Bengal government withdraws Banga Bibhusan to BJP MP Nagendra Roy
Nagendra Roy was conferred the award in February this year by the Trinamool Congress government. A leader from Cooch Behar was nominated to the Upper House from West Bengal in July 2023 as a candidate backed by the BJP.
The West Bengal government has withdrawn the Banga Bibhushan award from Rajya Sabha MP Nagendra Roy, alias Ananta Maharaj, following derogatory remarks he made about Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. The Trinamool Congress government had conferred the award to Mr. Roy in February 2026. Mr. Roy, a Cooch Behar leader and BJP nominee to the Rajya Sabha since July 2023, had called Netaji a "war criminal" and questioned his leadership and the role of the Azad Hind Fauj in India's freedom struggle.
The Information and Cultural Affairs department stated that retaining the award would be inconsistent with its dignity, prestige, and purpose. Consequently, Mr. Roy will no longer be entitled to represent himself as a recipient of the Banga Bibhushan. The government's move aimed to quell opposition targeting the BJP over the remarks.
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