NEW DELHI, Jan 15: The Republic Day celebrations will now begin every year from January 23 instead of January 24 to include the birth anniversary of freedom fighter Subash Chandra Bose, government sources said on Saturday.
This is in line with the Narendra Modi government’s focus on commemorating important aspects of India’s history and culture, they said, noting it had earlier started celebrating Bose’s birth anniversary as “Parakram Divas”.
Other such days, observance of which have become a yearly affair, are August 14 as Partition Horrors Remembrance Day, October 31 as National Unity Day (birth anniversary of Sardar Patel), November 15 as Janjatiya Gaurav Divas (Birsa Munda’s birth anniversary), November 26 as Constitution Day and December 26 as Veer Baal Divas (a tribute to the four sons of Guru Gobind Singh), sources added.
Family welcomes decision
Subhash Chandra Bose’s family on Saturday welcomed the Central Government’s decision to start the Republic Day celebrations every year from January 23 instead of January 24 to include the birth anniversary of freedom fighter Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. Chandra Kumar Bose, Netaji’s kin while speaking to ANI, also demanded a Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, INA (Indian National Army) and Azad Hind Force tableau for the Republic Day ceremony.
“To honour Bose one has to understand his ideology”, said Chandra Kumar Bose.
He said that he has also written to the Central government on celebrating the 125th birth anniversary of Netaji as it coincides with the 75th year of India’s independence.
“A befitting tribute can be given to both the celebrations if only we imbibe Bose’s ideology across the nation to save the country from further disintegration,” he added.
According to Kumar Bose, Netaji was the only leader who could unite the Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Buddhists as Bharatiyas. “All other leaders were divisive in nature”, he stated.
Chandra Bose opined, “Unless we introduce Netaji’s ideology across the country, there will be another partition like 1947’s.” “Had Netaji returned to India there would be no partition”, he claimed.
He spoke of reviving Netaji’s ideology in national politics. Netaji’s kin also held the political parties responsible for instigating communal disharmony among the masses. “Today we see communal disharmony across the nation. It is not caused by the common man; they are united. Political leadership is responsible for division among communities.”
Warning the political party he said, “Stop divisive politics if you want to honour Subhash Chandra Bose. You cannot honour him by disrespecting his ideology.” (Agencies)
