Kolkata: Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur Sunday took a dig at West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee by saying that just like the Bengalis ousted the British from their land they can also free their land from those who are murdering democracy and save Bengal.
"Many freedom fighters took birth on this land. If you can free this land from Britishers, you can also free this land from those who are murdering democracy. You have to save the name of Bengal," Thakur said. It is the responsibility of the youth to fight against those trying to "murder democracy," he stressed. "Bengal's name is famous for bravery, courage and creativity," he added.
The Sports Minister said that the British were afraid of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose who had left the Indian Civil Service (ICS) to join the freedom struggle. "Netaji left ICS and dedicated himself to the country's freedom struggle. Netaji stood alone in front of the Britishers. Britishers said they were not afraid of Mahatma Gandhi. Britishers were afraid of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. There were several freedom fighters on Bengal's soil so the Britishers had to move to Delhi," Thakur said while addressing the youth at the 'Yuvotsav 2023, Swavalambi Bharat Abhiyan' here.
Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose was born on January 23, 1897. He played a crucial role in India's freedom movement. He established the Azad Hind Fauj. While there is a controversy over Bose's death in a plane crash in Taipei on August 18, 1945, the central government had in an RTI (Right to Information) in 2017 confirmed that he had died in the incident.
