Martyrs’ Day 2026 turns out to be a show of political strength for rival Trinamool factions in West Bengal
The assembly will also be a litmus test for Mamata Banerjee’s ability to mobilize crowds after the Trinamool Congress lost the 2026 assembly elections and was later hit by an insurgency within the party. File | Photo credit: ANI
The annual Martyrs’ Day celebration on July 21 this year is set to become a show of strength for rival factions of the Trinamool Congress. With less than 48 hours to go, the Mamata Banerjee-led faction and the Ritabrata Banerjee-led faction are wrapping up their respective rallies.
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Several leaders of the Ritabrata Banerjee faction, including Arup Roy, who was nominated by the group as party president, visited Mayo Road and reviewed the preparations. Former ministers Chandrima Bhattacharya, Aroop Biswas and Firhad Hakim were also present. The leaders said they would pay somber homage to the martyrs and there would be no “singing and dancing” as was common when the Trinamool Congress was in power.
Former Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress president Mamata Banerjee visits her rally venue in front of Birla Planetarium in Maidan area of Kolkata on Monday (July 20, 2026). While Ms. Banerjee used to address supporters outside Victoria House until last year, this time the administration denied permission to any political group to hold rallies at the venue. The Calcutta High Court has allowed Mamata Banerjee’s group to hold its rally outside the Birla Planetarium.
Meanwhile, Trinamool Congress MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, who joined the little-known nationalist Civic Party of India (NCPI) along with 19 other Lok Sabha MPs, on Sunday (July 19) said the faction would celebrate Martyrs’ Day at Rajghat in New Delhi. Dr. Ghosh Dastidar asked why Manish Gupta, who was the West Bengal chief secretary in 1993 when the police opened fire on Youth Congress activists, became a minister during the Trinamool Congress regime.
background
Martyrs’ Day or Shaheed Divas is observed annually in West Bengal to commemorate 13 Youth Congress workers killed in police firing on 21 July 1993 during the Left Front regime. Ms. Banerjee, the then Congress leader, organized a march to the Writers’ Building (State Secretariat during the Left regime) and demanded that voter cards be made the only mandatory document for voting. The protest turned violent and the police opened fire, leaving 13 dead.
West Bengal Congress Committee president Subhankar Sarkar also questioned why Manish Gupta was “rewarded by the Mamata Banerjee government instead of being held accountable”. Mr. Sarkar said several Congress leaders would attend the party rally on July 21.
Show strength
The demonstrations are likely to be a show of strength for all competing political groups. While Ritabrata Banerjee’s group has the support of most Trinamool MLAs, it remains to be seen how people will accept the formation. The Congress, which has a vote share of around 5% in West Bengal and is hoping for a revival, will have to make sure to get people out of their homes to hear Mr. Sarkar and other Congress leaders speak on July 21.
The assembly will also be a litmus test for Ms Banerjee’s ability to mobilize crowds after the Trinamool Congress lost the 2026 assembly elections and was later hit by an insurgency within the party.
Published – 19 Jul 2026 22:36 IST