Abhishek Banerjee on Friday visited the Tama Cemetery and the Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo to pay respects to Rash Behari Bose and Radhabinod Pal, respectively, before urging the Indian ambassador to Japan to ensure better upkeep of Bose's grave, as he was disheartened by its current state.
The Trinamool Congress national general secretary is currently in Tokyo as part of a multi-party delegation to Southeast and East Asia to put across India’s views on "terrorism emanating from Pakistan".
"Felt a deep sense of pride and goosebumps while paying my respects and offering floral tributes to this great son of Bengal. India remains eternally grateful for his indomitable spirit and pivotal role in our freedom struggle," wrote Abhishek on X, with pictures of him at the Tama Cemetery grave of Bose, a key comrade of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose and an internationally revered icon of India's Independence movement in his own right.
Burdwan boy Bose (1886-1945) was a foremost organiser of the Ghadar Mutiny, who later founded the Indian Independence League, and played a pivotal role in strengthening the Indian National Army. He left Bengal to avoid the Alipore bomb case trials of 1908, and reached Japan in 1915 after being in hiding since the Delhi-Lahore Conspiracy to assassinate Viceroy, Lord Hardinge, in 1912. Siding with Imperial Japan against Great Britain in World War II, Bose made the East Asian nation his home till his death.
"It was disheartening to see his memorial in such a neglected and dilapidated state. I have requested our Ambassador @AmbSibiGeorge and @IndianEmbTokyo to take up the matter with the concerned authorities and ensure that this remarkable hero receives the honor he truly deserves," wrote Abhishek, part of the delegation visiting Japan, Indonesia, Malaysia, South Korea, and Singapore.
At the Yasukuni Shrine, the Diamond Harbour MP visited the memorial of Pal (1886-1967), the eminent jurist from Kushtia (now in Bangladesh) who was one of the three Asian judges in the International Military Tribunal for the Far East. In the Tokyo Trials of Japanese war crimes, he was the only member of the tribunal whose judgement insisted that none of the defendants was guilty.
"Day 2 in Tokyo of the All-Party Parliamentary Delegation to Japan was marked by moments of deep personal reflection and purposeful diplomatic engagement. I began the day by paying homage to two extraordinary sons of Bengal whose legacies transcend borders – Shri Rash Behari Bose, who championed India’s independence from afar with unflinching resolve, and Justice Radhabinod Pal, whose principled stand in the face of global consensus remains a testament to the courage of conviction," wrote Abhishek on X.
During the day, the delegation met Yasutoshi Nishimura, chairman of the Japan–India Parliamentary Friendship League, exchanging views on strengthening cooperation through democratic dialogue and institutional exchange. It also called on Fukushiro Nukaga, Speaker of Japan's House of Representatives.
"On behalf of our nation, we conveyed India’s gratitude for Japan’s steadfast support across decades, and reiterated our shared commitment to advancing peace, stability and democratic values in an increasingly fractured world. During our conversation, I took the opportunity to invite him to visit West Bengal on his next visit to India," wrote the 37-year-old leader, nephew of chief minister Mamata Banerjee.
"We concluded the day with a press interaction, underlining India’s strong and collective resolve to combat terrorism in all its forms," added the member of the parliamentary standing committee on external affairs.
Mamata demand
The chief minister on Friday issued a statement urging the Centre to convene a special session of Parliament after the delegations to the 32 countries and the European Union returned.
"... as I believe the people of this great nation have the foremost right to be informed about the recent conflict and the evolving developments - BEFORE ANYONE ELSE," she wrote on X.
"As I have consistently maintained, the AITC stands firmly behind any step the Union takes in the national interest and in defence of our sovereignty," added Mamata.