Union home minister Amit Shah on Friday flagged off three cycle rallies, each of which will visit the homes of almost 400 unsung freedom fighters from Bengal in distant corners of Bengal.
The initiative is a part of a series of programmes undertaken by the Centre to mark the 125th birth anniversary of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose.
“This is a very important event…The people of India still remember Subhas babu with the same kind of love and respect as they did when he was alive and fighting. Several attempts were made to remove Subhas babu from our memories. But his work, his patriotism and his supreme sacrifice will remain in the minds of Indians for ages to come,” Shah said in his address during the event held at the National Library in Calcutta.
“The Union government has decided to dedicate his 125th birth anniversary to not only Subhas babu, but to everyone who sacrificed their lives and quit their studies for the freedom struggle,” Shah added.
Before the Union home minister spoke, a cultural show was staged at the library.
Before the Union home minister spoke, a cultural show was staged at the library. Pradip Sanyal
He congratulated the fleet of more than 300 cyclists who would be marshalled across Bengal in 30 days and would cover a distance of over 900km. The three teams of cyclists have been named after Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, Rasbehari Bose and Khudiram Bose — three of Bengal’s most iconic freedom fighters.
The central initiative, however, has drawn criticism from the Trinamul Congress, which alleged that Shah was using a government event for electoral benefits. “In the BJP’s scheme of things, the party and the government are not separate. What happened on Friday was a part of that tradition,” said Trinamul spokesperson and minister Bratya Basu. “This event was a complete eyewash.”
The Friday’s event was criticised by the Left Front-backed National Library Employees’ Association as well. The association released a press note condemning the programme. “The iconic National Library isn’t a public place. Only acknowledged readers can enter its premises other than the employees,” the press note read.
The association said that it wasn’t acceptable that a few thousands of people gathered on the library premises where the number of readers have been capped to abide by the Covid-19 protocols. It also condemned the unchecked movement of vehicles carrying “the flags of a particular party” on the premises in connection with a government event.
