West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Saturday urged political groups to set aside partisan differences and work together for the comprehensive development of the state. Addressing the 80th Independence Day celebrations at Red Road in central Kolkata, Adhikari invoked Bengal’s contribution to India’s freedom movement and reaffirmed his commitment to meeting public expectations.

Adhikari highlighted the legacy of freedom fighters associated with Bengal, including Rishi Aurobindo, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, Khudiram Bose, Matangini Hazra and Bina Das. He urged political leaders and organisations to move beyond what he described as political narrow-mindedness and unite around the development of West Bengal. He also reaffirmed his commitment to an oath he said he took at the Brigade in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on May 9, 2026.

The Chief Minister linked the development of West Bengal to the broader national objective of building a “Viksit Bharat” by 2047. He argued that the national development vision could be achieved only when states such as West Bengal also make significant progress. Adhikari said his government’s objective was to restore what he described as Bengal’s lost glory while expanding development across the state.

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Adhikari outlined several areas of focus, including employment generation, women's empowerment and security. He said development should reach all parts of West Bengal, from the Sundarbans in the south to the northern hills. He also referred to the historical role of Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee and Pranabananda Maharaj in 1947, linking their legacy to his vision for the state.

A parallel Independence Day ceremony was held at Uttarkanya in Siliguri, the administrative complex serving as the mini-secretariat for North Bengal. North Bengal Development Minister Nisith Pramanik hoisted the National Flag at the venue. He noted that the ceremony marked a departure from the previous practice in which administrative bureaucrats had led the flag-hoisting event at Uttarkanya.

Pramanik described the minister-led ceremony as a significant change and argued that the people of North Bengal had not received adequate rights under the previous regime despite the construction of Uttarkanya. He noted that the complex had been built around 12 years ago but that no minister had previously hoisted the National Flag there. The two Independence Day events reflected the state government's emphasis on development, regional representation and a broader political vision for West Bengal.

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