The CPM is holding a massive rally on Monday in Kolkata to observe Shahid Diwas.

The CPM is commemorating the 50th year of the day - August 31, 1959 - when the Left had led a huge rally demanding food.

The police had then lathicharged and teargassed the rally. Forty people were killed and 350 were injured.

But more importantly, now, Monday's rally is being seen as an attempt to counter Mamata Banerjee's Shahid Rally, which saw an unprecedented turnout on July 21.

The Left wants to beat that and call their cadres to turn around and fight back.