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Bihar Bengalee Association (BBA), Bhagalpur branch has urged the central government to declare January 23, the birthday of real hero of this country, Subhash Chandra Bose, as a national holiday. The association also requested Bihar government to take appropriate steps to conserve the places in  Bihar in the memories Netaji where the great Indian leader visited during his life time.

A man in Netaji’s dress.

Dr. Ratna Mukherjee, a retired teacher from Tilka Manjhi Bhagalpur University (TMBU) and the   president of the association at Bhagalpur said that even after long years of Netaji’s mysteriously disappearance  from the world, people still remember him with great respect and he is still a popular leader

The procession starts from Durga Charan High school.

among people in the world. “Every Indian could realize how freedom came with the great efforts by Netaji. Netaji’s sacrifice for the country however became a forgotten chapter despite the fact that every common citizen in Indian still love and respect the great Indian leader,” she pointed out.

Jayjit Ghosh, general secretary said the Jharkhand government has announced holiday on the occasion of Bose’s birthday today. “Bihar government should do the same here,” he demanded.

school students in the procession.

The association has taken out an impressive Prabhat Ferry (morning march) this morning here on the streets of Bhagalpur to mark the great event of Netaji’s birthday celebration. School children and people from various walks of lives marched on the road on the tune of “Kadam Kadam badhaya ja, kushi ki geet gaye ja..”. The procession was flagged off at Durga Charan High school premises by the superintendent of JLN Medical college and hospital, Dr R C Mandal  and after passing through different streets here, it concluded

Mega blood donation camp on the occasion of Netaji’s birth anniversary.

at the statue of Netaji at local Lajpath park. “Netaji came here and address a gathering. Late Swami Madhava Nand Puri, a monk of Ramakrishna Ashram here managed to install a statue of Netaji on his memory here on seventies. People use to garland the statue here,” pointed out Somnath Sarkar, a member of BBA, Bhagalpur.

A man donates blood.

The association also organized a mega blood donation camp at the premises of Durga Charan Primary school where 164 people including sizable number of women and young girls donated bloods. The blood donation was conducted under the supervision of Dr. Rekha Jha, in-charge of blood bank, J L N Medical college and hospital, Bhagalpur.

A young girl donating bloods at the camp.

“Look once Netaji said –give me blood, I will give you freedom. Today we have started following him with our slogan- donate bloods for saving lives,” pointed out Uttam Devnath and Nirupam Kanti Pal, members of BBA, Bhagalpur. Rajiv Benerjee, spokesperson of BBA, Bhagalpur said young

Completing formalities before blood donation.

generation has shown keen interests and come forward for donating bloods. “Like every year, this time we too received huge response from the blood donors, Rajiv said.

Blood donors waiting for their turn.

“The participation of people to celebrate Netaji’s birth anniversary and even the huge crowd at the mega blood donation camp once proved that people still love their great leader. It’s a matter of regrate that the government failed to read public sentiment in the country. January 23 should be declared as a national holiday,” pointed out Dr. Sharmila Bagchi, a former teacher at TMBU.

Netaji’s birth anniversary at Nathnagar.

People also celebrated Netaji’s birth anniversary at Nathnagar.  A cultural event also organized there to mark the great event.