India remembers Netaji on his 112th birth anniversary

NI Wire

New Delhi

Fri, 23 Jan 2009: 

The nation on Friday paid homage to the great patriot and freedom fighter Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose on his 112th birth anniversary by marking floral tributes, flag hosting, marching and processions, freedom fighters conventions, blood donationamps and organising several cultural programmes across the country.

The main functions were organised in Cuttack, Orissa - where Netaji was born on January 23, 1897, Kolkata - his residence place, Chesezu (Nagaland) - the last stay of this great warrior on Indian soil, and Andaman & Nicobar Islands, where Netaji spent some life in Jail – the infamous Kalapani jail of British Raj.

In capital, the parliament members led by Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee, leader of the house Pranab Mukherje and opposition leader L K Advani paid floral tribute to Bose’s statue. The Rajya Sabha Secretary-General V K Agnihotri and senior officers from secretariat also paid homage to this brave son of India.

Several conventions were organised across the country where leaders, activists and representatives of all parties gathered and paid tribute to the Supreme leader of Azad Hind Fauz (Indian National Army).

The activists of many association of Netaji, including the members of Azad Hind Fauj and All India Forward Block, which was founded by Netaji on 1939 to fight for freedom, organised special cultural programmes and blood donation camps remembering Netaji’s call of ‘Tum Mujhe Khoon Do Main Tumhein Azadi Dunga’ (Give me your blood, and I’ll give you freedom).

A website www.subhaschandrabose.org dedicated to Netaji has also been launched on this occasion which will be hosted by a Delhi-based non-profit trust, Mission Netaji, and Kolkata-based Jayasree Prakashan. The website contains the original speech, writings, articles and several rare photograph of Netaji.