West Bengal revokes the Banga Bibhushan award from Nagendra Ray, known as Ananta Maharaj, a BJP Rajya Sabha MP. The state government cancels the honour effective immediately after remarks he made about Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, which multiple outlets describe as derogatory or insulting.
Both reports link the decision to controversy around his comments questioning aspects of Bose’s leadership and the Azad Hind Fauj, the armed force associated with Bose. The revocation follows backlash and heightened political sensitivity around Netaji’s legacy in West Bengal and beyond. While outlets differ in how they characterize the comments—using terms such as “derogatory” or “insulting” and noting dispute over leadership and the Azad Hind Fauj—the outcome reported is the same: the state withdraws the award in response to the controversy.
The decision signals that the state government is acting on public reaction to the MP’s statements, treating them as incompatible with the award’s purpose. Details on any official notice wording, the full text of the remarks, or whether legal or administrative appeals are planned are not provided in the accounts.
