On the occasion of his birth anniversary, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi’s tribute to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose came under fire from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday. In his respect to social media posts, Gandhi remembered the creator of Azad Hind Fauj as a great revolutionary. Netaji’s leadership and courage, struggle for social justice and enduring inspiration for every Indian were also talked about by him. Gandhi also posted an image of Netaji with his date of death as August 18, 1945, alongside the tribute.
Controversy arose due to the inclusion of the date, as Netaji’s actual demise has not been clinically established and remains a matter of great debate. Some accounts say that Bose was killed in an air crash on that date, while others believe he survived and was seen by witnesses during the years to follow. Netaji’s death remains shrouded in mystery because of the matter that it fuelled many conspiracy theories and investigations.
Gandhi had come in for criticism from Union minister and BJP MP Sukanta Majumdar, who described it as ‘disrespectful’ to Netaji’s legacy. But BJP MP Samik Bhattacharya also criticised the post, calling it a ‘blatant disrespect’ for the revered leader. They said this reference to an unresolved and divisive date at such a solemn occasion was offensive to those who consider Netaji an immortal figure in the history of Indian country.
Rahul Gandhi, they say, should apologise for the gesture, which BJP leaders said was insensitive. A controversy-grade discussion about Netaji’s mysterious disappearance and India’s most important historical debate is back on the table. Netaji’s image is still a burning issue for all Indians, and his contribution to India’s freedom struggle is still deeply respected.
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