Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose's kin to skip unveiling of statue near India Gate
Shubhadeep Choudhury
New Delhi, September 7
Even as PM Narendra Modi is scheduled to unveil a 28-ft tall statue of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose near India Gate on Thursday, some members of the Netaji’s family, including his Germany-based daughter Anita Bose Pfaff, have questioned the day chosen for the purpose.
According to them, September 8 has no relevance to Netaji or the Indian National Army (INA). Pfaff said though she had received an invitation to attend the event, the short notice made it difficult for her to undertake the long distance travel from Germany. Netaji’s grandnephew Chandra Kumar Bose said many surviving members of the Netaji’s family were of advanced age and needed to be informed well in time for the event.
“Netaji’s statue cannot be unveiled on just another day. The day must have relevance to him or the INA. A member of high-level Central committee had suggested October 21 or January 23,” tweeted Chandra Bose, who contested the West Bengal poll on the BJP ticket, but later dissociated himself from the party. The statue was to be unveiled on August 15. Pfaff had demanded a DNA test of Netaji’s mortal remains, kept at a temple in Japan, to lay to rest the controversy surrounding his death. She had also written to PM Modi for a meeting, but failed to get any response.
Rajpath now ‘Kartavya Path’, to be opened today
- The NDMC on Wednesday approved a proposal to rename Rajpath as ‘Kartavya Path’
- Stretch from the Netaji statue at India Gate to Rashtrapati Bhavan now ‘Kartavya Path’
- PM to inaugurate on Thursday; several VVIPs and celebrities will attend the event
- The name Rajpath symbolised power, ‘Kartavya Path’ will signify public ownership
