Netaji comment row: Bengal govt withdraws Banga Bibhushan award from BJP MP Ananta Maharaj

Kolkata, Aug 13 (PTI) West Bengal's BJP government on Thursday withdrew and annulled Banga Bibhushan, the state’s highest civilian award, previously bestowed upon the party’s Rajya Sabha MP Nagendranath Roy aka Ananta Maharaj, in the wake of his alleged derogatory remarks about Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose.

The move came less than 24 hours after Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari directed the police to take stringent action, including arrests, against those making derogatory remarks about Netaji on social media, and said the law would apply equally to MPs, MLAs and government officials.

Adhikari's direction to the police came days after Ananta Maharaj described Netaji as a “war criminal” and questioned his leadership and the role of the Azad Hind Fauj in India’s freedom struggle. Roy hails from Cooch Behar in the northern part of the state and is a leader of the Rajbanshi community.

Roy was bestowed with the honour by former chief minister Mamata Banerjee on February 21, 2026, during an International Mother Language Day ceremony in Kolkata.

The state's Information and Cultural Affairs Department on Thursday issued an order to annul the award.