Mamata Slams BJP for "Disrespecting" Netaji, Demands Holiday & Complete Declassification

Mamata Banerjee, the chief minister of Bengal, criticized the BJP on Tuesday for allegedly ignoring the legacy and philosophy of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. She demanded an explanation for why January 23 has not yet been declared a national holiday, alluding subtly to holidays that have been declared by several states and by groups allied with the saffron camp for the consecration of the Ram temple.

The leader of the Trinamul Congress praised Netaji as a "true leader" at a state government event held in honor of his statue on Red Road, citing his unwaveringly inclusive and pluralist philosophy as a point of differentiation from the majoritarian and polarizing agenda of the saffron regime's leaders.

"A person who has the support of Christians, Muslims, Sikhs, Hindus, Jains, Parsis, and Buddhists surrounding them is a true leader of this nation." Where is such a leader now visible? Where exactly is that? Such a leader does not exist now. After him, no one was born like him, Mamata said.

She said, "We would have been a far more developed and successful nation if we had followed Netaji's words and teachings."

The chief minister expressed regret that Netaji's birthday hadn't been officially recognized as a national holiday.

"A guy who was praised by Mahatma Gandhi as Deshneta (the nation's leader)—even after 20 years of effort, I have not succeeded in having Netaji's birthday recognized as a national holiday. "I am sorry and I feel embarrassed," the chief minister, who has often chastised the BJP for the delay in addressing issue, remarked.

"In this country, a holiday for political publicity is acceptable, but not for a national hero who gave his life in defense of the country." The heritage of the liberation heroes shed tears," she said, perhaps alluding to Monday's dedication of the Ram temple.

Mamata brought up a number of concerns, including the excessive delays in the complete declassification of documents pertaining to the icon who vanished on August 18, 1945, as well as the Modi government's replacement of the Planning Commission, Niti Aayog, with Netaji's original plan.

It is a great catastrophe for our country. We're still unsure of the exact day of his passing, but he was a leader who battled for our nation, our freedom, and our path. It is very sad, she added, this darkness and lack of clarity.

"Every available fact was made public after our government took office in 2015, when we declassified 64 files containing letters written during the British Raj about our great leader," the speaker said. When it was out of power, the BJP had exaggerated its claims to have solved the enigma. After then, everything occurred, but Netaji was forgotten.

Unlike the Planning Commission, Mamata described the Niti Aayog as a directionless, impotent entity that serves no meaningful function for the states.

They eliminated the Planning Commission as well. When it was in place, I recall that the chief secretary, significant senior secretaries, and I had annual meetings to talk about departmental budget distribution and planning," stated Mamata.

"Niti Aayog, which lacks both Niti (a policy or principle) and Aayog (a committee), has been established. This is a wax statue that sometimes awakens during Modi's speech to the nation, Mann Ki Baat. and makes a head motion. It has meetings only once a year. It is a helpless organization that doesn't represent the interests of the people, the speaker said.