Baby Chakraborty, KalimNews, June 9, 2025, Kolkata: With West Bengal heading toward Assembly elections next year, the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) has begun early preparations for its annual July 21 Martyrs’ Day event. Recognized as a key moment on the party’s political calendar, this year’s observance carries added weight as it sets the stage for what could become the opening of a high-stakes electoral campaign.
Organized primarily by the student and youth wings of the party in consultation with senior leaders, Martyrs’ Day commemorates the death of 13 individuals during a political rally on July 21, 1993. Preparations this year have commenced earlier than usual. A key preparatory meeting is scheduled at the party’s Bhabanipur office next week, with invitations already extended to district presidents, chairpersons, and the core committees from Kolkata North and Birbhum organizational districts.
Every year, the program draws significant attention from across the state. Held at Dharmatala Square in Kolkata, the central gathering typically features prominent student and youth leaders, along with party supremo Mamata Banerjee and All India General Secretary and MP Abhishek Banerjee. The occasion is marked by political messages, organizational mobilization, and reaffirmation of the party’s political vision.
The origin of Martyrs’ Day dates back to July 21, 1993, when a protest march led by Mamata Banerjee—then a Youth Congress leader—demanded the mandatory use of photo voter ID cards in elections. The rally, organized against the backdrop of political unrest and internal conflict within the Congress party, was directed toward the Writers’ Building, the administrative headquarters of the West Bengal government. It culminated in a violent confrontation with law enforcement, resulting in the deaths of 13 individuals following police firing. The event had a profound impact on the political landscape of the state and played a crucial role in shaping Banerjee’s subsequent political trajectory.
Over the years, the narrative surrounding the 1993 incident has remained contentious. The official justification for the protest was electoral reform—specifically the implementation of voter ID cards, which falls under the purview of the Election Commission of India, not the state government. However, analysts and critics have long questioned the true intent of the rally, suggesting it may have stemmed more from intra-party rivalries within the Congress than from democratic demands.
Eyewitness accounts and later investigations revealed that parts of the crowd engaged in violence, vandalism, and arson. Security personnel were severely injured, and weapons including loaded pipe guns and bombs were recovered from the scene. Despite the widespread disruption and ensuing casualties, no senior leaders were ultimately held accountable after multiple inquiries. A commission led by retired Justice Sushanta Chatterjee—set up by the Trinamool Congress government after assuming power in 2011—did not attribute direct responsibility to the leadership of the then Left Front government or the police. Its report, submitted in 2014, controversially concluded that at least one of the deceased died from cirrhosis of the liver, not police action.
The political fallout from the incident was substantial. Mamata Banerjee, who had briefly held a ministerial role in the P.V. Narasimha Rao-led central government, went on to form the All India Trinamool Congress after distancing herself from the Congress party. Over time, July 21 became a symbolic cornerstone of her political movement. Every year since, the event has been commemorated as Martyrs’ Day, serving both as a remembrance and a rallying cry for party workers.
However, the legacy of the day continues to evoke debate. While the Trinamool Congress portrays the 13 deceased individuals as martyrs of a democratic cause, others contest this characterization due to the violence associated with the protest. Questions linger about the planning, intent, and aftermath of the demonstration. The fact that Manish Gupta, the then Home Secretary who authorized the police firing, later joined the Trinamool Congress and became a cabinet minister, adds another complex layer to the historical narrative.
As July 21, 2025, approaches, the Trinamool Congress seeks not only to honor the memory of the 1993 protest but also to galvanize its youth base and reaffirm its political direction in anticipation of the upcoming Assembly elections. With attention again turning to Dharmatala, the event is expected to serve as both a tribute and a strategic political platform in the shifting landscape of West Bengal politics.