Ahead of the Bengal polls, the Centre on Tuesday announced to celebrate Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose’s birthday on January 23 as “Parakram Diwas” (Valour Day) every year with Prime Minister Narendra Modi all set to attend the first day of programme in Kolkata on Bose’s 125th birth anniversary. He will also inaugurate an exhibition on the grounds of the National Library to mark the occasion in the State.
However, the decision was slammed by the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress which termed it as poll gimmicks while evoking a mixed response from Subhas Chandra Bose’s grandnephew CK Bose, who is also a BJP leader. TMC leader Saugata Roy said that the declaration to celebrate the day as “Parakram Diwas” has been made with an eye on upcoming West Bengal Assembly polls.