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Kolkata wrapped with tight security ahead of Prime Minister Modi’s visit

PM Modi will begin his tour of Kolkata with a speech in an international seminar dedicated to Netaji at the National Library. Subsequently, he will travel to the Victoria Memorial.

Kolkata wrapped with tight security ahead of Prime Minister Modi’s visit

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

Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit for the celebration of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose’s 125 birth anniversary celebration in Kolkata, the city has been wrapped with tight security by local police and central security agencies.

PM Modi will begin his tour of Kolkata with a speech in an international seminar dedicated to Netaji at the National Library. Subsequently, he will travel to the Victoria Memorial.

Prominent Bengali celebrities will take part where Modi will commemorate Netaji’s birth anniversary celebrations at the Victoria Memorial hall.

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Bengali singers Usha Utthup, Somlata Acharyya and Anwesha will perform at the culture event. Assamese singer Papon is also on the list that contains names of all the performers.

According to the details released by the PMO on Thursday, the programme will begin with a display of child artists performing on the song ‘Kadam Kadam Bachaye Ja’.

This will be followed by performances from the singers. The event will mark its conclusion with everyone sharing voice to sing the Azad Hind Fauj’s national anthem ‘Shubh Sukh Chain’.

According to police sources, about 2,000 security personnel will be deployed across Kolkata to maintain the required security mechanism. Sand bunker and quick response teams will also be arranged at the venues where the Prime Minister Modi will visit. Drone cameras will also be used to keep an eye on the movements in and around the particular area, sources said.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will also take out a rally from Shyambazar five-point crossing to Red Road on Saturday to celebrate Netaji’s birth anniversary. The rally will start at 12 noon from Netaji’s statue at the busy crossing.

Police sources said that there will be naka-checking at several major traffic intersections of Kolkata from Friday night itself. Already the personal security team of the Prime Minister has arrived in Kolkata.

The central government earlier this month had formed a high-level committee to commemorate Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose on his 125th birth anniversary.

The 85-member committee, which will be led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and also include Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, was formed to overlook the year-long celebration for Bose, from January 23, 2021 to the same day in 2022.

On the other hand, the West Bengal government has formed a separate committee to plan Netaji’s 125th birth anniversary celebrations.

The committee – led by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee – boasts a similar demography as its central counterpart. However, there are not many eminent personalities from outside Bengal.

As West Bengal heads towards a much-talked-about Assembly Election, the political parties are busy appeasing the cultural and social icons of the state.

Netaji, being one of the most prominent figures of Bengal since pre-independence, has been a major talking point ahead of the election with both BJP and TMC trying to emerge as the better servant of his cause.

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