New Delhi: The Congress will construct the tallest statue of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose in West Bengal if voted to power, and save the state from “Gujarat-isation by the BJP”, party leader Jitin Prasada said.
In an exclusive interview to ThePrint, Prasada, who is the AICC in-charge for West Bengal, said the Congress’ pitch for the elections will be to “save the soul of the state”.
“The BJP doesn’t care for the culture and identity of West Bengal. It is evident in their past dealings. Why haven’t they made a 182-metre tall statue of Subhash Chandra Bose yet? If the Congress comes to power in West Bengal, we will make the tallest statue of Bose,” Prasada told ThePrint.
In 2018, the Narendra Modi government had built the ‘Statue of Unity’, a 182-meter tall statue of Sardar Vallabahai Patel, freedom fighter and the country’s first deputy PM. The colossal statue stands on Sadhu island on the Narmada in Gujarat.
Subhash Chandra Bose, popularly known as ‘Netaji’, was the freedom fighter from Bengal, and is one of biggest and most prominent Bengali icons.
This year, all eyes are on the crucial West Bengal assembly polls, slated for April-May, for which the Congress and the CPI(M)-led Left front have announced their alliance.
The Congress has announced a four-member committee, headed by state party chief Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, to hold talks with the Left parties to decide on the seat-sharing.
The Bengal elections have been the BJP’s prime focus, with the party saying that Union Home Minister Amit Shah will be visiting the state “every month for 7 days”.
Also read: Doctors, IITians, lawyers — BJP’s army of Bengal professionals & their big job ahead of polls
‘Congress will fight to save the soul of Bengal’
Prasada said the Congress strives to protect West Bengal from “the ideological invasion” of the BJP.
“The BJP stands against the very idea of West Bengal. West Bengal has been known for its culture and heritage, and legends like Rabindranath Tagore, Bankim Chandra Chatterjee and Subhash Chandra Bose are examples of this heritage,” Prasada said.
But the BJP’s intention is to “Gujarat-ise” the state, he said.
“I am of the view that the BJP wants to Gujarat-ise West Bengal. They want to change its culture and lifestyle, its heritage. But the people of the state won’t allow it. And the Congress will fight to save the soul of the state from this political and ideological invasion by the BJP,” he added.
In the 2016 West Bengal assembly polls, the Left Front and Congress together had won 76 out of the 294 seats and about 38 per cent of the vote share, while the BJP had won just 3. The TMC had come to power with a thumping majority — winning 211 seats.
‘Muslims will not fritter away vote to the likes of Owaisi’
The Congress believes it will emerge as an alternative for the non-BJP voter, who stands against the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) as well, Prasada said.
“The TMC’s track record of various corruption charges is very visible and out in the open in West Bengal. The voters, then, will look towards Congress as an alternative,” Prasada said.
“The Congress has a very deep-rooted connect with the people of the state,” he added.
Prasada, however, dismissed the possibility of AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi’s entry into West Bengal making any difference in the elections.
Owaisi will be contesting the Bengal polls, buoyed by the party’s performance in the Bihar elections where it bagged five seats.
Last week, Owaisi visited West Bengal and met with Peerzada Abbas Siddique, an influential cleric of the Furfura Sharif.
The Congress is said to have a stronghold in the Muslim-dominated districts of Murshidabad and Malda, which the AIMIM may potentially hurt.
But Prasada does not think the AIMIM will be able to do much damage.
“Muslims will not fritter away their vote and experiment with the likes and kinds of these people whose only job is to benefit other parties,” Prasada said.
Also read: BJP’s West Bengal dilemma — fight a Modi vs Didi battle or find itself a Sourav Ganguly
It is very strange that —Jitin Prasada-Congress in-charge of Bengal Jitin Prasada ,is saying that Congress will build tallest Netaji statue . Does he not know the treatment meted out to Neta ji and his memory by the owners of congress party — Nehru/Gandhi family ?? Every body who has any knowledge /interest in history of Indian politics since 1947 , knows it very well . But it is heartening to know that incumbent Bengal Congress in-charge has dared to acknowledge the great contribution and sacrif.ices made by Neta Ji subhash chanderaBose–HE-MAN OF INDIA S FREEDOM STRUGGLE. By this time the in-charge ji must have been shown the out door . If orders have not come by now , till he gets marching orders , he can indulge into such type of IDIOSYNCRANCIES
Statues provide targets for Vandals. Our experience, especially with Dr.Ambedkar’s statues proves this. Stop this nonsensical competition for erecting taller statues.
The Real fight will be between two SECULAR PARTIES WHO DEPEND on SECULAR VOTES who are in minority now but will be majority soon.
THE fight is between DIDI and AKBARUDDIN.
AKBARUDDIN is a important ideologue amongst SECULAR community, who has clearly mentioned that infidels are weak can be dealt in half an hour in f their is no police protection.
HINDUS must vote for a party which will not discriminate against HINDUS and protect their progressive culture from RIOTERS AND PROSELYTIZERS.
HINDUS must realise that both DIDI AND AKBARUDDIN take instructions from the same religious book which has a final solution for IDOL WORSHIPPERS.
Very true ABUSE OF POWER BY CENTRAL GOVT> Not competent to correct the deficiencies and defects but goes for New names incompetently working in-efficiently. Please view my comments on the BANKING SECTOR. Most of my frank comments are hacked ?
Bengalis are finally becoming courageous. They will not run away the way you guys runaway during Mopla uprising. It was only Gorkha troops in British army that saved you guys, otherwise your Krat would be keeping beard and doing Namaz five times a a day and Brenda would be putting on Niqab.