Ahead of WB polls, PM Modi forms committee to commemorate birth anniversary of Netaji Bose

UPDATE: High-Level Committee chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi formed on January 8, to commemorate the 125th Birth Anniversary of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose.

Honouring Freedom fighter Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, PM Modi on Monday announced that Centre has constituted to decide on the activities for a year-long commemoration of Netaji's 125th Birth Anniversary starting 23 January 2021. The committee, which is to be headed by Home Minister Amit Shah comprising of experts, historians, authors, family members of Netaji and INA associates, will decide how to pay tribute to Netaji's contribution to India’s freedom struggle. Incidentally, West Bengal goes to polls in April-May 2021, where Mamata Banerjee eyes a third consecutive term.

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BJP & Netaji

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. 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.

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BJP's Bengal battle

Meanwhile, the saffron party is gearing for a tough battle in Bengal - aiming to attain more than 200 seats, while not fielding a CM face yet. The BJP had already politically divided Bengal into five parts - North Bengal, Rath Bang (South Western District), Nabadwip, Medinipur and Kolkata, handpicking Shivprakash, Sunil Deodhar, Dushyant Gautam, Bhikubhai Dalsania, Ravindra Raju,  Vinod Sonkar, Harish Dwivedi to ta work on booth levels in these regions. With over 65,000 booth committees and 14,000 Shakti Kendra constituted, the BJP has appointed five veterans as central observers - with the final call to be taken by Amit Shah. 

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Launching an aggressive campaign under in-charge Kailash Vijayvargiya, the saffron party's workers have often violently clashed with Trinamool workers over CAA, COVID-19 leading to the deaths of several BJP leaders. The BJP, after having a limited presence in politically polarised Bengal for decades, has emerged as the main rival of the ruling TMC in the 2019 general election, winning 18 of the 42 Lok Sabha seats in the state. The saffron party's chances have been bolstered with the entry of TMC heavyweight  Suvendu Adhikari, who joined along with 23 other grassroots leaders.