india

Updated: Jan 23, 2019 11:44 IST

Political leaders cutting across party lines paid their tributes to Subhas Chandra Bose on his 122nd birth anniversary on Wednesday as Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated a museum to mark his contribution to India’s struggle for independence.

Netaji, as Bose is known popularly, campaigned against British colonial rule with Mahatma Gandhi for 20 years. He was a Congress leader till 1939 and went on to form his Azad Hind Fauj or the Indian National Army (INA).

Several political leaders took to social media to commemorate Subhas Chandra Bose’s birth anniversary as president Ram Nath Kovind said Netaji “remains one of our most beloved national heroes.”

“Tributes to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose on his birth anniversary. He remains one of our most beloved national heroes and an icon of India’s freedom struggle. Netaji is cherished, remembered and missed to this day all over the country,” President Kovind said in his tweets in English, Hindi and Bengali.

Prime Minister Modi tweeted a 2.12-minute-video with archival footage of Subhas Chandra Bose.

“I bow to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose on his Jayanti. He was a stalwart who committed himself towards ensuring India is free and leads a life of dignity. We are committed to fulfilling his ideals and creating a strong India,” the Prime Minister wrote.

Modi also inaugurated the digitised museum at the historic Red Fort in the national capital, which to the fore some unknown and interesting facts about Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose with a narrative from his childhood days to the trials of the personnel of the INA. The first floor of the Red Fort barracks, on which the museum is built, is the place from where soldiers of the INA were court-martialled and tried by the British.

The Congress party remembered Bose saying he was “a true nationalist, a defiant patriot.”

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Amit Shah tweeted in Hindi to say that Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose “raised a sustained campaign against British rule.” Union ministers Arun Jaitley, Rajnath Singh and Ravi Shankar Prasad also posted their tributes to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose.

“My salutations to Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose on his Jayanti. He ignited patriotism among the people and inspired them to sacrifice everything for the freedom of our motherland. He is an icon of India’s freedom movement and also a role model for today’s youth,” Union home minister Rajnath Singh posted on Twitter.

“On Jayanti of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, a great freedom fighter, nationalist and a charismatic leader, we remember his life and works and pay him our respectful tributes. His life will always remain an inspiration for patriotism and Indian nationalism. I bow to Netaji,” finance minister Jaitley posted.

Telugu Desam Party’s chief N Chandrababu Naidu remembered Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, saying he was a “fearless nationalist and hero of the masses.”

Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot tweeted saying Subhas Chandra Bose’s “valour, patriotism and leadership would always be an inspiration for generations to come.”

Sand artist Sudarshan Pattnaik from Odisha also tweeted a sand art created by his students remembering Subhas Chandra Bose at the Puri beach.

Last year, Prime Minister Modi had renamed three islands in Andaman and Nicobar to mark the 75th anniversary of the raising of the Indian national flag by Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose.

The Ross Island was renamed as Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Dweep, the Neil Island as Shaheed Dweep and the Havelock Island as Swaraj Dweep, Modi said during a speech amidst thunderous applause from the audience in Port Blair.

Netaji had hoisted the national flag at the Gymkhana Ground, now Netaji Stadium, in Port Blair on December 30, 1943, and announced that the islands were the first Indian territory to be freed from British rule.

The islands at the time were captured by the Japanese during World War II. He had then named Andaman Island as Shaheed and Nicobar Island as Swaraj and had appointed INA general AD Loganathan as its governor.