Netaji named Andaman islands, Centre did for publicity: Mamata

Addressing a gathering during an event at Kolkata’s Red Road to mark the freedom fighter’s birth anniversary, the CM also took a dig at the Centre for scrapping the Planning Commission (now Niti Aayog), saying the institution was also envisaged by Bose. She said, “To earn publicity, someone can even claim that they created Shaheed and Swaraj Dweep. Netaji did it all — from Shaheed Dweep, Swaraj Dweep and the Planning Commission to the INA (Indian National Army). This is why Rabindranath Tagore called him India’s leader and a true patriot.”

“There is only non-planning now. I do not understand why this decision was taken,” she added.

Slamming the central government for sending probe agencies and other teams to West Bengal, Banerjee said, “Rabindranath Tagore reminded us that we are all equal. There is no ruler or servant. They want to dispatch a central team to Bengal even over an insect bite. More than 50 such teams were sent to the state in the past three months. How many were sent to Uttar Pradesh?”

Accusing the Centre of trying to defame Bengal “in every possible way”, the CM said, “Law cannot be different for different people. It does not discriminate between people or regions. But when it comes to their own, they pretend to be saints. How many central teams were sent to investigate when a woman was dragged by a car? But when it comes to their own, they pretend to be saints. They play tricks but it is not easy to fool us.”

The country is in a helpless situation presently and the state government is managing things somehow in Bengal, Banerjee claimed.

On central agencies, she said, “Unlike others, we do not run away out of fear. Take what you want but do not sell the country. Do not attack the unity of India. Use as many agencies as you want. But remember, this is a democratic nation. We have a Constitution here. If someone violates the Constitution, they violate the rights of the people.”

Netaji, she added, always respected all castes, creeds and religions and talked about unity and harmony. In her speech, the CM also laid emphasis on remembering freedoms fighters who did not get “proper recognition” in history books.

She said, “The younger generation which is aware of everything happening across the globe must have a sound knowledge of Bengal too. For this, I took an initiative during the last year’s book fair and released a book containing names of 50 such forgotten freedom fighters. This year, I will add 50 more names to the list.”

Netaji’s grandnephews Chandra Kumar Bose, Sugata Bose and Sumantra Bose were also present on the occasion. Before the 2016 assembly elections, Chandra Bose had joined the BJP and contested against Mamata Banerjee from Bhabanipur constituency.