Forward Bloc writes to PM, demands declaration of Netaji's

The All India Forward Bloc (AIFB) today reiterated its demand to declare the birthday (January 23) of its founder, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, as "Deshprem Divas".
In a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, AIFB general secretary Debabrata Biswas urged the government to officially declare Netaji's birthday as the "day of patriotism".
"We have made many representations to the government and our members of Parliament have raised this demand several times to declare 23rd January as 'Deshprem Divas'. But the government of India is suspiciously reluctant to accept this people's demand. Therefore, I earnestly request you to take immediate steps to declare Netaji Jayanti as 'Deshprem Divas'," Biswas wrote in the letter.

He also pointed out that though the Netaji birth centenary celebrations committee, headed by the then prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in 1996, had agreed in principle as regards the declaration, no further step had been taken in this direction.
Biswas said such a move would inculcate a spirit of patriotism among the younger generation.
The AIFB has urged its mass organisations and people from all walks of life to celebrate January 23 as "Deshprem Divas".