Agartala, Jan 23 (IANS) Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha on Friday said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave due and genuine recognition to legendary freedom fighter Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, which he said had been denied for decades by previous governments.

Addressing a gathering on the occasion of the 129th birth anniversary of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, the Chief Minister said that despite Netaji’s immense contribution to India’s freedom struggle, earlier governments failed to accord him the honour he truly deserved.

“It was Prime Minister Narendra Modi who, for the first time in 2022, installed a 28-foot-tall statue of Netaji at India Gate in New Delhi and declared his birth anniversary to be observed as ‘Parakram Diwas’,” CM Saha said while speaking at Netaji Subhas Vidyaniketan.

Recalling Netaji’s role in the freedom movement, the Chief Minister described him as a visionary leader whose ideals, thoughts and philosophy remain highly relevant even today.

He urged the youth to draw inspiration from Netaji’s life and sacrifices, noting that only a few leaders in India’s history had given so much for the nation.

Highlighting Netaji’s ideological differences with Mahatma Gandhi, CM Saha said that Bose quit the Indian National Congress and founded the Forward Bloc to intensify the struggle against British rule.

“Netaji consistently advocated Purna Swaraj (complete independence) from the very beginning, a demand that the Congress later adopted at its Lahore session,” he added.

As part of the commemorative events, students of the 78-year-old government-aided Netaji Subhas Vidyaniketan organised a grand and colourful procession, continuing a decades-old tradition.

The mammoth rally showcased patriotism and social awareness through creative tableaux and performances.

Although Netaji Subhas Vidyaniketan was established in 1948, the renowned educational institution has been organising such colourful processions regularly since 1951, the Chief Minister said.

The eye-catching procession depicted themes such as the dream of a united India envisioned by freedom fighters, India’s cultural diversity and unity, Hindu-Muslim harmony, water conservation, prevention of child marriage, empowerment of the girl child, Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, and awareness about the rights of differently-abled children.

Several hundred boys and girls students, dressed in colourful attire, participated in the procession that went through the capital city. Several dignitaries paid floral tributes to Netaji during the programme and encouraged the younger generation to follow his ideals of courage, discipline and selfless service to the nation.

–IANS

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