PRIME MINISTER Narendra Modi unveiled a hologram statue of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose at India Gate on Sunday and said the country is correcting “mistakes” made after independence when, according to him, efforts were made to erase the contribution of “several great personalities” along with the nation’s heritage and culture.

The Prime Minister’s remarks were echoed by Union Home Minister Amit Shah who also spoke at the event about “an attempt to push into oblivion” several personalities from the freedom struggle.

Modi said: “Yeh durbhagya raha ki azadi ke baad desh ki sanskriti aur sanskaron ke saath hi anek mahan vyaktityon ki yogdan ko mitane ki kaam kiya gaya. Swadhinta sangram mein lakhon-lakh deshvasiyon ki tapasya shamil thi lekin unke itihaas ko bhi seemit karne ki koshish hui. Lekin aaj azadi ke dashkon baad desh un galtiyon ko danke ki chot par sudhar raha hai, thik kar raha hai.”

“It was unfortunate that after independence, efforts were made to erase the contribution of several great personalities, along with the culture and heritage of the country. The freedom struggle involved the penance of lakhs of people but there was an attempt to limit their history. But today, after decades of independence, the country is correcting those mistakes with boldness.”)

In this context, Modi said: “Today, the country is developing five pilgrimage sites (panch theerth) associated with Baba Saheb Bhimrao Ambedkar. The Statue of Unity has become a pilgrimage in the glory of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. We have named one island of Andaman after Netaji. A memorial has also been dedicated to his name there. It is a tribute not only to Netaji but also to the jawans of the Indian National Army (INA).”

He also referred to Janjatiya Gaurav Divas in honour of tribal icon Birsa Munda, and the construction of tribal museums across the country to mark the contribution of the community. He said it is the grand resolve of Azadi Ke Amrit Mahotsav — 75th year of independence celebrations — that India will revive its identity and inspirations.

Hailing Netaji’s role in the freedom struggle, Modi described him as the person who established the first independent government on Indian soil — a reference to the Azad Hind government that was formed in October 1943 in Singapore, and which subsequently held jurisdiction in Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

“Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose gave India the confidence to achieve an independent and prosperous country. With great pride, self-confidence and courage, he told the British that I will not take independence as alms, I will achieve it. He was the person who established the first independent government on Indian soil. Our Netaji’s splendid statue, in a digital form, is being established near India Gate. Very soon, in place of this digital statue, there will be a huge granite statue,” Modi said.