#Politics | Leaders pay tribute on Parakram Diwas; BJP claims no previous government gave Bose ‘due respect’

After unveiling a model of the Netaji memorial in the Andamans, the PM said that attempts were made to downplay Netaji’s contribution to the freedom movement. “But the entire country, right from Delhi and Bengal to Andaman and Nicobar Islands, is paying tribute to the great hero today, preserving history and heritage associated with him,” he said.

“Today, it is a proud moment for me as I address the people of Andamans because this is the land where Subhas Chandra Bose unfurled the national flag for the first time in 1943,” he said.

Union Home minister Amit Shah said, “With his unique leadership ability, Netaji organised the people and an armed movement for freedom by forming ‘Azad Hind Fauj’. The whole country salutes his courage and struggle.”

He also announced that the government would be naming 21 islands of Andaman and Nicobar after 21 Param Vir Chakra awardees. “A befitting tribute to our valorous soldiers,” he said while announcing the decision.

India pays tributes to Netaji Bose – one of the greatest sons of the country. pic.twitter.com/GsjHVL4uDL

— PMO India (@PMOIndia) January 23, 2023

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Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said: “My humble tributes to the great freedom fighter, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, whose courage and patriotism still inspires every Indian to protect and preserve the freedom of our great country.

AAP supremo and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said: “Millions of salutes to the great freedom fighter and inspiration Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose ji on his birth anniversary, who organized the youth of the country in the freedom struggle and created new energy in the freedom struggle.”

RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, who is in Port Blair to attend programmes on the occasion, said: “We remember Netaji not only because we are grateful to him for his valuable contributions towards the freedom struggle but also to ensure that we also imbibe his qualities. His dream of India which he wanted to build is still not fulfilled. We have to work to achieve it.”

He added: “Subhas babu (Netaji) was first associated with the Congress and followed its path of satygraha, and andolon, but when he realised that this was not enough and there was a need for freedom struggle, he worked towards it. Paths differ but the goals are the same,” he said.

“We have Subhas babu’s ideals in front of us to follow. The goals he had are our goals too… Netaji had said India is a smaller version of the world and India has to provide relief to the world. We all have to work towards it,” the RSS chief said.

In West Bengal, the BJP traded barbs with the Congress and the CPI(M).

Speaking after garlanding a statue of the freedom fighter, senior Bengal BJP Suvendu Adhikari said Netaji was the main architect of the country’s Independence and claimed that only the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave the nationalist leader his “due respect”.

“But no previous government gave him the status he deserves,” Adhikari said.

“The BJP government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi are giving the rightful dignity and respect due to Netaji. The people of the country are seeing it,” he said.

Dilip Ghosh, a BJP national vice-president, said other parties have used Netaji’s name for “political gains”.

“If anyone has given due respect to Netaji it is BJP. Who installed the statue in Delhi? It is Prime Minister Modi. He has given the rightful respect and brought Netaji and his ideology before the country’s youth,” Ghosh said referring to the statue that Modi had inaugurated at the India Gate in the national capital in September 2022.

The Congress. to which Netaji belonged before he broke away and formed the Forward Bloc, hit back saying that the “BJP was doing this (paying homage to Netaji) to win elections and cheat the people of the country”.

Congress’s leader in the Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said: “BJP has no icon. So despite not believing in Netaji’s ideology, it is paying homage to him for political gains.”

CPI(M) leader Sujan Chakraborty also criticised BJP and RSS for “connecting their misguided ideology with that of Netaji”.

Temjen Imna Along, the BJP Nagaland chief shared a documentary on Naga fighters who fought with Bose in the Azad Hind Fauj.

“The sacrifices of the Nagas along with Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Ji is one of the very significant part of Naga history. Presenting a short documentary on the formation of the Azad Hind Govt. in Naga Hills by Netaji Ji,” he said.