West Bengal govt strips BJP MP of state honour

The West Bengal government yesterday withdrew the Banga Bibhushan award, the state’s highest civilian award, conferred upon BJP MP Nagendra Ray, popularly known as Ananta Maharaj, for alleged derogatory remarks about Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose.

The move came less than 24 hours after Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari directed the police to take stringent action, including arrests, against those making derogatory remarks about Netaji, a freedom fighter and a revered figure in Bengal, on social media.

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Suvendu also said the law would apply equally to MPs, MLAs and government officials.

Adhikari’s direction to the police came days after Ananta Maharaj described Netaji as a “war criminal” and questioned his leadership and the role of the Azad Hind Fauj in India’s freedom struggle, reports NDTV online.

The BJP MP hails from Cooch Behar in the northern part of the state and is a leader of the Rajbanshi community.

He was honoured with Banga Bibhushan in February, when the Mamata Banerjee government was in power.

The award is given in recognition of distinguished and exemplary contribution to the state and its people and carries with it a high degree of dignity and prestige, the state government said in a statement.

The government said “certain facts and circumstances” have arisen which raise a question on the continued “retention of the honour” by Nagendra Ray.