Following the return of Biju Patnaik’s Dakota aircraft, the demand to bring back Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose’s favourite Austin car has grown manifold.
People have been demanding to keep Netaji’s favourite Austin car at his birthplace 'Janakinath Bhawan' at Odia Bazaar in Cuttack.
Congress party voiced its concern and put forth its demand. Speaking to OTV, party spokesperson, Jinesh Das said, “Netaji had used that Austin car to flee to Burma from Kolkata where he was under house arrest by the British government. Subsequently, he formed the Azad Hind Fauj. As the car carries significant historical importance, we demand the Odisha government to bring it back to the State.”
“We have all seen how the Odisha government brought back Biju Patnaik’s Dakota aircraft. As per our sources, the car is currently housed at a museum in Kolkata. We would like to see the same effort from the State government to bring back the Austin as well,” Dash said.
While it has been established that Netaji had actually used the car from 1930 to 1941 and had reportedly travelled from Kolkata to Burma but the whereabouts of the car is still unclear and no documents can be found regarding the same. However, Cuttack-based Netaji Foundation, which sent a memorandum to Cuttack Collector Bhabani Shankar Chayani on Monday, claimed that there are media reports that the vehicle was located at Barari coke plant at Dhanbad in 2014.
The country celebrated January 23, the birthday of the nationalist leader, as Parakram Diwas. The day this year marked the 126th birth anniversary of the great leader.
(Reported By Jagdis Das, OTV)