Will celebrate Netaji's birthday as Desh Nayak Diwas: Mamata Banerjee

On the occasion of the 125th birth anniversary of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose on Saturday, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee pointed out that Netaji did not get his due respect and asserted that the state will celebrate the event as 'Desh Nayak Diwas'.

Banerjee said, "There has been no patriot like Netaji. He endorsed Tagore's 'Jana Gana Mana' for the National Anthem. He gave the 'Jai Hind' slogan. Netaji was a great philosopher. He envisioned the Planning Commission and the Indian National Army before Independence. But Netaji did not get his due respect."

Criticising the central government in a vieled manner, Banerjee said, "They claim to revere Netaji but scrapped the Planning Commission. I do not know why?"

The chief minister said, "We will celebrate the birthday of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose as 'Desh Nayak Diwas'. It is based on a great history. Rabindranath Tagore addressed Netaji as Desha Nayak. We formed a committee for Netaji's 125th birth anniversary celebration. Amartya Sen, Abhijeet Banerjee and eminent personalities are part of the committee for the year-long celebration."

She also announced to introduce Netaji Subhas University and Jai Hind Vahini. "We know about the birthday but do not know about his death. This is very painful," she added.

While there is controversy over Bose's death in a plane crash in Taipei on August 18, 1945, the Central government had in an RTI in 2017 confirmed that he had died in the incident.

Mamata Banerjee further led a march from Shyam Bazaar to Red Road in Kolkata.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to visit Kolkata's Netaji Bhawan at Elgin Road today. The Prime Minister will preside over the inaugural function of the 'Parakram Diwas' celebrations at Victoria Memorial in Kolkata.

In order to honour and remember Netaji's indomitable spirit and selfless service to the nation, the Government of India has decided to celebrate his birthday on January 23 every year as 'Parakram Diwas' to inspire people of the country, especially the youth, to act with fortitude in the face of adversity as Netaji did, and to infuse in them a spirit of patriotic fervour.

Born to advocate Janakinath Bose in Odisha's Cuttack on January 23, 1897, Netaji went on to play a key role in the freedom movement. He is also known for establishing the Azad Hind Fauj.