Objecting to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee not delivering her speech during Parakram Diwas event at Victoria Memorial here, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose’s grandnephew and BJP leader CK Bose on Saturday said that ‘Jai Shri Ram’ is not a slogan to which one should react in an “allergic manner.”
The event was held to mark the 125th birth anniversary of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose.
“Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose stood for unity. He had people of all communities in Azad Hind Fauj. Whether you say ‘Jai Hind’ or ‘Jai Shri Ram’, I do not find any difference. Jai Shri Ram is not a slogan to which one should react in an allergic manner,” CK Bose told ANI.
“I think the CM need not have reacted adversely to a slogan whether it is ‘Jai Hind’ or ‘Jai Shri Ram’. This is not the day to do any politics. It is a day to celebrate, it is a day to pay homage to the soldiers and martyrs of the Indian National Army,” he added.
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The West Bengal Chief Minister did not deliver her speech “in protest” during the event at Victoria Memorial to mark the 125th birth anniversary of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose after ‘Jai Shri Ram’ slogans were raised when she was invited to speak.
The Chief Minister said “government programme should have some dignity” and it “is not fair to insult somebody whom you have invited”.
The event was presided over by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
In her brief remarks, a visibly upset Mamata Banerjee said it was a government programme and not that of a political party.
The Trinamool Congress leader also said that she was grateful to the Prime Minister and Cultural Ministry for organising the event at Kolkata.