We are bringing Planning Commission in Bengal: CM Mamata Banerjee on 125th birth anniversary of Netaji
Jan 23, 2022
Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], January 23 : West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee during a public event marking the 125th birth anniversary of Subhas Chandra Bose in Kolkata on Sunday said the state government is bringing back the Planning Commission conceptualised by the freedom fighter.
"We are bringing Planning Commission in Bengal, even if it has been abolished by Delhi (Centre)," the Chief Minister said in Kolkata.
She said that the Centre is building Subhas Chandra Bose's statue in Delhi at a time when it rejected West Bengal's tableau, depicting the role of Netaji in the Indian freedom struggle which highlights the indifferent attitude of the Centre towards the State.
"Why so allergic to Bengal? You (Centre) rejected the Bengal tableau (for Republic Day)...You are making (Netaji) statue (in Delhi) because we pressurised you," she said.
In a veiled attack at the Centre, the Trinamool Congress supremo said, "Some forces are trying to divide the country over religion, over Hindus and Muslims. I request them to read about Mahatma Gandhi ji, Swami Vivekananda ji and Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose ji. None of these personalities ever talked about dividing the country."
Born on January 23, 1897, Netaji played a crucial role in India's freedom movement.
Subhash Chandra Bose had also established the Azad Hind Fauj. While there is a controversy over Bose's death in a plane crash in Taipei on August 18, 1945, the Central government had in an RTI (Right to Information) in 2017 confirmed that he had died in the incident.
Notably, last year, the Government had declared 23 January as Parakram Diwas to commemorate the 125th birth anniversary of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose.
In a first, India will begin Republic Day celebrations from January 23 instead of January 24, to include the birth anniversary of Bose. It will end on January 30, the day Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated.
To commence the celebrations of Republic Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on the occasion of Netaji's 125th birth anniversary, is also unveiling the hologram statue of the freedom fighter at India Gate in Delhi on Sunday.
On January 21, the Prime Minister said that a grand granite statue of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose will be installed at India Gate soon. The Prime Minister has said that till the time the work for the "grand statue" of Netaji, made of granite, is completed, a hologram statue would be installed at the same place. India celebrates Republic Day on January 26 every year.
