Netaji statue in Kolkata vandalised, police launches probe

Kolkata: A fresh controversy has surfaced in Kolkata after the statue of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose was spotted vandalised with its right arm broken at the posh New Alipore area in the state capital of West Bengal.

The event coincides with announcement from the West Bengal government on Thursday over withdrawal and annulment of “Banga Bibhushan” award conferred upon the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Rajya Sabha member, Nagendra Ray alias Ananta Maharaj reportedly for making derogatory remarks about Netaji recently.

The local residents have claimed that the statue of Netaji was intact even on Wednesday night when the local people last saw it and in probability the vandalism was conducted in the early hours of Wednesday night.

The police have started an initial investigation in the matter and the footage of the CCTV cameras installed in the area are being checked.

On receiving the news, the local BJP workers and supporters reached the spot and they alleged that miscreants took advantage of the darkness of the night and broke the right hand of Netaji’s statue.

They said that they will file a complaint with the police administration to find out who all were involved in the incident. They also informed that the matter will be reported to the party’s state leadership.

BJP Secretary for the Kolkata (South) organisation district, Tarak Banerjee, said that on Wednesday that Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari had warned the state administration will not tolerate any kind of derogatory comments about Netaji and anyone found guilty of doing that would be taken to task as per legal provisions.

“The Chief Minister (Suvendu Adhikari) also announced on Wednesday that names of health service centres in 294 Assembly constituencies of the state as Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Seva Kendra. The incident of breaking the right arm of the Netaji statue in Ward No. 81 of Kolkata Municipal Corporation in New Alipore on Wednesday night followed this announcement by the Chief Minister. So, he has demanded an immediate investigation into who was involved in the incident and strict legal action against the culprits. The sequence of events is therefore very significant. We demand a prompt investigation into who was involved in the incident and strict legal action against the culprits,” Banerjee added.

IANS