1. Mamata Banerjee expresses concern over the absence of a holiday on Netaji’s birth anniversary.
2. She criticizes the government, citing holidays for what she calls “political publicity” events.
3. Banerjee highlights the need to honour the contributions of those who sacrificed for the country.
Kolkata, Jan 23: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has raised concerns over the central government’s decision not to declare a holiday on January 23, the birth anniversary of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose.
In a veiled reference to the Ram Mandir consecration ceremony, Banerjee criticized the government for granting holidays for what she termed as “political publicity” while neglecting significant historical events.
Expressing her disappointment, Mamata Banerjee stated, “I am ashamed that a holiday was given for political programs, but not for people who have laid down their lives for the country.”
The Chief Minister made these remarks at a program in Kolkata where she commemorated Netaji’s birth anniversary.
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During the event, Banerjee highlighted her long-standing effort to persuade the government to declare Netaji’s birthday as a national holiday.
“I have fought all my life to get the government of India to announce Netaji’s birthday as a national holiday. But I’m sorry, I failed,” she said.
While Uttar Pradesh declared a complete holiday, several states opted for a half-day holiday until 2:30 pm on January 22 for the ‘pran pratishtha’ ceremony at the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya.
Mamata Banerjee’s criticism draws attention to the discrepancy in holiday declarations for events, with her emphasis on recognizing the sacrifices of individuals like Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose.
Notably, bar associations urged judicial forums to either suspend judicial work for the day or refrain from passing adverse orders due to the non-appearance of lawyers or litigants.
Banerjee’s remarks underline the need for a more inclusive approach to acknowledging historical figures and events, emphasizing the importance of commemorating the contributions of leaders like Netaji.
