Sharing dais with PM: Mamata uncertain

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is scheduled to take part in a programme with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Victoria Memorial, but according to the sources in the state secretariat no

clearance is given about the TMC supremo's chances to attend the same.

Meanwhile, Banerjee has refused to call January 23 anything else but ‘Desh Nayak Diwas’. Announcing a ‘padyayatra’ on Saturday from Shyambazar in North Kolkata to Red Road to commemorate the 125th birth anniversary of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, the CM claimed that Netaji is one of the biggest saints of India.

“Netaji is not just limited to Bengal. He is the hero of our country. The TMC wants the day to be celebrated as Desh Nayak Diwas," Banerjee was heard saying several times.

The slugfest between the BJP and the ruling Trinamool Congress over Netaji is nothing new. Banerjee had asked the BJP-led central government to declare January 23 as a National holiday, but every time the Centre didn’t pay heed to her call.

Now the war of words between the two political parties got intensified after the BJP government declared January 23 as ‘Parakram Diwas’. Both the TMC and the Forward Bloc (party formed by Netaji) cried foul stating that both the parties were not consulted in the decisionmaking process before naming the day.

While the TMC wants the day to be celebrated as Desh Nayak Diwas, the Forward Bloc and a section of Bose’s family want Netaji’s birth anniversary to be observed as Desh Prem Diwas (day of patriotism).