This June,West Bengal's cultural importance gets spotlight with events featuring nation's leaders . Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit for two days,with activities on state heritage and global yoga observance.
Festivities start in Tarakeswar in Hooghly district. Area linked to Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee,who pushed to protect Bengal's cultural identity. BJP declared June 20 a cultural pride day, nodding to Mookerjee's 1947 proposal to Bengal Assembly for a "homeland for Hindus of Bengal."
Earlier,observance was on first day of Bengali New Year,Poila Baisakh,under Trinamool Congress. Shift to new date shows BJP's aim to redefine local celebrations .
June 21 sees Modi lead main event for 12th International Day of Yoga in Kolkata. At 6:30 a.m . on Red Road,with traffic rerouted for over a week. Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari says about 35,000 expected to join mass yoga with PM.
Besides yoga,Modi will commission three home-built naval ships—INS Dunagiri,INS Sanshodhak,and INS Agray—at Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port in Kolkata later that day. PM's second visit to West Bengal since BJP took office. His last visit was for Adhikari's May 9 inauguration at Brigade Parade grounds…
