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News Desk: West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, on Sunday, paid tribute to Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose on his 125th birth anniversary at the Red Road. Addressing the crowd, she attacked the Modi government and said that the state government pressurised the center to install Netaji statue at the India Gate, but installing a statue doesn’t end responsibility.
Chief minister Mamata Banerjee’s speech
“You are installing his statue only under our pressure. Didn’t any thought of building a statue come to your mind for so long? Come here and see our statue which is live and not artificial. It inspires us everyday. Remember, installation of a statue does not end responsibility.
You built so many statues spending crores! But did you ever study the history of the country or try to protect it? Instead, you destroyed heritage and are now trying to wipe out history. Installation of a statue can not be everything. Netaji can not be loved by installing his statue and extinguishing Amar Jawan Jyoti.
Netaji left for abroad in a great escape. We still do not know what happened to him later. It has remained a mystery till date. This government had stated that it would unravel the entire mystery. But it did nothing. We already declassified the files on him public, digitized and archived it. But you failed to unravel the mystery about his death. The birthday can be written on his statue. But can you write the date of his death on it? None of us can do it. No one knows the history about it even after 75 years of our independence. Where did he go? Did he go missing?
Netaji gave the first shape of today’s Indian Army by raising INA. Today you are playing politics over a memorial. We salute all, be it the soldiers and common people who sacrificed their lives, at a war memorial. Martyrs can not be divided.
What was the objection to the tableau? It could have been there. Earlier we had suggested something about unity between Mahatma Gandhi and Rabindranath Tagore. That was also rejected. We earlier participated in the R-Day parade on two consecutive occasions. We stood first in both. Why is there so much allergy and ignorance towards Bengal?”
She also announced the participation of Netaji tableau on Republic Day at the Red Road and creation of a new university by the name of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose. The formation of planning commission was also announced.
