Akhilesh Yadav to attend Trinamool’s ‘Martyrs Day’ rally on July 21

Kolkata: Samajwadi Party Chief Akhilesh Yadav will be attending Trinamool Congress’ annual ‘Martyrs Day’ rally in Kolkata on Sunday.

Trinamool leader Kunal Ghosh said that on the invitation of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Akhilesh Yadav has agreed to attend the ‘Martyrs Day’ rally in Kolkata.

Trinamool Congress organises the ‘Martyrs Day’ programme every year as a tribute to the 13 people who were killed during a demonstration held by the West Bengal Youth Congress then led by Mamata Banerjee on July 21, 1993.

Besides Akhilesh Yadav, the Samajwadi Party leader and former party Rajya Sabha member Kiranmay Nanda will also attend the rally.

Both the leaders will arrive at the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport in Kolkata on Sunday and will reach the rally venue at Esplanade in central Kolkata straight from the airport.

Nanda was the Fisheries Minister in the previous Left Front regime when his party had an understanding with the CPI(M)-led Left Front in West Bengal.

On Saturday, Mamata Banerjee issued a statement on her official X explaining the relevance of July 21, 1993.

“21st July is a blood-soaked day in the history of Bengal. 13 lives were brutally taken away by the repressive regime of CPI-M on this day in 1993. I lost 13 of my co-fighters on this day in my battle against repression. 21st July is therefore an emotive milestone for us. 21st July is an integral part of Bengal's public culture today,” her message read.