Members of the Netaji Subhas Janma Mati Yatra, Utkal Bikash Yuba Parishad celebrated the 76th year of the Azad Hind Government of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose here on Monday.
Netaji had formed the Azad Hind Government at Singapore on 21 October 1943. Young volunteers of the Parishad cleaned and garlanded the Netaji statue at Rasulgarh Square amid Jay Hind slogan. Many passersby joined the programme.
Later, Parishad members paid floral tributes to Azad Hind Fauj martyrs who sacrificed their lives fighting against the British in direct wars. They remembered the sacrifices of Rash Behari Bose, Captain Laxmi Sehgal, Major Saukat Alli Mallik, Col Habibur Rahmen, Col Brajasundar Pattnaik, Laxmi Panda, Sheikh Nizammudin, Sheikh Ramzan Qureshi and Leela Nag.
The Azad Hind Government had been recognised by 11 countries and it had diplomatic relationship with them.
It had its own army, radio and postal system, bank and currency. Apart from Netaji, Captain Laxmi and others had taken oath as Ministers. The Government had declared war against the British and its army, Azad Hind Fauz, had defeated British Army in a war. The Fauz later conquered Moirang city near Imphal in Manipur on April 14, 1944.
Parishad president Debiprasad Prusti and members Manoranjan Nayak, Lipak Choudhury, Hemant Samal, Ajay Parida, Satyabrata Pradhan and Sunil Nayak spoke. “When politicians observe birthdays and death anniversaries of their parents and grandparents, it is unfortunate that they have forgotten such a memorable day,” remarked Prusti.