Bengal will not observe Surgical Strike Day: Ministe

The UGC direction to universities to mark September 29 as "Surgical Strike Day" is a part of the BJP's "political agenda" and educational institutes in West Bengal will not observe the day, state Education Minister Partha Chatterjee said Friday.

Chatterjee criticised the BJP-led central government for trying to "malign and politicise" the Army.

The BJP said the TMC government has made it a practice to oppose each and every decision of the central government.

On September 29 in 2016, the Indian Army carried out "surgical strikes" on seven terrorist launchpads across the LoC as a response to an attack on its base in Uri earlier that month. The Indian Army had said its special forces inflicted "significant casualties" on terrorists waiting there to cross onto the Indian territory.

"This is an agenda of the BJP and it is trying to push this agenda by using the UGC ahead of elections. It is a matter of shame that they are using the UGC to achieve their political agenda. We won't abide by the directions of UGC," Chatterjee said.

The University Grants Commission yesterday directed varsities and higher educational institutions across the country to observe September 29 as "Surgical Strike Day".

Talk sessions by ex-servicemen about sacrifices by the armed forces, special parades by NCC and visit to exhibitions are among the prescribed events by the University Grants Commission for the celebration.

Chatterjee said, "We would have understood it had they asked us to observe the day in the name of sacrifices made by our soldiers. We have full respect for our soldiers and their sacrifices."