Declare Netaji birth anniversary national holiday: Mamata Banerjee urges Centre

KOLKATA: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday paid homage to freedom fighter Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose on his birth anniversary and urged the Centre to declare January 23 as a national holiday.

She also said a monument, named after Azad Hind Fauj, will be built in Rajarhat area and a state-funded university, which is also being set up, will be dedicated to Netaji.

“….This year’s Republic Day parade in Kolkata will be dedicated to Netaji. A siren will be sounded today at 12.15 PM. We urge everyone to blow shankh (conch) at home. Centre must also declare January 23 as a National Holiday.

“We are celebrating this day as #DeshNayakDibas. GoWB has also set up a committee to conduct year-long celebrations till January 23, 2022,” Banerjee said on Twitter.

A grand ‘padayatra’ will be held here during the day to commemorate Netaji’s 125th birth anniversary.

“A monument, named after Azad Hind Fauj, will be built at Rajarhat. A university named after Netaji is also being…