Rahul Gandhi Sparks West Bengal Outrage Over Netaji Death Date Mention
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Synopsis
Kolkata, Jan 23 (NationPress) Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, faced widespread condemnation from political parties in West Bengal for citing Subhas Chandra Bose's death date in a social media post while honoring him on his birth anniversary.
Key Takeaways
- Rahul Gandhi criticized for mentioning August 18, 1945 as Netaji's death date.
- Political parties in West Bengal united against his statement.
- No proof has been provided to substantiate the death date.
- Historical context of Netaji's significance highlighted by critics.
- No support for Gandhi from local Congress leaders.
Kolkata, Jan 23 (NationPress) The Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, encountered backlash from various political factions in West Bengal for referencing the date of Subhas Chandra Bose's death on his official X account while commemorating Netaji on his birth anniversary.
In his post, the Congress representative cited August 18, 1945 as the alleged date of demise for the legendary freedom fighter.
This date corresponds to when the aircraft carrying Netaji from Saigon to the then USSR-occupied Manchuria crashed in Taihoku (now known as Taipei).
Nonetheless, no commission established to investigate Netaji's 'disappearance' has verified August 18, 1945 as the confirmed date of his death, leaving the circumstances surrounding the freedom fighter's fate shrouded in mystery.
The initial reproach towards the MP came from the All India Forward Bloc, a party that Netaji himself founded after leaving the Congress party.
Forward Bloc Chairman Naren Chatterjee asserted that this was not the first instance of the Congress party or its leaders igniting controversy by misrepresenting facts about Netaji.
“Can Rahul Gandhi provide a clear explanation of how Netaji died on the date he stated? Can he offer any evidence to support his assertions? It is unimaginable how an individual in such a significant constitutional role in Indian democracy could make such a careless statement,” he contended.
Sukanta Majumdar, the BJP's state President in West Bengal and Union Minister of State, demanded an apology from Rahul Gandhi regarding the social media post.
“I vehemently oppose the assertion that Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose passed away on August 18, 1945, as indicated in Rahul Gandhi's social media post. I also request an apology from him for disrespecting Netaji, who was the first Prime Minister of undivided India. I urge all supporters of Netaji to voice their concerns on this matter,” Majumdar stated.
Kunal Ghosh, the General Secretary of the Trinamool Congress in West Bengal, suggested that LoP Gandhi should at least issue a correction regarding the matter.
“Netaji was recognized as the Prime Minister of the Azad Hind Government he established in 1943 by six nations at that time,” Ghosh argued.
“Thus, determining the date of death of such an eminent figure requires thorough research and documentation. Therefore, what he stated is unacceptable to the people of Bengal,” Ghosh added.
However, no Congress leader from West Bengal has publicly addressed Rahul Gandhi's controversial post.
