Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit West Bengal on 23 January to mark the 125th birth anniversary of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, which is being celebrated as ‘Parakram Diwas’.
Modi will share the dais with chief minister Mamata Banerjee at a programme to felicitate INA veterans in Victoria Memorial in the evening. Prior to which he is slated to visit the National Library to attend an international seminar on Netaji.
According to the prime minister’s itinerary, Modi would arrive at the National Library at around 3.30 p.m. and then visit Artists Camp before delivering a valedictory address in an international seminar on Netaji. After which, he would leave for Victoria Memorial at 4:15 p.m.
A cultural programme would be held at Victoria Memorial. The welcome performance would be presented by drummers of Rajasthan and West Bengal. This would be followed by songs accompanied by an orchestra. Modi would also inaugurate an exhibition on Netaji.
Next, there would be a felicitation programme of INA veterans and other freedom fighters. Apart from Modi and Miss Banerjee, Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar would also be present on the occasion. The INA veterans who would be honoured are Lt Asha Sahai Chowdhury, Sepoy Lalti Ram, Sepoy Yadav and Nayak Pandey. After addressing the gathering,
Modi would inaugurate a Projection Mapping Show through remote control. The programme would conclude with another song followed by the National Anthem. Modi would leave for Delhi at around 7 p.m.
An 85-member high-level committee helmed by Modi has been formed by the Centre to plan year-round programmes to mark Netaji’s birth anniversary.
Modi’s visit assumes significance as the Assembly elections in Bengal are slated to take place in April. Sources said Modi may hold discussions with state BJP leadership during his visit. The BJP has been aggressively campaigning in the state over the past few months.