NEW DELHI: Congress leader and opposition leader in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, on Thursday paid tribute to freedom fighter Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose on his 128th birth anniversary. However, his tribute led to backlash from the BJP side, as saffron party leader Sukanta Majumdar slammed Rahul for mentioning the widely debated death date of Bose as August 18, 1945.
In a post shared on X, Rahul Gandhi wrote: “Heartfelt tribute to the great revolutionary, founder of Azad Hind Fauj, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, on his birth anniversary. Netaji’s leadership, courage, his struggle for social justice, and his contribution towards tolerance and inclusion continue to inspire every Indian even today. My respectful salute to the immortal son of Mother India. Jai Hind!”
The tribute was shared with an image of Netaji, with his life span mentioned as January 23, 1897 – August 18, 1945. This mention of the death date drew sharp criticism from the BJP.
BJP leader Sukanta Majumdar responded on X, saying, “I strongly protest the claim that Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose died on August 18, 1945, as stated in social media posts by @RahulGandhi! I demand that Rahul Gandhi apologize within 24 hours for showing disrespect to Netaji, who was the first Prime Minister of India. I appeal to all of Netaji’s followers to raise their voices by sharing this demand. @INCIndia Shame on you!”
The argument stems from long-standing debates about the circumstances surrounding Bose’s death. While some theories suggest alternative fates for the leader, the widely accepted account is that Bose died on August 18, 1945, after his plane crashed near Taihoku (present-day Taipei) during an attempt to reach Russian-occupied Manchuria.
According to the National Library Board of Singapore, Bose left Singapore for Saigon (modern-day Ho Chi Minh city) and planned to seek Soviet support for his nationalist movement against British. However, the plane crash near Taihoku airport led to his death from severe burns, as reported.
Rahul Gandhi and the Congress party have not yet issued a response to the BJP’s criticism.
