Kolkata: Grandnephew of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, Chandra Kumar Bose has again raised some uncomfortable questions for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The Bengal BJP vice president claimed that had Netaji been alive, he would not have supported Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), nor would Mahatma Gandhi.
He also said that Narendra Modi government’s tagline Sabka Sath, Sabka Vikash would remain incomplete without Muslims, for without them, how could it be Sabka Sath?, Netaji’s kin questioned.
Neither Netaji nor Gandhi would have supported CAA
Talking to eNewsroom, Bose said that even Mahatma Gandhi along with Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose didn’t allow religion over politics.
“Netaji was a spiritual person, his spiritual guru was Swami Vivekananda. He was a staunch Hindu, but never used religious symbols for political purposes. He always believed in being an Indian, which is above every religion. Even Mahatma Gandhi believed in giving shelter to persecuted people from both East and West Pakistan. ” said Bose adding that if CAA and NRC are implemented then lakhs of people would become homeless.
He further said, “Neither Netaji nor Gandhi Ji would have supported CAA.”
“It’s good to identify illegal immigrants, but that should not be on religious lines and in the process of such finding, several legal citizens even from the minority community will be homeless. Muslims have always been a marginalized community. Muslims also have the right to stay here, as India has always been secular country. Even minorities have voted for the BJP to come back to power and this gesture should be respected,” said Bengal BJP vice-president.
Asked about possibility of NRC in Bengal to which the BJP vice-president said that now it is clear that implementation of NRC will not be a cake walk in Bengal.
“It is not just the political parties but the general public organisation in Bengal that are holding protest everyday against CAA and NRC. Students’ movement has started and several colleges where there is no student union are also taking part in the protest. Such students’ protest is a warning bell for any government. The saffron camp should respond to the common people. The Muslims have contributed in Gujarat for the BJP to form government and similarly Muslim votes are very much needed for the BJP to form the next state government in Bengal,” mentioned the 60-year-old leader.
Jinnah was secular leader
Chandra Bose reiterated that Mohhamad Ali Jinnah a ‘secular leader’, Bose said that even Jinnah was not in favour of partition of the country on religious lines and also mentioned that the partition happened due to ‘communal leader’ in the Congress regime.
“Till 1940 Jinnah never wanted Pakistan, but as he was completely alienated by the Congress leadership and realised that he can never share power in India, he raised the Pakistan issue in the Lahore Conference in 1940,” said Bose, who is penning down a book, Relevance of Bose Brothers in 21st Century.
BJP should follow Atal Bihari and not Shyama Prasad in Bengal
Suggesting that the saffron camp can only form the government in Bengal if they follow the path of Swami Vivekananda and Subhas Chandra Bose, the BJP state vice president said, “BJP was formed under the leadership of Atal Bihari Vajpayee and not Dr Shyama Prasad Mookerjee. Utilising -Dr Mookerjee’s name as founder would not help the Party connect with the people of Bengal or the rest of the country. Vajpayee and Narendra Modi are much more popular among Bengalis and the nation today than Dr Mookherjee. I think the Party should follow the path of Swami Vivekananda and Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose in West Bengal and emerge as an inclusive alternative to TMC.”
However, Bose, who is very critical of BJP over citizenship issue has no plan to leave the saffron brigade. “I am not going to leave the party. I have joined party on Narendra Modi’s advice, and when he will tell me to leave, then only I will.”
He added, “But Modi must control the hot heads in the party.”
