West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee's iconic 'Ekushe July' mega rally goes digital

The date of July 21 is of massive importance to Mamata Banerjee and the Trinamool Congress. Every year, a massive gathering is arranged by TMC, which witnesses supporters from various districts pouring in for the mega political event. However, with the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic and physical gathering of masses being a huge 'no-no', the mega event will go digital.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will address a virtual rally on July 21 to mark the Martyrs Day, which the Trinamool Congress party has been organising every year since it came into being in 1998.

'I will address everyone'

"We can't organise 21st July this time due to Corona but at 2 pm sharp on that day I will address everyone. People should gather at the booth level from 1 pm, about 30 people at each place, not more. You will hoist flags, pay respects to the martyrs and from 2 to 3 pm, I will speak." said the West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee.

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The battle has gone digital, with TMC doing what BJP did a while back. The BJP’s West Bengal campaign was virtually started by Union Home Minister Amit Shah on June 9 and has so far seen a number of Union Ministers including Smriti Irani, Nirmala Sitharaman, Dharmendra Pradhan address party cadres in Bengal, although virtually via massive LED screens.

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The July 21 Martyrs Day Rally is an annual mass rally organized by the All India Trinamool Congress to commemorate the 1993 Kolkata firing as Martyrs Day. It is in remembrance of 13 people shot by the West Bengal Police in Kolkata, during a rally by the West Bengal Youth Congress under Mamata Banerjee on 21 July 1993, while demanding Voter's Identity Card to be made sole required document for voting. However, it has become synonymous with Trinamool ever since Banerjee created the party in 1998.

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The Chief Minister is expected to sound the bugle for 2021 Assembly elections while addressing the event on Tuesday, however, scepticism rules high on whether this will make the expected impact on party workers. With rains hitting network connectivity hard every day, the physical impact of digital outreach is extremely debatable.

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