West Bengal CM Suvendu Adhikari pays tribute at a decorated statue of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, at Red Road in Kolkata.
| Photo Credit: ANI
Days after remarks by a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Rajya Sabha MP directed at Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose created a major controversy in political and social circles of the State, West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Wednesday (August 12, 2026) directed the police to take action against such remarks.
“We will not allow this (remarks against Netaji) to be made from the soil of West Bengal. The police will take appropriate and strong action,” the Chief Minister said.
Nagendra Roy alias Ananta Maharaj, a leader from Cooch Behar was nominated to the Upper House from West Bengal in July 2023 as a candidate backed by the BJP. Mr. Roy is a prominent leader of the Greater Cooch Behar People’s Association and an influential figure from the Rajbanshi community of north Bengal. A few days ago, he called Netaji a “war criminal” and questioned his leadership and raised doubts over the role of the Azad Hind Fauj in India’s freedom struggle.
A group of BJP MLAs and Ministers from north Bengal met the Chief Minister and raised the issue of remarks against Netaji. The Chief Minister with the BJP MLAs and Director General of Police Siddha Nath Gupta by his side said that the police will not only book the people making derogatory statements against Netaji. but will also arrest them.
On whether police will take any action against Ananta Maharaj, Mr. Adhikari said, “I will not name anyone, but the law is equal for MLAs, MPs, leaders of any party, government officials, or police officers”. The Chief Minister said that those posting derogatory messages must delete and apologise.
The development came a day after former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday (August 11, 2026) held a protest next to a statue of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose in Kolkata’s Shyambazar area over controversial remarks made against Netaji by the BJP MP.
Earlier in the day Mr. Adhikari directed all the West Bengal MLAs to set up ‘seva kendras’ (public service centres) named Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose in every Assembly constituency. Mr. Adhikari said that photographs of Netaji will be put up in every school of the State.
Published – August 13, 2026 05:20 am IST
