Netaji Subhashchandra Bose’s birth anniversary (January 23) was marked by various events this year. His portrait was unveiled by the President at Rashtrapati Bhavan (albeit, embarrassingly, one of an actor). The central government declared that his anniversary will be celebrated as Parakram Divas (Bravery day). The Railway Minister announced the renaming of Howrah-Kalka Mail as Netaji Express. Mamta Bannerjee, in contrast, stated that his anniversary will be celebrated as Desh Nayak Divas (National Hero Day). Through word of mouth propaganda and social media, the BJP is spreading the falsehood that Congress did not honor Bose and that Bose supported Hindutva.
In a public meeting in Kolkata, organised to celebrate his anniversary on 23 January, when Mamta Bannerjee rose to speak, a section of BJP supporters shouted: Jai Shri Ram. Bannerjee said it was an insult and left the meeting without speaking. As such, the slogan dear to Bose was Jai Hind.
All this is happening in the backdrop of the forthcoming West Bengal elections where the BJP is making all attempts to win the Assembly elections. Particularly, the BJP is attempting to appropriate national icons; Subhashchandra Bose is the latest in the line.
Netaji is a tall National figure revered in WB. But the truth, that Netaji’s ideology was totally opposed to the one being pursued by BJP, is being hidden under the carpet and there is an attempt to show that Netaji had an ideology similar to the present ruling dispensation. Netaji was for socialism, democracy and communal amity and the present ruling party, which is advocating a Hindu rashtra, is practicing divisive politics and undermining democracy through all its actions.
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