New Delhi: West Bengal Nationwide Day or Paschim Banga Divas/Bangla Divas will likely be celebrated for the primary time in Bengal by the Bharatiya Janata Celebration authorities on Saturday.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is visiting the state on this event, his first go to because the Bharatiya Janata Celebration got here to energy.
Celebrations are being held throughout West Bengal with numerous cultural occasions and actions reflecting the historic background of the institution of West Bengal and the contribution of Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee.
CM Adhikari, in a submit on “On behalf of the folks of West Bengal, I prolong a heat welcome to Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Ji on his go to to our vibrant state. We’re delighted to have him grace the auspicious event of ‘Pashimbanga Divos’ and be part of us within the grand celebration of the Worldwide Day of Yoga occasion. Welcome Dr Shayama Prasad Mukhopadhyay to West Bengal, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Ji,” he stated. CM Adhikari.
On behalf of the folks of West Bengal, I prolong a heat welcome to Prime Minister Shri @NarendraModi ji on his go to to our vibrant state.
We’re pleased to hitch the Prime Minister on the auspicious event of ‘Pasimbanga Dibos’ (পশ্চিমবঙ্গ দিবস). pic.twitter.com/MYXoHq0iwL— Suvendu Adhikari (@SuvenduWB) June 20, 2026
Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi immediately prolonged greetings to the folks of West Bengal on the event of Pashimbanga Divas (West Bengal Day) and highlighted the state’s wealthy cultural, mental and historic heritage.
In a submit on
“On the event of Pasim Banga Divas, I prolong my heat greetings to our sisters and brothers of West Bengal,” he stated.
He added that the day has deep historic significance for the state and is a reminder of a key second in West Bengal’s integration with the Indian Union.
“At the present time celebrates a nation that has profoundly formed India’s historical past by its contributions to numerous fields similar to literature, music, artwork, spirituality, science, commerce and commerce, and social reform. Again and again, West Bengal has enriched India’s nationwide consciousness in numerous methods,” the Prime Minister stated.
On the event of Pasim Banga Divas, I prolong my heat greetings to my sisters and brothers of West Bengal.
At the present time celebrates a nation that has profoundly formed India’s historical past by its contributions to varied fields together with literature, music, artwork, spirituality, science and commerce.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 20, 2026
Prime Minister Modi referred to the historic significance of June 20 and stated the day stays an necessary day within the political historical past of West Bengal. “At this time, June 20, holds nice significance within the historical past of West Bengal. At the present time was the day that ensured that West Bengal remained an integral a part of India,” he stated.
Pasimbanga Divas is the official nationwide day of West Bengal and is well known on June 20 yearly. At the present time celebrates the state’s distinctive cultural identification, historical past, and the authorized framework that led to its formation.
The importance of June 20 dates again to 1947, when the Legislative Meeting convened to vote on the partition of Bengal beneath the Mountbatten Plan. Lawmakers from the Hindu-majority area that later grew to become West Bengal overwhelmingly supported a partition plan to align with India.
“The state of West Bengal was created in 1947 by the partition of the British Indian state of Bengal after British Prime Minister Clement Attlee introduced the June third Plan.The Legislative Meeting was given the selection of conserving the state united or dividing it.
“Within the first joint session held on June 20, 1947, Parliament voted for your complete state to hitch the newly fashioned Pakistan. Nonetheless, in one other session held on the identical day, members from non-Muslim-majority constituencies break up and voted for these constituencies to stay inside India. This resolution finally paved the way in which for the creation of the state,” he stated.
Supporters of West Bengal Nationwide Day say it’s celebrated as a result of June 20 is the day when legislators from Bengal’s non-Muslim-majority districts voted to stay in India, finally resulting in the creation of West Bengal. They argue that this date represents the political basis of the state and supplies a chance to recall the historic developments, debates and choices that formed the fashionable state of West Bengal in the course of the Partition interval.
“Within the first joint session held on June 20, 1947, Parliament voted for your complete state to hitch the newly fashioned Pakistan. Nonetheless, in one other session held on the identical day, members from non-Muslim-majority districts voted to separate and hold these districts inside India. This resolution finally paved the way in which for the creation of the state of West Bengal,” he stated.
A number of political leaders, together with Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee, have argued that the Hindu-majority districts of West Bengal ought to stay inside India if Partition turns into inevitable. Supporters of West Bengal Nationwide Day have argued that the June 20 vote mirrored the aspirations of those districts and ensured their accession to the Indian Union.
To a query whether or not the day was ever celebrated prior to now, Dr Burman stated a notable occasion was organized by the then Governor CV Ananda Bose at Raj Bhawan in 2023.
Nonetheless, the TMC is in opposition to commemorating June twentieth. The get together claimed that the day is intently linked to the Partition of Bengal, which led to displacement, migration and hardship to thousands and thousands of individuals. He additionally argued that the state has no long-standing custom of celebrating June twentieth. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had advocated Poira Baishakh, the Bengali New 12 months, as a extra inclusive event to have fun Bengal’s language, tradition and identification.
“June 20 has at all times held particular significance for the folks of the state because it marks a key second within the occasions that led to the creation of West Bengal. Though we perceive that the TMC doesn’t assist celebrations of West Bengal’s Nationwide Day, we consider that its historic significance is a day that needs to be acknowledged. The TMC continuously makes use of the slogan ‘Pleasure Bangla’, which has historic hyperlinks with the Bangladesh liberation motion,” stated Keya Ghosh, a BJP functionary.
“When TMC says that the state’s historical past needs to be remembered solely by the Independence Day celebrations on August 15, we should not overlook that some elements of West Bengal have fun Independence Day on August 18 as an alternative of August 15. We consider that June 20 has its personal historic significance and needs to be remembered as an necessary milestone within the formation of West Bengal,” she added.
“Future generations ought to study the historical past behind the formation of West Bengal and the occasions of June 20, 1947. We consider that some necessary chapters of Bengal’s previous have been ignored. And celebrating at the present time will assist folks reconnect with that historical past,” Amitava Roy, vice chairman of West Bengal BJP, instructed ThePrint.
Velamarthi Venkatachalam is a TPSJ alumnus and an intern at ThePrint
(Edited by Vinny Mishra)
Additionally learn: What occurred on June 20, 1947 and why Mamata known as an all-party assembly to resolve the day of creation of Bengal?
