All Bengal schools celebrating I-Day as per their choice: CM

MP, 15 August 2017, KOLKATA: In the backdrop of reports that the state government has ordered schools to ignore a central government circular and follow their usual mode of celebrating Independence Day, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday reacted strongly describing it as a misrepresentation of facts. 

"Some BJP-cornered media misrepresenting facts. Don't mislead. In Bengal each one has the full freedom to celebrate 70 years of our freedom," she tweeted.

"All schools in Bengal ARE celebrating Independence Day as per their choice. In their own special way," Banerjee wrote on her Twitter handle. 

Ahead of Independence Day, the Centre had written to the states to organise events in schools towards creating a "patriotic mood" and a "mass fervour" to help realise Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "New India" vision. 

Union HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar had alleged that West Bengal had instructed its schools to desist from following the Centre's circular.

The CM will be attending the Independence Day parade at Red Road on Tuesday. The programme is going to commence at around 9.58 am. 

Banerjee will be handing out Chief Minister's Police Medal for Outstanding service and Chief Minister's Police Medal for Commendable service to police officers at the programme. 

She will also be given a Guard of Honour by personnel of the Kolkata Police, the West Bengal Police and the state Fire and Emergency Services Department. 

Tableaus of different departments will also be part of the Independence parade at Red Road. 

The tableaus will showcase successful schemes of each department and some beneficiaries of the projects will also be taking part in the parade. 

Meanwhile, on the eve of 71st Independence Day, Govenor Keshari Nath Tripathi expressed his warm greetings to the people of West Bengal.