In a show of strength, a strong gathering of more than 12,000 people welcomed the Netaji Pabitra Janma Mati (Netaji’s holy birth soil) and echoed the demand for declassification of all Netaji files at Thirunelveli in Tamil Nadu on Netaji’s birthday on January 23. The historical city Thirunvelveli was virtually converted into a Netaji nagar with hundreds of big-size flex cutouts and thousands of posters of different designs put at different places. Besides, many Netaji hoardings with attractive running light decorations were put up all over the city.
The programme organized by the MDMK was chaired by its chief Vaiko while Utkal Bikash Yuba Parishad president Debiprasad Prusti attended as chief guest.
Prusti conveyed his greetings to the Tamili Nadu people reminding that their State had sent the highest number of soldiers to Netaji’s Indian National Army. Amidst ‘Netaji Subhas, Netaji Subhas’ slogans, Prusti sought all support from them to the mission, Netaji’s Birthplace to War place (from Cuttack to Imphal).
Vaiko received Netaji’s birth soil from Prusti on this occasion. In his speech, Vaiko described Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose as the tallest leader the world had ever seen. Even today Netaji is highly regarded by people of Pakistan, Bangladesh, Japan, Germany and Italy for his courage, knowledge, sacrifice, communal harmony, women upliftment efforts, he said.
He said from Thirunelveli itself about 40,000 young boys and girls had joined Netaji’s Azad Hind Fouz from Thirunelveli. Many sacrificed their lives in the war against the British. Netaji is still in the heart of every Tamil, he said. Vaiko thanked Prusti for organising the nationwide campaign on Netaji. He said the demand for declassification of Netaji files would be taken up in the Parliament during the upcoming Budget Session. He would personally talk Central leaders of different parties, including lK Advani, Mulayam Singh Yadav and Prakash Singh Badal, on the issue.