As Centre Decides To Install Netaji’s Statue, Veterans Demand War Memorial For INA

Source : Republic

Major General (Retd) Gagan Deep Bakshi along with Professor Kapil Kumar and others demands a separate War Memorial in memory of 26k martyrs of INA

Major General (Retd) Gagan Deep Bakshi along with Professor Kapil Kumar and others gathered in Haryana’s Manesar on Wednesday, February 16, to acknowledge the sacrifice of the Indian National Army. During the event, GD Bakshi demanded a separate war memorial for 26,000 martyrs of the Indian National Army who lost their lives fighting the British Army during India’s freedom struggle.

Speaking on the occasion, Major General (Retd) GD Bakshi told Republic, "Installation of the statue where once a statue of King stood marking the colonial rule over India, is now going to be replaced by Netaji's statue. The fact is Netaji had raised an INA 60,00 strong of which 26,000 were martyred. They died fighting to make India free".

In the large gathering of like-minded socialists, homage was paid to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, remembering his sacrifices in the country’s independence. The 102-year-old living legend of the INA Sepayi Parmanad Yadav who belongs to Kankrola village, wouldn’t be part of the event due to old age.

While historian Kapil Kumar referred to the hologram statue of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose said that it is a movement that redefines the biased national narrative and only Satyagraha had a role in the country’s freedom. He demanded that certain files about Netaji which has not yet been classified must be classified soon.

“Netaji had only one vision and that was the liberation of India for which he fought and sacrificed everything”, Kapil Kumar said.

Professor Pushpendra Gurushreshta told Republic that this is real India where Netaji is remembered. 

PM Modi unveils hologram statue of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose

Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled the hologram statue of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose at India Gate on his 125th birth anniversary on January 23. He also conferred the Subhas Chandra Bose Aapda Prabandhan Puraskars, for the years 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022.

Speaking at the event, PM Modi said, “It was unfortunate that after independence, along with the culture of the country, work was done to erase the contribution of many great personalities. (India’s) freedom struggle involved the penance of lakhs of countrymen, but efforts were made to limit their history as well.”