Donning the famous cap associated with Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday accused the Congress of "forgetting" the contributions made by Netaji, Sardar Patel, BR Ambedkar and other freedom fighters.
Unfurling the Tricolour at the Red Fort during an event organised to mark the 75th anniversary of proclamation of the Azad Hind government on Sunday, PM Modi said that the Congress was busy "promoting the legacy of only one family", an indirect reference to the Nehru-Gandhi family.
Hailing Netaji as a great son of Mother India in the league of Dr Ambedkar and Sardar Patel, PM Modi praised his vision of Azad Hind government. The PM said that Netaji's administration was not just in his name but he had made elaborate plans.
"It had its own bank, its own currency, its own stamp and its own intelligence system… I bow before the parents who gave this country a leader like Subhash Chandra Bose ji," said PM Modi.
He added that the BJP-led government was heading towards building an army which was once envisioned by Netaji. "If the country had guidance of personalities like Subhash Babu, Sardar Patel, the conditions would be different today," he said.
The Congress hit back saying that the PM is trying to appropriate Netaji's legacy through his vitriolic and distortion of history for electoral gains. The Congress asserted that India's first PM Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru and Netaji Bose had great respect towards each other.
The PM's renewed efforts to invoke Netaji Bose, is being seen as an attempt to make deeper inroads in West Bengal where Bose still has a huge following. The BJP has already become the second political party after Trinamool Congress in terms of vote share in West Bengal.
It is aiming for about 10 MP seats from the state in 2019 Lok Sabha elections to offset possible reduction in its tally in Uttar Pradesh.
In West Bengal, the BJP is using Bose's grandnephew, Chandra Bose, who claims to be the heir of Netaji's legacy, as its trump card. On his request, PM Modi had earlier declassified most of the files, barring some intelligence files, related to Netaji. The files, however, failed to throw much light on the conspiracy theory of Netaji's death.
Having Netaji's colleague in INA, R S Chhikara by his side, PM Modi also unveiled a plaque to mark the anniversary. The PM announced that a national award in the name of Netaji Bose would be given every year to police personnel who do excellent work in rescue and relief operations. The plaque will be placed at barrack number three at the Red Fort where members of the Azad Hind Fauj faced trial. A museum will be also set up in the barrack.
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