Feature Image Credits: Mid-Day
The Parakram Divas celebrations honouring Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose were marred with high drama when West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee refused to address the audience, claiming that she was ‘insulted’. The government programme at the Victoria Memorial Hall in Kolkata launches the year-long celebrations to be held across India till Bose’s 125th birth anniversary next year.
When CM Banerjee rose to speak to the people gathered at the event before PM Modi, several people among the gathered crowd shouted ‘Jai Sri Ram’, which miffed the Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief.
The compère of the show had to ask the crowd to calm down and let the CM speak.
Frustrated, Mamata Banerjee walked up to the dais and said, “I feel a government programme must have some dignity. This is not a political programme but a government programme and it is for the public and all political parties.”
“I am grateful to the Prime Minister and the Culture Ministry that this event is being held in Kolkata. But it is not right to invite someone to a government programme and insult that person. In protest, I am not saying anything. Jai Hind, Jai Bangla,” said Banerjee.
#WATCH | I think Govt's program should have dignity. This is not a political program….It doesn't suit you to insult someone after inviting them. As a protest, I won't speak anything: WB CM Mamata Banerjee after 'Jai Shree Ram' slogans were raised when she was invited to speak pic.twitter.com/pBvVrlrrbb
— ANI (@ANI) January 23, 2021
However, the Chief Minister stayed till the end of the event and took her seat alongside PM Modi. They were also seen talking. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Trinamool Congress (TMC) are looking to garner public support ahead of the assembly polls due in March-April this year.
PM Modi took the stage shortly after but didn’t refer to Mamata Banerjee’s refusal to speak or her sudden exit from the stage. He mentioned her name as he mentioned all the other dignitaries attending the event, and referred to her as ‘behen’ (sister).
The celebration of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose’s 125th birth anniversary has been a matter of dispute between the TMC and the BJP as the Centre announced on January 19 that from this year January 23 will be celebrated as ‘Parakram Divas’.
Questioning why the Centre called it ‘Parakram Divas’ earlier in the day, Mamata Banerjee had said, “I don’t understand the meaning of ‘Parakram Divas’. We celebrate the day as ‘Desh Nayak Divas’.” She also asked why January 23 is not a national holiday, why there is no memorial for Netaji and added that the West Bengal government celebrates the day every year, not only in an election year.