Giriraj Singh pays tribute on INA Foundation Day
Synopsis
Union Textiles Minister Giriraj Singh marked Azad Hind Fauj Foundation Day on October 21, 2026, with a Hindi tribute honouring INA soldiers for their valour and sacrifice in India's independence movement.
Key Takeaways
Giriraj Singh , Union Textiles Minister and senior BJP leader, posted a formal tribute on October 21, 2026 — Azad Hind Fauj Foundation Day.
His message honoured INA fighters for their 'valour, indomitable courage and sacrifice' in the cause of India's freedom.
The Azad Hind Fauj (Indian National Army) was formed during World War II to oppose British colonial rule, drawing recruits from Indian POWs and civilians across Southeast Asia.
Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose commanded the INA and headed the Provisional Government of Azad Hind , leading campaigns as far as Imphal and Kohima .
Annual October 21 tributes by BJP leaders reflect a deliberate effort to foreground non-Congress streams of the Indian independence movement.
On the foundation day of the Azad Hind Fauj, Union Textiles Minister Giriraj Singh on Wednesday, October 21, 2026 bowed in remembrance to every soldier who staked — and often sacrificed — their life to end British rule over India.
Posting in Hindi, Singh wrote: 'माँ भारती की स्वाधीनता के लिए अपने पराक्रम, अदम्य साहस और बलिदान से इतिहास रचने वाले आजाद हिंद फौज के स्थापना दिवस पर सभी वीर सेनानियों को कोटि-कोटि नमन!' — 'A million salutes to all brave fighters of the Azad Hind Fauj on its foundation day, for writing history through valour, indomitable courage and sacrifice in the cause of Mother India's freedom.'
The army that challenged an empire
The Azad Hind Fauj, or the Indian National Army (INA), was formed during World War II to take the fight for Indian independence beyond the subcontinent and directly confront British colonial power. The force drew recruits from Indian prisoners of war and civilians across Southeast Asia, binding them under a single, audacious ambition: to march on Delhi and plant the tricolour.
The movement found its defining commander in Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, who assumed leadership and declared the Provisional Government of Azad Hind, giving the army both a political face and an uncompromising war cry. Under Bose, the INA launched campaigns on the northeastern front, reaching the soil of undivided India at Imphal and Kohima — the easternmost point the freedom army ever touched.
BJP's deliberate reclaiming of the INA legacy
Tributes from senior BJP leaders on October 21 each year are not incidental — they are part of a conscious political and historical project. By foregrounding the INA alongside more familiar Congress-led chapters of the independence movement, the party positions itself as a custodian of a broader, more martial strand of Indian nationalism, one centred on Bose's assertive, uncompromising confrontation with colonial power rather than on negotiated civil disobedience alone.
For a leader of Giriraj Singh's standing — a senior Lok Sabha MP from Begusarai, Bihar and a Union Cabinet minister — the public tribute carries institutional weight, signalling that the government's commemorative calendar actively honours INA personnel alongside other freedom fighters.
Point of View
Distinct from the Congress-centric narrative. For the ruling party, honouring the INA is both genuine reverence and strategic messaging: it broadens the BJP's claim over the independence legacy without softening its ideological identity. Giriraj Singh's tribute, coming from a Cabinet minister, gives the gesture institutional rather than merely partisan weight. As long as this commemorative pattern holds, October 21 will remain a fixture in the BJP's annual calendar of national reclamation.
NationPress
21 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
When is Azad Hind Fauj Foundation Day celebrated?
Azad Hind Fauj Foundation Day is observed on October 21 each year, marking the proclamation of the Provisional Government of Azad Hind by Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose during World War II.
What was the Azad Hind Fauj and who led it?
The Azad Hind Fauj, also known as the Indian National Army (INA), was a military force formed during World War II to fight British colonial rule. It was commanded by Subhas Chandra Bose , who led it in campaigns across Southeast Asia and into northeastern India.
Why do BJP leaders pay tribute to the INA on October 21?
BJP leaders regularly mark Azad Hind Fauj Foundation Day to highlight the INA's role in the independence movement, foregrounding a strand of Indian nationalism — centred on Netaji Bose's assertive resistance — that is distinct from Congress-led civil disobedience narratives.
Who is Giriraj Singh and what is his current role?
Giriraj Singh is a senior BJP leader and Union Minister of Textiles in the Indian Cabinet. He is a Lok Sabha MP from Begusarai, Bihar .
Did the Azad Hind Fauj reach Indian territory during World War II?
Yes. The INA, under Subhas Chandra Bose, launched campaigns on the northeastern front and reached Imphal and Kohima — marking the easternmost advance of the force onto undivided Indian soil.
