Suvendu Adhikari, the Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, has urged West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar to ‘persuade’ the ruling government to postpone the ‘Khela Hobe Dibas’ celebration scheduled for August 16 because the ‘Great Calcutta Killings’ occurred on that day, which they believe is against Bengali sentiments.
Adhikari and the monks proceeded to the Raj Bhawan in the afternoon and urged that the Governor commence talks with the State government to reschedule the ‘Khela Hobe Dibas’ festival.
“The 16th of August is a black mark on Bengali history. The day is known as Direct Action Day or the “Great Calcutta Killings,” as it resulted in the mass murder of thousands of Bengalis. Many dead bodies were left on the road for days, despite being fed by dogs and vultures,” Adhikari wrote on Twitter.
“Accompanied by venerated monks, appealed the Honourable Governor Shri @jdhankhar1 ji to encourage the WB Govt to modify the day of the proposed Khela Hobe divas, since any celebration on this day will only relieve the Bengalis’ agony of the horrific past,” he continued.
“Representatives of Sanatan organisations called on Governor WB today to seek a change in the date of “Khela Hobe Divas,” the Governor tweeted a few hours later “as it conjures up horrific memories of Direct Action Day and ‘the week of long knives’ in 1946, which resulted in the deaths of tens of thousands of people.”
“Their sole qualm was the publication date of “Khela Hobe Divas.” “and enlisted the help of others to express their thoughts to the authorities. According to the Governor’s tweet, “the Governor assured them that their feelings will be transmitted to the government.”
The ‘Great Calcutta Killings’ were a huge sectarian violence and manslaughter between Hindus and Muslims that occurred on August 16, 1946, in Calcutta, British India. The deaths occurred after Muslim League leader Muhammad Ali Jinnah announced the Direct Action Day, also known as the Great Calcutta Killings, protest. After his idea for a separate homeland for Muslims was denied, Jinnah protested.
Then, because of the vast Hindu majority, Jinnah believed that if the British just left, Muslims would suffer, which resulted in the worst religious riots in British India’s history. More than 5,500 people were killed and many were homeless as a result of the riots.
