West Bengal ‘foundation day’ celebrated across states despite Mamata's strong opposition

West Bengal ‘Foundation Day’ was celebrated in several states on Tuesday despite strong opposition by the home state’s Chief Minister, Mamata Banerjee, who termed it “a political move by the saffron camp.” While West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose organised the state's 'Foundation Day' programme at the Raj Bhavan in Kolkata, his Bihar counterpart Rajendra Arlekar took part in a function in Patna where he said people of various states were like brothers and sisters as they had "the same mother - Bharat Mata".

Arlekar paid rich tributes to the contributions of Bengal in the country's freedom struggle and social and cultural reforms, and recalled the famous saying "what Bengal thinks today, India thinks tomorrow".

He added, "in spite of the diversity, the whole of India was one and the spirit of unity must always be kept alive".

Senior officials and eminent Bengali citizens living in Bihar were present on the occasion, which was marked by a function showcasing the rich culture of the eastern state.

In Ranchi, Jharkhand Governor CP Radhakrishnan termed West Bengal as the cradle of art and tradition.

He said while the contribution of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose in the freedom struggle has been unique, the land has produced many great thinkers, writers, poets and revolutionaries.

He said, "Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat" is a visionary initiative of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the West Bengal Foundation Day was organised under this initiative at the Raj Bhavan.

He said West Bengal has produced many writers of international repute including Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore, Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay, Mahasweta Devi, Bankim Chandra Chatterjee, Ashapurna Devi, among others.

He said people of West Bengal celebrate their festivals with great devotion, passion and grandeur and the Bengali community is not only rooted in their traditions, but they are also known for their modern and progressive outlook.

Meghalaya Governor Phagu Chauhan emphasized the historical significance of Bengal and its journey as a torchbearer of renaissance, socio-cultural awakening, and nationalistic development, despite enduring oppressive conditions during British rule.

Addressing a gathering at the Raj Bhavan in Shillong, the Governor highlighted how West Bengal, despite enduring the painful consequences of religious divisions, emerged as an integral part of India.

Arunachal Pradesh Governor Lt Gen K T Parnaik urged the state's people to celebrate the vibrant, bold and multicultural spirit of West Bengal, which has been the harbinger of modernisation in fine arts, textiles and traditional cuisines.

Participating at the West Bengal ‘Foundation Day’ function at the Raj Bhavan in Itanagar, the Governor greeted the people of the eastern state and conveyed the best wishes of the people of his state.

Parnaik recalled the contribution of socio-cultural reformists such as Raja Ram Mohan Roy, Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar and Swami Vivekananda, cultural exponents - Rabindranath Tagore, Kazi Nurul Islam and Satyajit Ray and freedom fighters - Subhas Chandra Bose and Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee.

The Governor said there is much for the people to learn and imbibe from West Bengal, the cultural capital of India.

Assam Governor Gulab Chand Kataria said the Bengal region stood against its purported assimilation into East Pakistan (now Bangladesh), during India's Independence.

"Amidst the tumultuous era of India's independence, when our great nation faced the agonizing division, the steadfast region of Bengal stood against its purported assimilation into East Pakistan, now known as Bangladesh,” he said in Guwahati.

He said Bengalis have long been revered as stalwarts of literature, art, music and theatre, with a rich cultural heritage that dates back centuries.