CM's tributes to brave INA soldiers who made us free

Kolkata: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Sunday paid tributes to all the brave soldiers of INA who fought for India's freedom under the leadership of Netaji.

In a tweet, Banerjee stated: "Today is the 75th anniversary of the formation of the Azad Hind government. My heartfelt tribute to all the brave soldiers of INA who fought for India's freedom under the leadership of Netaji. Jai Hind."

It may be mentioned that it was an initiative of the Chief Minister to declassify files containing information on Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose and his family members in 2015.

Sixty four files containing 12,744 pages, which were in possession of Kolkata Police and West Bengal Police, were declassified, bringing an end to a long wait. The files were kept at the museum of Kolkata Police in the office of the Deputy Commissioner (North).

Banerjee, who paid her tribute to the brave soldiers of INA, was the first to urge the Centre to declare the birthday of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose as a national holiday. She had also demanded the same for the birthday of Swami Vivekananda. Banerjee has even written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi demanding the same.

In a tweet in this connection she had stated: "Swami Vivekananda and Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose are national and international icons. I have written a letter to the Prime Minister, urging the government of India to declare both of their birthdays as national holidays."

On the 121st birth anniversary of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, the Chief Minister had also demanded necessary steps to unearth the real facts of the later part of his life. She had said: "The nation wants to know what had actually happened to Netaji in the later part of his life…we are still waiting for the day when we will get to know what happened, something which still remains a mystery". The Chief Minister had taken an initiative, following which January 23 was announced as a holiday in Bengal.