Kolkata, 9 December (H.S.): The Trinamool Mahila Congress on Tuesday organised a rally in central Kolkata to commemorate the 79th anniversary of the first meeting of the Constituent Assembly, highlighting what the party described as the need to safeguard the rights of West Bengal and uphold constitutional values.
The procession began at the Academy of Fine Arts and moved towards Dharmatala, led by state Finance Minister Chandrima Bhattacharya and Cabinet Minister Shashi Panja. Several Kolkata Municipal Corporation councillors and members of the mayor-in-council also joined the demonstration, drawing significant participation from women leaders and grassroots workers.
Participants carried placards that read “Protect the Rights of Bengal” and “Stand United,” framing the event as a collective pledge to defend the federal structure and resist what they claimed were attempts to undermine state autonomy.
Speaking at the event, Minister Shashi Panja said the march was organised to remind people of December 09, 1946 — the day the Constituent Assembly met for the first time. “The Constitution is our protective armour,” she said, alleging that the central government was withholding funds meant for Bengal and obstructing development projects.
TMC leaders accused the Bharatiya Janata Party of attempting to “capture Bengal” through administrative pressure and political strategies. They cited mechanisms like the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the voter list and what they described as unnecessary documentation requirements as tools being used to “harass citizens.”
The party leadership also charged the BJP with weakening cooperative federalism and being interested only in “grabbing power by any means.” They said that more such public campaigns will continue in order to strengthen public awareness about constitutional rights and the state’s entitlements.
The rally concluded with a renewed call to protect Bengal’s rights and to uphold the democratic values enshrined in the Constitution.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Satya Prakash Singh
