In Kolkata, the state’s education minister sparked a sharp political spat on Saturday. Bratya Basu compared the alleged entry routes of Rohingya refugees from Myanmar to the path the Azad Hind Fauj—Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose’s Indian National Army—took into Bengal in 1944. His comments have pulled the issue of a “Special Intensive Revision” (SIR) of West Bengal’s electoral rolls into the spotlight.
The SIR, ordered by the Election Commission, aims to clean up voters lists and reportedly spot people who may not be legitimate voters. The ruling Trinamool Congress, led by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, has long opposed the revision. “They want us to take a hard look at our voters,” Banerjee said in early January, citing the need for transparency.
The BJP, on the other hand, argues the sweep is essential to find what it calls “Rohingya infiltrators” living in West Bengal. They say the revision will help safeguard the state’s electoral integrity.
When Basu made his remark on television, he said the BJP “doesn’t understand the map” and that the Rohingya path from Myanmar mirrors the 1944 route the Azad Hind Fauj used from Burma into Kolkata. He added that the BJP was “insulting” this historic journey.
Basu’s statement drew a furious response from the BJP. They slammed him for distorting history and insulting the war heroes who fought for independence. Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar took to social media, calling the comparison “extremely sad and condemnable.” He reminded people that the Azad Hind Fauj entered Indian soil in 1944 for the sake of freedom, not as infiltrators.
The BJP has demanded an immediate apology and has even urged Basu to resign. They say his comment could inflame tensions and undermine India’s independence legacy.
The Azad Hind Fauj was an armed force formed during World II under Bose’s leadership. Though it never won a war, it inspired nationalist sentiment across India. The debate over the SIR and Basu’s remarks shows how electoral politics and historical memory continue to collide in West Bengal.
As the election commission pushes forward with the SIR, state leaders and parties will have to square off over what is right for voters, the bureaucracy, and the country’s history.
Source: ianslive
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