The West Bengal government on Thursday, 13 August 2026, formally withdrew and annulled the Banga Bibhushan — the state's highest civilian honour — conferred upon Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Rajya Sabha member Nagendra Ray alias Ananta Maharaj, reportedly in response to his derogatory remarks about Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. The move marks one of the rare instances of a sitting lawmaker losing a state civilian award amid public outrage.

The Award and Its Withdrawal

Ray had been conferred the Banga Bibhushan on 21 February 2026 in recognition of his distinguished contribution to West Bengal and its people — an award introduced by the Mamata Banerjee-led All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) government on the lines of the nationally revered Padma honours. A formal notification withdrawing the award was issued by Special Commissioner and Culture Director Kaushik Basak under the State Information and Cultural Affairs department.

The notification did not explicitly cite Ray's remarks about Netaji as the reason. Instead, it stated that 'certain facts and circumstances' had come to the notice of the state government, 'which are considered to be of such nature and seriousness as to raise a question to the continued retention of the above honour.' The government concluded that Ray's continued retention of the award was 'inconsistent with the dignity, prestige and purpose of the honour,' and ordered his name deleted from all official records of Banga Bibhushan recipients.

What Ray Said About Netaji

The controversy erupted after Ray publicly claimed that Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose had no role in India's independence and accused the iconic freedom fighter of misusing the Azad Hind Fauj. The remarks triggered immediate and widespread outrage — first within West Bengal and subsequently across the country — given Netaji's towering stature in India's national consciousness, particularly in Bengal.

Government and Police Response

On Wednesday, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari warned that no one would be spared for making derogatory or unacceptable comments about Netaji, stating that police would act regardless of political affiliation. The state's Cyber Cell was also directed to identify individuals who had posted content defaming Netaji on social media.

Following Adhikari's announcement, police arrested a youth in Uttar Dinajpur on Thursday in connection with allegedly objectionable social media posts about Netaji.

Political and Historical Context

The episode underscores the deep political and cultural sensitivity surrounding Netaji's legacy in West Bengal, where he remains a symbol of anti-colonial resistance. Notably, the Banga Bibhushan had been awarded to Ray during the TMC government's tenure — making the withdrawal by a subsequent administration a pointed political signal. This is also a rare case of a state government revoking its own civilian award from a sitting parliamentarian, reflecting the scale of public pressure the remarks generated.

As the controversy continues to unfold, questions remain over whether Ray will face further legal or parliamentary consequences for his remarks.