Netaji row explodes in Bengal: Suvendu Adhikari orders police action over ‘derogatory’ posts

Adhikari also asked the accused users to delete their posts on Netaji and apologise, amid online protests following controversial remarks made by BJP MP Anant Maharaj on the freedom fighter.

"I would appeal to all accused to delete their respective posts and apologise. The apology doesn't guarantee spare from police action which will be undertaken as per law," said the Chief Minister.

Public service centres to be named after Netaji

Addressing a press conference, Adhikari directed all MLAs to establish public service centres in their respective constituencies in the name of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose.

He said the government would provide ₹30,000 per month to each centre, subject to certain conditions.

"We always respect Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. Our Prime Minister also installed the Netaji statue at Kartavya Path in Delhi. It's the stand of our Prime Minister and the BJP," he said.

Anant Maharaj's remarks spark protests

Protests erupted both on the ground and across social media platforms after BJP MP Nagendranath Roy, popularly known as Anant Maharaj, allegedly referred to Netaji as a "war criminal", while questioning his leadership and the role of the Azad Hind Fauj in India's struggle against British rule.

Anant Maharaj also questioned Netaji's ability to form the Azad Hind Fauj, claiming that its troops were British soldiers and that Netaji had misused them.

Another controversy over Samik Bhattacharya's remark

Earlier, BJP state president Samik Bhattacharya had also courted controversy after referring to members of Netaji's All India Forward Bloc as "goons". The remark has drawn criticism in the state.

While some BJP ministers have distanced themselves from Anant Maharaj's remarks, Bhattacharya's comment is yet to be condemned by the party.

The BJP came to power in West Bengal on May 4, 2026, for the first time.

Swapan Dasgupta condemns Anant Maharaj

West Bengal Finance Minister Swapan Dasgupta condemned Anant Maharaj's remarks, saying, "There is a lunatic person who claims to be from the BJP who is being saying all sorts of peculiar things. The man's knowledge of history is worse than my knowledge of nuclear Physics."

Mamata Banerjee joins protest

Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee joined a protest near Netaji's statue at Shyambazar Five Point Crossing, seeking to draw political attention to the controversy.

"We will never forget the struggle of our freedom fighters. We strongly condemn remarks against Netaji who laid their lives for the motherland," the former Chief Minister said.

CPI-M alleges BJP double standards

The CPI-M accused the BJP of maintaining "double standards" over the controversy.

"If we were in power, the BJP MP would have landed in jail. He is still not arrested even after his remarks against Netaji because the BJP is in power. BJP would have sacked him if the party had respected Netaji," CPI-M leader Dipsita Dhar told a local channel.