To include Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose’s birth anniversary

New Delhi: Republic Day celebrations will now begin every year from January 23 instead of January 24 to include the birth anniversary of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose.

“This is in line with the Modi Government’s focus on celebrating/commemorating important aspects of our history and culture,” sources said. The Centre had earlier started the celebration of Subhas Chandra Bose’s birth anniversary as Parakram Diwas.

Chandra Kumar Bose, the grandnephew of Netaji Bose, said, “The people of India appreciate the efforts made by the NDA under the leadership of Narendra Modi. But what is more important in today’s India, and I have written in this regard to PM Modi, is that we must implement Netaji’s inclusive ideology. He was the only leader who could unite the people irrespective of their religion.

“We have already seen the partition of India and Bengal. If Netaji had returned to India, there would have been no partition. But India is breaking up again. Divisive politics must stop. We must have communal harmony,” Chandra Kumar Bose said.