Holiday for 'political' events, why not for Netaji's birth anniversary, says Mamata Banerjee

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has taken a dig at the central government for its failure to declare a holiday on January 23, marking the birth anniversary of the iconic freedom fighter Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. Expressing her disappointment, Banerjee, in an apparent reference to the recent Ram Mandir consecration ceremony, criticized the government for granting holidays for what she termed as "political publicity."

Addressing a gathering at a program in Kolkata, Mamata Banerjee voiced her concerns, stating, "I am ashamed that a holiday was given for political programs, but not for people who have laid down their lives for the country."

The Chief Minister, known for her vocal stance on national issues, further asserted her long-standing effort to have Netaji's birthday recognized as a national holiday. "I have fought all my life to get the government of India to announce Netaji's birthday as a national holiday. But I'm sorry, I failed," she expressed at the event organized to commemorate Netaji's birth anniversary.

While Uttar Pradesh declared a complete holiday on this occasion, several states opted for a half-day closure (till 2.30 pm) for their government offices and educational institutes on January 22, citing the 'pran pratishtha' ceremony at the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya.

The decision to grant a holiday for the Ram Mandir event sparked controversy, with Bar associations urging judicial forums to either suspend judicial work for the day or refrain from passing adverse orders due to the non-appearance of lawyers or litigants.