NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday hoisted the national flag at the historic Red Fort to mark the 75th anniversary of the proclamation of the ‘Azad Hind Sarkar’ by revolutionary freedom fighter Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose.
While speaking on the occasion, the PM honoured Netaji for his invaluable contribution to the country’s struggle for Independence.
After hoist the ‘Tiranga’, PM Modi will unveil the plaque to celebrate the anniversary of the Azad Hind government, inspired and headed by Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose.
Survivors of the INA, Indian armed forces veterans and followers of ‘Netaji’ Subhas Chandra Bose attended the event at the Red Fort to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the establishment of Azad Hind Government.
PM Modi will also inaugurate the Azad Hind Museum to mark the occasion.
PM Modi’s party BJP has also decided to organise various events from New Delhi to the Andaman & Nicobar Islands to celebrate the platinum jubilee of the establishment of the INA on October 21.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had earlier given his consent to attend the event and unfurl the Tricolour at the Red Fort on October 21.
Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose had established the provincial Azad Hind Government in Singapore on October 21, 1943. On August 14, 1944, the Bahadur Brigade of the INA, led by Colonel Saukat Ali Malik, captured Moirang – a town in Manipur on the Indo-Myanmar border.
Moirang remained under the control of the Azad Hind Government for nearly four months during which its currency and stamps too were used.
The Azad Hind Government had then been recognised by 11 countries and it had its embassies in other countries too.
INA members who are still alive, including Lalti Ram, Jagir Singh, Pramanand, Jag Ram and Ram Gopal, will be among those who will attend the event in the national capital.
Veterans of Indian armed forces will be led by the highly decorated Major General (retd) GD Bakshi who has also authored the best-seller book ‘Bose or Gandhi – Who got India her freedom? ‘
On December 30, PM Modi will arrive in Port Blair where he will unfurl a 150-foot-long national flag as part of the celebrations to mark the platinum jubilee of the establishment of the INA.
PM will also issue a postal stamp and a coin in the honour of ‘Netaji’ and later visit the Cellular jail, where several freedom fighters were kept during the British Rule.
On this day in the year 1943, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose hoisted the National Flag for the first time at the Gymkhana Ground (present Netaji Stadium) in Port Blair. He also announced the Islands, the first Indian Territory freed from the British rule.
The BJP’s move to hold big-ticket celebrations to mark the 75th anniversary of INA comes at a time when the clamour for declassifying confidential files related to Netaji’s mysterious death has become louder.
Netaji’s family members and his followers have been demanding the government to bring his ashes back to India from Japan and unravel the mystery behind the iconic leader’s death.
Source: Zee News