Modi, Mamata make Netaji's birth anniversary centre-stage in poll-bound Bengal today
Kolkata/IBNS: With 10 or little more weeks left to plunge into an electoral battle in West Bengal, the ruling parties of the country and the state are set to make the 125th birth anniversary of freedom fighter Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose the centre-stage in the poll-bound state on Saturday.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the nucleus of India's ruling Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), will make a visit to Kolkata in the afternoon.
Modi will meet artists at the National Library at 3:30 pm and participate in an event at Victoria Memorial an hour later.
The central government has already declared the day as "Parakram Divas".
Dear sisters and brothers of West Bengal,
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 22, 2021
I am honoured to be in your midst, that too on the auspicious day of #ParakramDivas.
During the programmes in Kolkata, we will pay tributes to the brave Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. https://t.co/FDZtTiQe3O
Modi's arch-rival West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who also heads the state's ruling Trinamool Congress, has a plan to hit the streets and walk eight-km from Shyambazar Five Point to Red Road to pay respect to Netaji.
Banerjee, who has demanded a national holiday from the Centre on Jan 23, is expected to be flanked by artists and literary people on her journey, scheduled to begin at 12:30, to downtown Kolkata.
The CM, who has referred to the day as "Desh Nayak Dibas", has also announced a state university in the name of Netaji and a monument titled Azad Hind Fauj, in Rajarhat.
A grand padyatra will be held today. This year's Republic Day parade in Kolkata will also be dedicated to Netaji. A siren will be sounded today at 12.15 PM. We urge everyone to blow shankh at home. Centre must also declare January 23 as a National Holiday. #DeshNayakDibas (3/3)
— Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) January 23, 2021
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