‘Grand statue’ of Netaji to come up at India Gate: PM Modi

Narendra Modi paying tributes to Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose. (narendramodi.in) (File photo)


Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday announced the setting up of a ‘grand’ statue of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose at the India Gate marking his 125th birth anniversary.

In a series of tweets, Prime Minister Modi said the granite statue of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose would be a symbol of ‘India’s indebtedness to him’.

“At a time when the entire nation is marking the 125th birth anniversary of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, I am glad to share that his grand statue, made of granite, will be installed at India Gate. This would be a symbol of India’s indebtedness to him,” PM Narendra Modi tweeted.

The Prime Minister further announced that till the grand statue of Netaji was completed a hologram statue of Netaji Bose would be present at the same place. He said he would unveil the hologram statue on 23 January, the birth anniversary of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose.

“Till the grand statue of Netaji Bose is completed, a hologram statue of his would be present at the same place. I will unveil the hologram statue on 23rd January, Netaji’s birth anniversary,” Modi announced.

The decision to install Netaji’s statue at India Gate comes at a time when the government has decided to begin Republic Day celebrations on 23 January till 26 January every year.

The 28 feet * 6 feet statue of Netaji Bose will come up under the vacant canopy which earlier had a statue of George V. The statue was removed from under the canopy in 1968. The statue of George V was kept in a store for some time after Independence and later shifted to Delhi’s Coronation Park.

A PMO official note termed the whole exercise of filling up the vacant space under the canopy with a grand statue of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, in place of George V statue, as India ‘reclaiming its history’. “India is reclaiming its history:..,” the PMO note said.

The canopy’s original top, with gilded Tudor Crown bearing Royal Cyphers of King George V was removed in 1958.