Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressed anger on the organizers of the 125^th birth anniversary celebrations of Netaji Subash Chandra Bose on Saturday, insulting her by chanting “Jai Shri Ram” slogans by BJP supporters before her address on the Dias in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Kolkata’s Victoria Memorial.

Mamatha Benerjee said, “I think the Government’s programme should have dignity. This is not a political programme. I am grateful to the Prime Minister and the Ministry of Culture that such an event has been organised in Kolkata. It (the slogan) doesn’t suit you to insult an invitee. In protest, I will not speak anything.

Jai Bangla, Jai Hind,” she said and returned to the seat next to Modi. The awkward moment took place when the moderator of the event announced Bengal CM’s name as the next speaker. As Mamata Banerjee stood up and started walking towards the podium, some of the audience chanted Jai Shri Ram slogan and said they would not want to listen to her. Others among the crowd were seen pacifying those who raised the slogan.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his address at the event said his Government’s initiatives with the Netaji’s ideology and vision. He also compared the Centre’s Aatmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India) vision with the ideology of Bose. He also said “Bengal had been Netaji’s workplace. He had a far-sighted vision. He wanted to build up Aatmanirbhar Bharat.

Today, India is heading towards the same goal. Netaji’s ideology now is in ground reality,” said Modi, while addressing an audience of odd 1,000 people. The Centre is walking along the path shown by Netaji and implementing his ideologies, he said. “Netaji wanted to build a Sonar Bangla. Our aim is the same. We will build up his workplace like the same he wanted,” said Modi.