Adhikari Warns Against Netaji Defamation
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has ordered stringent police action against anyone making derogatory remarks about Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, insisting that the law must apply equally to everyone, regardless of political position.
The directive, issued on August 12, came amid a political controversy surrounding BJP Rajya Sabha MP Nagendranath Roy, popularly known as Ananta Maharaj. He has allegedly referred to Netaji as a “war criminal” and questioned his leadership and the role of the Azad Hind Fauj in India’s freedom struggle.
Adhikari said his government would not tolerate attempts to tarnish Netaji’s reputation, including through social media. He directed the police to take action and arrest those responsible for allegedly offensive posts.
Will the Law Apply to BJP Leaders?
The controversy has raised a political question: will Adhikari’s warning extend to members of his own political establishment?
When asked specifically whether action would be taken against Ananta Maharaj, Adhikari avoided naming him but stressed that political office could not provide immunity from the law.
He said the law was applicable equally to MPs, MLAs, political leaders, government officials and police officers. Adhikari also urged people who had uploaded allegedly offensive content about Netaji to delete the posts and apologise, while making it clear that removing a post would not automatically end police action.
The police, he said, would independently decide the next course of action under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
The controversy has extended beyond the remarks attributed to Ananta Maharaj. Complaints have reportedly been filed against social media users over allegedly morphed images and offensive comments involving Netaji.
Netaji Becomes Centre of Public-Service Push
The warning comes as Adhikari’s government seeks to place Netaji’s legacy at the centre of a wider public-service initiative in West Bengal.
The government has announced plans to encourage MLAs to establish Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Seva Kendra centres in their constituencies. Under the proposed scheme, eligible centres would receive financial assistance of Rs 30,000 per month, subject to conditions.
The centres would carry Netaji’s name and display his portrait. Adhikari said more than 100 such centres had already been opened and argued that every constituency should have a dedicated facility where people can access services from their elected representatives.
A bill providing the legal framework for the monthly financial assistance is expected to be introduced in the next Assembly session.
Road Renaming Row Adds to BJP Questions
The political debate over Netaji’s legacy has also been complicated by a separate incident in Rampurhat.
A BJP MLA, Dhruba Saha, was reportedly involved in changing the name of a road said to have been associated with Netaji and replacing it with the name of BJP ideologue Syama Prasad Mookerjee. Saffron-coloured boards bearing Mookerjee’s name were reportedly installed along the road.
Saha, however, said there were no records establishing that the road had officially been named after Netaji. He also said he was willing to rectify the situation if it was established that a mistake had been made.
The development has added pressure on the BJP over the consistency of its position on Netaji’s legacy.
Political Message Ahead of Independence Day
Adhikari’s emphasis on Netaji comes as India approaches its 80th Independence Day. He also highlighted Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s installation of a Netaji statue at Kartavya Path in New Delhi in 2022.
The chief minister’s broader announcements included an increase in the monthly medical allowance for former MLAs from Rs 6,000 to Rs 10,000 and a proposed Rs 10 crore contribution to assist Assam amid its severe flood situation.
However, the Netaji controversy remains the most politically sensitive issue. By repeatedly asserting that the law is equal for everyone, Adhikari has placed the focus not only on social media users and political opponents but also on whether members of the BJP will face the same scrutiny.
The coming days could therefore test whether the government’s warning becomes a broad principle of accountability—or remains limited to selected cases.
