New Delhi: Union Minister Anurag Thakur on Sunday said that Britishers were afraid of Subhas Chandra Bose and not Mahatma Gandhi. Thakur’s remarks came a day ahead of Parakram Diwas. Speaking at an event in West Bengal, he said that if the people of Bengal can free their land from Britishers, then they can also free it from those who are "murdering democracy".
“Britishers said they were not afraid of not Mahatma Gandhi, we can deal with other Indian leaders, but they were afraid of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. Many freedom fighters took birth in this land of Bengal. If you can free this land from Britishers, then you can also free this land from those who are murdering democracy. You've to save the name of Bengal,” Anurag Thakur said as quoted by the news agency ANI.
With these remarks on saving democracy, Anurag Thakur is apparently targeting the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress government in West Bengal where the BJP emerged as the principal opposition party in the 2021 assembly election.
The Government had declared January 23 as Parakram Diwas in 2021 to commemorate the birth anniversary of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose.
On the occasion of Parakram Diwas, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to virtually participate in an event to name the 21 largest unnamed islands of Andaman and Nicobar Islands after 21 Param Vir Chakra awardees on Monday.
"Tomorrow, on the day of bravery, there will be a special program in honor of the heroic children of Mother India. Will be a part of it through video conferencing at 11 am. During this, 21 largest unnamed islands of Andaman-Nicobar will be named after 21 Param Vir Chakra winners," Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in a tweet on Sunday.
According to an official release from the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), PM, Modi would also unveil the model of the National Memorial dedicated to Netaji to be built on Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Dweep.
Keeping in mind the historical significance of the Andaman & Nicobar Islands and to honor the memory of Netaji, Ross Islands was renamed as Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Dweep by the Prime Minister during his visit to the Island in 2018. Neil Island and Havelock Island were also renamed as Shaheed Dweep and Swaraj Dweep.
"Giving due respect to the real-life heroes of the country has always been accorded the highest priority by the Prime Minister. Going ahead with this spirit, it has now been decided to name the 21 largest unnamed islands of the island group after 21 Param Vir Chakra awardees," the statement from the PMO read, as reported by ANI.
The largest unnamed island will be named after the first Param Vir Chakra awardee, the second largest unnamed island will be named after the second Param Vir Chakra awardee, and so on. This step will be an everlasting tribute to our heroes, several of whom made the ultimate sacrifice to protect the sovereignty and integrity of the nation.
"These islands have been named after the 21 Param Vir Chakra awardees, viz. Major Somnath Sharma; Subedar and Hony Captain (then Lance Naik) Karam Singh, MM; 2nd Lt. Rama Raghoba Rane; Nayak Jadunath Singh; Company Havildar Major Piru Singh; Capt GS Salaria; Lieutenant Colonel (then Major) Dhan Singh Thapa; Subedar Joginder Singh; Major Shaitan Singh; CQMH. Abdul Hamid; Lt Col Ardeshir Burzorji Tarapore; Lance Naik Albert Ekka; Major Hoshiar Singh; 2nd Lt. Arun Khetrapal; Flying Officer Nirmaljit Singh Sekhon; Major Ramaswamy Parameswaran; Naib Subedar Bana Singh; Captain Vikram Batra; Lt Manoj Kumar Pandey; Subedar Major (then Rifleman) Sanjay Kumar; and Subedar Major Retd (Hony Captain) Grenadier Yogendra Singh Yadav," PMO further stated.
Meanwhile, PM Modi along with Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Leaders of parties in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, Members of Parliament, former Members of Parliament a, nd other dignitaries will pay floral tributes at the portrait of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose in the Central Hall of Parliament House on the latter's birth anniversary.
Bose was born on January 23, 1897. He played a crucial role in India's freedom movement. SC Bose 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.