Mookerjee never disrespected Netaji, says Samik, blames Cong for Partition
Times of India | 15 August 2026
Kolkata: Seeking to counter criticism after its Rajya Sabha MP Ananta Maharaj’s remarks on Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, Bengal BJP on Friday held “Bibhajan Bibhishika” seminars across the city, highlighting the perils of Partition while continuing its “Tiranga Yatra” campaign.
At a Kolkata seminar, state BJP president Samik Bhattacharya said Syama Prasad Mookerjee’s party had never disrespected Netaji despite political differences. “When people were being tortured, Syama Prasad Mookerjee went to Bose’s Elgin Road residence. He asked Subhas Bose and Sarat Bose to take out rallies and lodge a protest. Neither of them responded to Mookerjee’s plea,” he said.
“Subhas Chandra Bose could understand that if Mookerjee floated a political party that would break Congress’s support. This is written in his diary. But neither Syama Prasad nor his party has shown any disregard to Netaji,” Bhattacharya added.
He said Netaji would reach every venue after Hindu Mahasabha meetings and addressed gatherings separately, where he said that “Trishul” could not bring freedom to India, but the Mahasabha never spoke against him. Bhattacharya also claimed Netaji, once critical of Hindutva ideologue VD Savarkar, later supported him.
Attacking Congress over Partition, Bhattacharya said “Netaji was not in favour” of the dissection of Vande Mataram and had written to Congress netas. “Had Congress not ousted him from the party, he would have raised his voice against Partition,” he said.
CM Suvendu Adhikari, addressing another seminar at Moulali Yuva Kendra, said: “Those who support ‘tukde tukde’ gang and oppose Operation Sindoor are still trying to weaken the country.” He accused Trinamool of choosing Poila Baisakh as “West Bengal Day” to erase the June 20, 1947 assembly vote.
A bhoomi puja for a Partition Memorial Statue was also held at Sealdah station. Centre plans to complete the memorial by Nov.