"Would Netaji also need citizenship proof?" Mamata slams SIR from memorial stage

On the 129th birth anniversary of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee launched a scathing attack on the Central Government and the Election Commission. Speaking from the Netaji Memorial stage at Dharmatala, she questioned the ongoing Special Interim Revision (SIR) process, asking if a leader of Netaji’s stature would also have been asked to provide proof of citizenship had he been alive today. Her remarks followed the summoning of Netaji’s great-grandson, Chandra Kumar Bose, for an SIR hearing, which the CM termed as a direct insult to the patriot's legacy.

The Chief Minister expressed deep "Ushmaprakash" (simmering anger) over the alleged harassment of common citizens in the name of voter list verification. She claimed that 110 people have lost their lives due to the stress caused by the SIR process and demanded to know why cases should not be filed against the Election Commission for these deaths. Mamata Banerjee alleged that names are being deliberately deleted from voter lists under the guise of "mismatch" and "mismap," citing that even her household help was not spared from these summons.

A significant historical gesture also marked the event, as Netaji’s descendant Sugata Bose handed over two rare letters written by Subhas Chandra Bose from jail to the Chief Minister. These documents will be preserved at the Alipore Museum for public viewing. While paying tribute, the CM also lamented the dissolution of the Planning Commission—an institution conceptualized by Netaji—and criticized the Centre for failing to declare January 23 as a national holiday, despite repeated requests from Bengal.

Reiterating her call for resistance, Banerjee invoked Netaji’s famous "Delhi Chalo" slogan to urge people to fight against communal forces. She alleged that the history of India is being distorted and the contributions of Bengal’s icons are being systematically undermined. Chandra Bose, also present at the event, echoed these sentiments, appealing to the Chief Minister to lead a national movement based on Netaji’s inclusive and secular principles to safeguard the Constitution.