Mamata kicks off procession on Netaji's 125th birth anniversary

West Bengal Chief MinisterMamata Banerjee on Saturday kicked off a grand procession hereto pay tribute to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose on his 125thbirth anniversary.Before the commencement of the procession fromSyambazar area in the northern part of the city, Banerjee blewa conch shell and a siren was sounded at 12.15 pm, the timewhen Bose was born on this day in 1897.We do not celebrate Netajis birthday only in theyears when elections are scheduled.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday kicked off a grand procession hereto pay tribute to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose on his 125thbirth anniversary.

Before the commencement of the procession fromSyambazar area in the northern part of the city, Banerjee blew a conch shell and a siren was sounded at 12.15 pm, the time when Bose was born on this day in 1897.

''We do not celebrate Netaji's birthday only in the years when elections are scheduled. We are grandly celebrating his125th birth anniversary. Rabindranath Tagore described Netaji as Deshnayak. That is why we have decided to celebrate this day as Deshnayak Diwas,'' she said.

''Netaji was one of the greatest freedom fighters of the country. He was a great philosopher,'' she said.

Banerjee also urged the Centre to declare Netaji'sbirthday as a national holiday.

The 7-km procession will culminate at the Netaji'sstatue on Red Road where Banerjee will be addressing the gathering.

Hundreds of people, several senior leaders of Trinamool Congress, and MLAs joined the procession to pay their tribute to the freedom fighter. Chief secretary AlapanBandyopadhyay and other bureaucrats of the state government are also present at the rally.