any communication of the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India on this subject is concerned, we hereby strongly protest against this a historical, unconstitutional and unilateral decision of the Government of India to commemorate the so-called Foundation Day of the State of West Bengal on 20 June.”
She requested the Governor “not to hold any such programme which will rekindle the bitter memories of crores of people in West Bengal and re incite undesirable forces.” She referred to the telephonic discussion on Monday when the Governor had admitted that a unilateral and non-consultative decision to declare the foundation day is not warranted. Miss Banerjee wrote that the West Bengal government was carved out of the undivided West Bengal in 1947 through a most painful and traumatic process.
The process involved the uprooting of millions of people across the border and the death and displacement of innumerable families. The economy of West Bengal was destroyed and devastated and the truncated state of West Bengal suffered sudden disruption of communication and infrastructure too. The state was not founded on any particular day, least of all on 20 June. Contrarily the state was formed through the infamous Radcliffe Award, which was given legitimacy by the departing colonial/ imperial government.