Mamata govt sets up Netaji panel, wants national holiday & formation of 'Jai Hind Bahini'

As the fight over Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose's legacy continues in West Bengal between BJP and Trinamool Congress, ahead of the assembly elections, now Mamata government has also formed a committee for Netaji. On Saturday, as the nation celebrated 125th Birth Anniversary of Netaji, and ahead of PM Modi's visit to Kolkata, Mamata government announced that a committee is formed for year-long celebrations dedicated to Netaji. West Bengal government has also organised a 'Padyatra' for Netaji on Saturday and Mamata Banerjee appealed to all to blow Conch shell at 12.15 PM for the Freedom fighter.

Mamata's nephew Abhishek Banerjee hailed the State government for the decision of building an INA Monument at Rajarhat for the great son of the soil. Even as Centre has declared the day as "Parakram Diwas", CM Banerjee demanded that January 23 must be declared as a National Holiday. Moreover, to honour Netaji's popular slogan "Jai Hind", the Mamata government has proposed to form a National Cadet Corps (NCC) like organisation in state-run schools and colleges and name it 'Jai Hind Bahini'.

READ | Netaji's Birth Anniversary: Mamata Banerjee Pays Tribute, Announces Year-long Celebrations

Fight over Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose's legacy

The Government of India decided to observe Netaji Subash Chandra Bose's birth anniversary on January 23 every year as Parakram Diwas. The Centre announced its move to pay tribute to the freedom fighter to inspire the youth of the nation to 'act with fortitude in the face of adversity'. Ahead of Netaji's 125th birth anniversary, the Ministry of Culture issued a circular announcing January 23 to be observed as Parakram Diwas every year from now on. Soon after, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced that the birth anniversary of Netaji will be celebrated as 'Desh Nayak Diwas' annually. A train has also since been renamed to Netaji Express. Moreover, TMC has demanded that the book on Netaji that was written by Defence Ministry panel decades ago to be made public. 

READ | Netaji's birth anniversary: Union ministers pay tribute to 'charismatic freedom fighter'

Amid long-standing claims that successive Congress governments had since Independence attempted to sideline Netaji Bose and his efforts in India's freedom struggle, in 2015, the Modi government declassified 33 files relating to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, with digital copies of 100 files being released by PM Narendra Modi in January 2016. Last year in December, the Modi government de-classified all records related to Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose and Azad Hind Fauj and placed them in the National Archives of India, Minister of State of Culture and Tourism, Prahlad Singh Patel informed. A total of 304 declassified records/files have been transferred to National Archives of India for permanent retention. Out of 304 flies, 303 files are already uploaded on the Netaji web portal. The National Archives of India is the custodian of declassified files and records of the Government of India. Earlier, in 1997 the National Archives of India had received 990 declassified files pertaining to the Azad Hind Fauj from the Ministry of Defence.

In 2018, PM Modi visited Andaman and Nicobar Islands and joined the programme to mark 75th anniversary of hoisting Tricolour by Netaji Bose - renaming Ross Island as Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Dweep, Neil Island as Shaheed Dweep and the Havelock Island as Swaraj Dweep. Recently, in January 2019, a Netaji museum was inaugurated by PM Modi at Red Fort, New Delhi. The Modi government had also inculcated 4 INA veterans in its Republic Day parade in 2019- marking a first.

READ | Amit Shah arrives in Guwahati, to hold public meetings on Jan 24; pays tribute to Netaji

READ | Mamata's Cabinet Minister Rajib Banerjee Resigns From Post Days After Dissent; BJP Elated