The Utkal Bikas Juba Parishad led by its president Debiprasad Prusti undertook a unique campaign ‘Netaji Janmamati Yatra’ comprising students, researchers and activists on January 6. The team carrying the holy soil of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose from his birthplace at Cuttack visited many places in West Bengal and was given a warm welcome by various people, political parties and outfits.
The campaign’s main objectives included declassification of all Netaji files, rejection of treaty which brands Netaji as an international war criminal and inclusion of special chapters on Netaji in school, college and university syllabus, among others. Ruling TMC Minister Manish Gupta, Kolkata Mayor Son Chatterjee, Deputy Mayor Frazana Alam, CPI (M) leader and former Minister Rabin Deb, PCC general secretary Khalid Ebadullha, RSS leader Tapan Sinha, JJM leader Rajyashree Chaudhuri, former MP Dr Bikram Sarkar among others welcomed the team.
The team first visited Netaji’s ancestral village Kodalia. Neelachal Complex Welfare Association organized a welcome ceremony at Narendrapur. Then, it was Santoshpur where West Bengal Energy Minister Manish Gupta welcomed the team. Students of Odisha carrying brass vase of Netaji’s birthplace soil also received the team. CPI (M) and Congress offices also gave the team a warm welcome.
A few Odia outfits of West Bengal such as Utkaliya Milita Mancha and Odisha Pragati Sangha also felicitated the team. At each place, the speakers demanded declassification of all files related to Netaji. The team also was welcomed at the Scottish Church College and the Presidency College. Finally, the Kolkata Municipal Corporation also felicitated the team.
The team called on Netaji’s nephew Subrata Bose and grand niece Jayanti Bose. Those who participated included Bhagyashree Nayak, Swati Das, Priyanka Das, Dipak Nayak, lipak Choudhury, Manoranjan Nayak and Sukant Sahoo, among others.