West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has directed the police to take stringent action against people making derogatory remarks about Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, saying that nobody would be spared irrespective of their political or official position.

The direction came days after BJP MP Nagendranath Roy, popularly known as Ananta Maharaj, described Netaji as a “war criminal” and questioned his leadership and the role of the Azad Hind Fauj in India’s freedom struggle.

Speaking to reporters at the state secretariat Nabanna, Adhikari said the police had been instructed to arrest those behind such remarks on social media.

“I have asked the police to take stringent action against those making derogatory remarks against Netaji on social media. Police have been directed to arrest those behind this,” he said.

Adhikari says law applies equally to all

Asked whether action would be taken against Ananta Maharaj, Adhikari did not name anyone specifically but said the law was equal for everyone.

“I will not name anyone, but the law is equal for MLAs, MPs, leaders of any party, government officials, or police officers,” he said.

Adhikari also urged people who have posted derogatory comments about Netaji on social media to delete them immediately and issue an apology.

However, he cautioned that deleting a post would not necessarily prevent police action, saying the police would independently decide what action should be taken.

“But even deleting the post may not help, as the police will make the final decision independently,” the chief minister said.

The Uttar Pradesh government has launched a pilot project to collect cow urine from farmers in Bulandshahr, with the initiative aimed at creating an additional source of income for farmers and rural women while helping maintain cows that are no longer producing milk.

The collected cow urine is expected to be used as a raw material for agricultural purposes, with the possibility of reducing reliance on chemical formulations. If the pilot is successful, the government plans to formulate a formal policy and expand the initiative across Uttar Pradesh.

The pilot covers 15 villages and is being implemented through a Farmer Producer Organization (FPO) led by Dr Praveen in Narsaina village of Syana tehsil.

Around 500 litres of cow urine are currently being collected every day. There are plans to increase the procurement rate to ₹20 per litre in the future. Storage tanks with a capacity of 200 litres have also been installed in the villages.

Rural women to earn through collection

Women in the villages are playing a key role in the collection process. Those involved in collecting cow urine are being paid a commission of ₹2 per litre, providing them with an additional source of income.

The initiative reportedly began with the participation of around 300 women, who have been made shareholders.

SP alleges election funding scam

The Samajwadi Party has criticised the initiative, calling the cow urine procurement scheme a “scam”.

SP spokesperson Mohammad Azam Khan alleged that the scheme was being orchestrated to raise funds for elections. He also alleged that cow shelters and the cows housed there were not safe in the state and claimed that the initiative would not lead to development.

These claims are allegations by the Samajwadi Party and have not been established as facts.

BJP hits back at Samajwadi Party

Responding to the criticism, BJP spokesperson Hero Bajpai said the Samajwadi Party finds fault with every development scheme.

He also claimed that the opposition party was unhappy with benefits reaching the Yadav community, which he said is the section whose interests the Samajwadi Party champions.

Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Tuesday challenged Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi to remain in Parliament and participate in the discussion, as Home Minister Amit Shah prepares to respond to issues raised by the Congress leader.

Rijiju’s remarks came amid a continuing standoff between the government and the Opposition over recent student protests and the police action against demonstrators. The issue has repeatedly disrupted proceedings in Parliament, with the Opposition seeking answers from the government.

Rahul Gandhi has been demanding a response from Amit Shah on the matter. The government has now agreed to a debate, with the Home Minister expected to respond to the questions raised by the Opposition.

Rijiju asks Rahul Gandhi to stay for Shah’s response

In a social media post, Rijiju said Rahul Gandhi had been seeking a response from Amit Shah for several days.

He argued that since the Home Minister was now ready to answer the questions in detail, Rahul Gandhi should remain present in Parliament and take part in the discussion rather than leave.

The remarks came as the government and Opposition remained at odds over the handling of the student protests, with the issue becoming a major point of contention during the Monsoon Session.