New Delhi, Jan 23: The Vice President, Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu today said that time has come to revisitour history textbooks and to give adequate importance to freedom fighters from all parts of the country.
Unveiling the statue of NetajiSubhash Chandra Bose in Raj Bhawan, Chennai, on the occasion of his Birth Anniversary today, the Vice President said that the history should inspire our children and they should read the life stories of the heroes of our freedom struggle.
Shri Naidu expressed disappointment that many of the stalwarts of Indian independence movement, such as SardarVallabhbhai Patel, NetajiSubhash Chandra Bose, Veer Savarkar, Shri Chidambaram Pillai, Subramania Bharti, AlluriSeetharamaRaju and VeerapandiyaKattabomman did not find adequate place in our history text books.
He further said that the history should be comprehensive and re-capture our past glory and instill a sense of pride in India’s rich culture and heritage.
Referring to the sufferings underwent by several freedom fighters at Cellular Jail including Veer Savarkar, the Vice President said that some people are trying to belittle their contributions, either due to ignorance or due to their leanings.
Calling upon the youth to take inspiration from the life of NetajiSubhash Chandra Bose, Shri Naidu asked themto strive towards building a progressive, harmonious and inclusive India.
The Vice President also said that Netaji’s vision and his nationalistic outlook can be an important guiding light for building a New India.
Referring to the diversity of philosophies and approaches in our freedom struggle, the Vice President said it was a bouquet of individual and collective actions, ranging from peaceful satyagraha to more organized resistance.
“Even as Gandhiji was turning ‘ahimsa’ into a powerful weapon of our struggle, the likes of Bhagat Singh and Subhash Chandra Bose continued with their efforts of unsettling the British”, he said.
Although Gandhiji was not in favor of Netaji’s militant approach, he respected him and once referred to him as the ‘patriot of patriots’.
Highlighting his leadership of Azad Hind Fauj, Shri Naidu said that Netaji Bose unfurled the Tricolor in Port Blair on 30th December 1943 and declared Andaman and Nicobar Islands to be the first Indian Territory to be free from British Raj.
Recalling the close connection of the people of Tamil Nadu with Indian National Army, the Vice President paid rich tributes to Shri MuthuramalingaThevar who was a close confidante of Netaji.
“Shri MuthuramalingaThevar was an influential leader who was instrumental in establishing Shri Subhash Chandra Bose’s strong presence in Tamil imagination”, Shri Naidu said. Shri MuthuramalingaThevar also launched a Tamil Weekly Nethaji and was one of the founding pillars of Forward Bloc.
He had played an instrumental role in mobilizing huge support for INA, VP said.
He also lauded the daredevilry of Lakshmi Swaminathan who had had set up the Rani of Jhansi Regiment in INA and came to be known as Captain Lakshmi Sahgal.
Expressing pride in the fact that we Indians are inheritors of a five thousands years old civilization, Shri Naidu highlighted that Netaji firmly believed in our civilizational values and its history. This history should form the bedrock of our national pride and collective self-confidence, he added.
Lauding the Government’s decision to declassify all records and files associated with Netaji, the Vice President said that researchers will now be able to delve deep into his life and come up with many more meaningful publications on the life story of this great patriot.
The statue of NetajiSubhash Chandra Bose unveiled in Raj Bhawan, Chennai today has been sponsored by BharatiyaVidyaBhawan.
The Governor of Tamil Nadu, Shri BanwariLalPurohit, Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, Shri Edappadi K. Palaniswami, Speaker of Tamil Nadu Legislature Assembly, Shri P. Dhanapal, Deputy Chief Minister, Shri O. Paneerselvam,Chairman of BhartiyaVidyaBhawan N. Raviwere among the dignitaries who graced the occasion at Raj Bhawan.