Row, clashes mark Netaji’s birth celebrations in West Bengal
Gunshots were allegedly fired during a scuffle between Trinamool Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party workers at an event at Bhatpara in North 24 Parganas district.
Celebrations to mark Subhas Chandra Bose’s 125th birth anniversary in West Bengal were marked by political tussle and violence on Sunday as chief minister Mamata Banerjee accused the Centre of ignoring the state and not doing enough to clear the controversy surrounding the freedom fighter’s final years.

Speaking at a public event in Kolkata, Banerjee said the Centre was building a statue of Bose in Delhi but rejected a tableau that depicted his contributions to the freedom struggle.
She was referring to a row that erupted last week over the Bengal tableau not finding a place at the Republic Day parade. The Centre later clarified that it was not a political decision and that only 12 out of 29 proposals were cleared.
“Lighting a torch or setting up a statue of Netaji does not bestow the respect he deserves. Why is Netaji’s disappearance shrouded in mystery 75 years after Independence?” asked Banerjee.
“This (central) government promised to reveal the truth but it did nothing. Our government released all documents on Netaji that we had in our archives,” she added. Since independence, at least three commissions have been set up by various governments to look into the final years of the freedom fighter who suffered a plane crash in 1945, but there has been no conclusive end to the controversy.
Banerjee said Bengal was being ignored. “Whether it is the clarion call of ‘Jai Hind’ raised by Netaji, the national anthem composed by Rabindranath Tagore or the national song penned by novelist Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, Bengal has been the torchbearer. Why is Bengal being ignored today in this manner? Nobody can ignore Bengal. I challenge them. Nobody can wipe out the history of Bengal and India,” she said.
She attacked the Centre over the rejection of Bengal’s tableau. “Would it harm anyone if our tableau on Netaji was allowed at the Republic Day Parade?... Why is there an allergy for Bengal? In the past, our tableau on Gandhi and Rabindranath were rejected. Today you are setting up a statue under pressure from us. What were you doing all these years?” she said. The Centre has clarified that the decision to clear proposals for tableaus is taken by an independent expert committee.
“You have spent crores on statues. Have you ever read the history of India? Have you protected our history? Today, everyone is afraid to speak up. Everybody is scared,” she said.
The 125th birth anniversary of Bose, who remains incredibly popular in West Bengal, was celebrated across the state but the occasion was also marred by violence.
Gunshots were allegedly fired during a scuffle between Trinamool Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers at an event at Bhatpara in North 24 Parganas district.
The programme was organised by the TMC-controlled Bhatpara municipality. BJP Lok Sabha MP Arjun Singh alleged that he was stopped from garlanding Bose’s statue and subsequently attacked.
TMC lawmaker Partha Bhowmick alleged that Singh’s security personnel fired seven rounds during the scuffle while Singh accused ruling party workers of opening fire, hurling bombs and ransacking his car.
“Arjun Singh is trying to unleash terror in this region. His security personnel fired seven rounds although not even a stone was hurled at him. I am asking local people to be on the alert. Singh’s men may try to create more disturbance,” said Bhowmick.
“Does the TMC hold exclusive rights to honouring Netaji? I was targeted. My security personnel were attacked with guns and bombs. My car was damaged,” said Singh.
Video footage captured by local TV channels showed one of Singh’s security personnel loading a pistol and pointing it at some people who confronted the MP, police said the allegations of firing were being probed but there was no evidence of any clash, bombing or ransacking.
“The fiasco started after a minor scuffle between two men. Only one man was injured. It has been alleged that shots were fired but no cartridge case was found from the spot. We are looking into this. The MP went to the celebration without informing the administration, which is mandatory according to protocol. Policemen deployed at the spot said there was no violence or bombing,” said Manoj Verma, commissioner, Barrackpore Police.
Bengal BJP president Sukanta Majumdar rushed to the spot. “A bullet narrowly missed one of the Central Industrial Security Force personnel accompanying Singh. We demand a probe by the Centre. Singh enjoys ‘Z’ category security cover,” said Majumdar.
