Opinion: Battle For Legacy Over July 21 Remembrance In Bengal

Updated: Jul 22, 2026 00:00 am IST Published On Jul 21, 2026 23:53 pm IST Last Updated On Jul 22, 2026 00:00 am IST

Published On Jul 21, 2026 23:53 pm IST

Last Updated On Jul 22, 2026 00:00 am IST

Amid the atmosphere of uncertainty, Mamata Banerjee delivered what many consider her first major public address after her recent political setback. Although she had occasionally communicated with the masses through social media, public meetings have always been her strongest medium of direct communication. On July 21, she returned to that familiar platform.

During her speech, she also announced that she would soon begin extensive tours across various districts of West Bengal. She further indicated that her political campaign would gradually extend from Kolkata to New Delhi, outlining a broader political programme in the months ahead.

As Bengal watches these developments unfold, attention is now turning towards the future of the state's politics. The battle over the legacy of July 21 has become much more than a remembrance of the past; it has become a struggle over the political future of West Bengal itself.

Today is July 21 2026, but this is no longer the same day that Bengal has known for the past three decades. As Lord Tennyson wrote: "Time marches but memory stays .'' I have witnessed every July 21 observance since 1993, and over the last 33 years, I have seen how the meaning of this day has evolved.

During the 15 years that the Trinamool Congress (TMC) remained in power, July 21 gradually transformed. What had once been a day marked by grief, sacrifice, and remembrance increasingly became a symbolic celebration of the party itself. Every year, new leaders joined the Trinamool Congress on this occasion. New faces would be welcomed onto the stage, while film stars, artists, intellectuals, and members of civil society gathered in large numbers.

People poured into Kolkata from every district of West Bengal. Buses were packed, railway stations overflowed with supporters, and traffic across the city would come to a standstill. Arrangements were........

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