State Edu dept mulls to include Netaji as country's first PM to its syllabus

KOLKATA: The state Education department is considering a proposal to include Netaji as the country's first Prime Minister of the country in its syllabus, considering the fact that he had taken oath as Prime Minister in South East Asia in 1943 in undivided India, said minister Bratya Basu on Monday.

Basu said Netaji had also formed his Cabinet.

"The syllabus committee will study the proposal," he added. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee while observing the 125th birth anniversary of Netaji on Sunday had announced setting up of Jai Hind University in the state.

She maintained that the contribution of Netaji in the freedom movement should be taught to the students.

She also proposed to raise Jai Hind Bahini in school and colleges like the NCC.

Senior Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Kunal Ghosh said the Centre should recognise Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose as the first prime minister of the country, as he headed the Provisional Government of Free India formed in October 1943.

Ghosh also urged the West Bengal Education Department to include events related to the proclamation of the Azad Hind government by Netaji in the school curriculum.

Installing a statue is not a real tribute; that would be to declassify all files related to Netaji, DNA test of the Renkoji ashes and recognising him as the first PM, the TMC state general-secretary said.

Ghosh said Netaji was also in charge of the Ministry of War and Foreign Affairs, and the Azad Hind government was recognised by nine countries, which had diplomatic relations with it.