North 24 Paraganas4 minutes agoAuthor: Tirthankar Das
Union Minister of State Shantanu Thakur sparked controversy on Independence Day by calling for the term “Independence Day” to be removed from the dictionary and replaced with “Swaraj Diwas”.
Speaking at Petrapole on August 15, Thakur argued that India should no longer describe August 15 as a day of “Independence”, claiming that the term itself reflects a British legacy.
I think the term Independence Day should be removed from the dictionary itself,
Thakur said, arguing that India should instead celebrate the day as Swaraj Diwas, or the day of self-rule.
‘How long will we carry British tag?’
Thakur questioned the continued use of the term “Independence Day”, saying,
How long will we carry the tag given by the British on our shoulders?
He claimed that India had been economically prosperous before British rule and alleged that the country’s economic position declined drastically under colonial rule. Thakur argued that August 15 should instead be seen as the beginning of India’s own rule and self-governance.
Says he wrote to PM Modi
Thakur said he had officially written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi requesting that the term “Independence Day” be removed from India’s historical terminology.
According to the Union minister, India should celebrate the establishment of swaraj and recognise its position as the world’s largest democracy. He said India’s progress should remain the objective of every government, particularly the Central government.
Praises Modi and Suvendu Adhikari
Thakur also thanked Prime Minister Modi and West Bengal BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari, claiming that the latter’s political journey would help take West Bengal forward after decades of stagnation.
He expressed confidence that West Bengal would eventually show the way to the rest of India.
India should move forward with its head held high.
Thakur said India’s democratic system and development should allow the country to move forward with its head held high. His remarks at Petrapole have drawn attention on Independence Day, particularly his call to replace the widely used term “Independence Day” with “Swaraj Diwas” in official and historical usage.
