Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee refused to call January 23 anything else but ‘Desh Nayak Diwas’. Announcing a ‘padyayatra’ on Saturday from Shyambazar in North Kolkata to Red Road to commemorate the 125th Birth Anniversary of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, Mamata Banerjee claimed that Netaji is one of the biggest saints of India.
“Netaji is not just limited to Bengal. He is the hero of our country. The TMC wants the day to be celebrated as Desh Nayak Diwas (the national hero’s day),” Banerjee was heard saying several times.
According to the sources in the West Bengal secretariat the Chief Minister is scheduled to take part in a programme with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Victoria Memorial but no clearance is given about the TMC supremo chances to attend the same.
Notably, on January 5, Mamata Banerjee had formed a high-voltage committee that includes Nobel Laureates Amartya Sen, Abhijit Banerjee to execute yearlong celebration of Netaji.
Slugfest between the BJP and the ruling Trinamool Congress over Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose in West Bengal is nothing new. The TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee had time-and-again had asked the BJP led Central government to declare January 23, (birth anniversary of Netaji) as a National holiday, but every time the Central government didn’t pay heed to Banerjee’s call.
Now the war of words between the two political parties got intensified after the BJP government declared January 23 as ‘Parakram Diwas’. Both the TMC and the Forward Bloc (party formed by Netaji) cried foul stating that both the parties were not consulted in the decision-making process before naming the day.
While the TMC wants the day to be celebrated as Desh Nayak Diwas, the Forward Bloc and a section of Bose’s family want Netaji’s birth anniversary to be observed as Desh Prem Diwas (day of patriotism).
Chandra Kumar Bose, grandnephew of Netaji and a BJP leader, has backed the demand for celebrating the day as Desh Prem Divas.
“The people of India for many years have been celebrating 23rd January as ‘Desh Prem Diwas’ or Patriots’ Day. Had it been declared Patriots’ Day, it would have been more topical. For some reason, it has not been done. Netaji’s valour and bravery can’t be compared to any other, so Prakram Diwas is also not wrong in that sense. His ideals need to be propagated to all across India and today’s generation needs to be energized. We need Netaji’s ideals to unite India again. All the political parties will need to spread his message,” claimed the Netaji kin.
Showing grief on the slugfest over Netaji ahead of polls, another grandnephew of Netaji, Indraneel Mitra said, “Once the poll heat is over, Netaji will once again go back to oblivion and nothing will happen in reality.”
