Centenary Marks The Rise Of Netaji As The New Political Icon

A new political icon joined BR Ambedkar in post-Gandhian politics, as a range of political parties yesterday feted Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose on his birth anniversary. It was the first time the government had declared a public holiday to mark Boses anniversary and every political party seemed to have discovered an examplar in him.

Mahatma Gandhi, who used to be a staple of just about every political speech until the 1970s, had already given way to each partys specific icons as the national consensus splintered more sharply than before over the past decade.

During the same time, just about every party and leader seemed to have discovered the virtues of Ambedkar, as the 25 per cent Dalit electorate flexed its political muscle, particularly through the BSP. Like Ambedkar, Bose stood out against Gandhi, albeit on very different issues.

 

Perhaps it is because of its rapid urban industrialisation that India is rediscovering the virtures of leaders like Ambedkar and Bose, who adopted Western social and political perspectives much more than Gandhi, whose socio-economic thinking was more homespun.

The highlight of Netajis birth centenary celebrations yesterday was the unveiling of the statue of Netaji in the courtyard of Parliament House by President Shanker Dayal Sharma..

Vice-president K R Narayanan, Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda, Lok Sabha Speaker P A Sangma, parliamentary affairs minister Srikant Jena, Rajya Sabha deputy chairman Najma Heptullah, BJP leaders Atal Behari Vajpayee and Sikander Bakht and Congress leader Manmohan Singh were among those present on the occasion.

In West Bengal, people blew conch shells exatly at 1215 hours the time of Netajis birth illuminated their houses, burst crackers, arranged blood donation camps, processions, cultural programmes, seminars and public meetings.

In a state function, Chief Minister Jyoti Basu once again admitted the Communist partys wrong assessment of Netaji and said we have already corrected ourselves to accord right recognition to his outstanding contribution to the countrys freedom.

We (the Communists) were mistaken in evaluating his role when he sought fascist Germany assistance for liberating India. Only later we realised that Netaji had no other alternative. However, we corrected our stand on him long back, he said.

In New Delhi, former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee said had the country followed the path of Netaji, it would have attained Independence much earlier and would not have been partitioned.

Speaking at a colourful cultural pageant presented by the children of Delhi schools at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium here, he said there was need for hard work and sacrifice to fulfil the goals set by netaji.

In another function, Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda called upon the youth to spread the message of Netaji to make the country economically strong and powerful.

The Prime Minister was speaking to a group of cyclists under the banner of Khamar Para Shishu Sangha from Calcutta led by Rup Chand Pal, MP, and captained by Moloy Dhar.

In Tamil Nadu various organisations and political parties organised special functions to mark the occasion of Netajis birth centenary. TNCC president Kumari Ananthan and Tamil Maanila Congress leader G K Moopanar, garlanded the statue of Netaji in Chennai.

In Gangtok, Sikkim Governor Chaudhury Randhir Singh said that had it not been for Subhas Chandra Bose and his Indian National Army (INA), the countrys freedom from the yoke of the British imperialism would have been delayed by twenty-five to thirty years.

Commemoration rallies and meetings, paying of floral tributes at martyrs columns and get-together of freedom fighters and Indian National Army (INA) veterans marked the birth centenary of Netaji in Kerala.

In Assam, Chief Minister Prafulla Mahanta called upon the the youths of the state to follow the philosophy of Netaji, stating there was a difference in Netajis demand for independence and the call by various insurgent outfits for a separate country.