In the poll bound state of West Bengal, during an event to celebrate the 125th birth anniversary of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has said that India should have four 'rotating capitals' instead of one. She also said that the parliament sessions should alternate between major cities.
"I believe India must have four rotating capitals. The English ruled the entire country from Kolkata. Why should there be only one capital city in our country," said Mamata Banerjee. "Parliament sessions, why only in Delhi? In Delhi everyone is an outsider," she said.
Kolkata remained the capital of the British Indian Empire from 1772 to 1911 after which the capital was relocated to Delhi.
"I say sessions of parliament should be held in different cities across the country in turn. We are not parochial. We are saying this (for) everyone. Why not a session in Andhra Pradesh or Tamil Nadu or Kerala, why not one in Uttar Pradesh or Punjab or Rajasthan or Madhya Pradesh? Why not one in Bihar, Odisha or Bengal, in Kolkata. Why not one in the northeast?," she added.
She also questioned Centre's decision to declare January 23 as Parakram Diwas. "We have observed 'Deshnaayak Divas' today. Rabindranath Tagore called Netaji 'Deshnaayak'. What is this 'Parakram'?" questioned Banerjee.
Banerjee also attacked the Centre for deciding to build a new parliament but failing to construct a memorial for Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose. "You are building new parliament (Rs 20,000 crore on the Central Vista project) and buying new planes (Rs 8,000 crore on custom-built Boeings), why no memorial for Netaji?," she asked.
West Bengal's TMC government has set up a committee to conduct year-long celebrations till January 23, 2022, all over the state. Besides this, a monument, named after Azad Hind Fauj, will be built at Rajarhat and a university, named after Bose, is being set up in the state.