Holidays being declared for 'political ads', but nothing for Netaji's birth anniversary: Mamata Banerjee

West Bengal Chief Minister, Mamata Banerjee criticised the central government on Tuesday, expressing her disappointment in the nation for failing to identify the date of death or circumstances of disappearance of freedom fighter Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. Banerjee's comment comes on the 127th birth anniversary of Bose which, she said, she had been trying unsuccessfully to make a national holiday for two decades.

In an apparent reference to the Centre declaring a half-day holiday in central government offices for Ram temple’s consecration ceremony on Monday, Banerjee said these days holidays are declared for political advertisements, but nothing is announced for those who gave up their lives fighting for the country’s freedom.

Banerjee berated the ruling BJP party for not fulfilling their pre-election promise of investigating the unsolved case of Bose’s disappearance. Furthermore, she critcised the central government's decision to declare a half-day holiday for the consecration ceremony of the Ram temple, stating that holidays are being declared for "political advertisements", yet no similar recognition is given for individuals who made significant sacrifices for the freedom of the country.

“BJP promised to investigate Netaji’s disappearance before coming to power but forgot after that. For 20 years, I tried to make Netaji’s birth anniversary a national holiday but failed; please forgive me,” she said.