Shah pays homage to Khudiram Bose, offers prayers at Siddheshwari Temple

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday paid homage to Khudiram Bose at his (Bose's) native village in Paschim Midnapore. The Union Minister said the freedom fighter "happily went to the gallows" to sacrifice himself for the Indian freedom movement."

"It is my good fortune that I have been able to touch to my forehead, the soil of the home of the great freedom fighter Khudiram Bose. He happily went to the gallows to sacrifice himself for the Indian freedom movement," Shah said.

During the visit to Bose's native place, Union Minister Shah also met with Bose's family members and felicitates them with honorary garbs. He also offered prayers at Siddheshwari Kali Temple in Midnapore.

Ahead of the Shah's visit, Gopal Basu, one of the family members had said, "I will tell Amit Shah, Khudiram Bose's birthplace hasn't seen any development. We only want the youth's employment."

Amid his two-day visit to West Bengal, Home Minister earlier today paid tribute to the Swami Vivekananda during a visit to the Ramakrishna Mission, saying that Vivekananda was a "great son of mother India" who devoted his life to national resurgence.

"Had the profound fortune of spending time at the Ramakrishna Mission & pay tributes to Swami Vivekananda ji. He was a great son of Mother India who devoted his life to National Resurgence. May his ideals continue to inspire us to transform India into a land of enlightened wisdom," Home Minister Shah tweeted.

Later today, he is slated to address a public rally in Midnapore.

Shah's visit comes at a time when several MLAs from the ruling Trinamool Congress have resigned from the party and the state Assembly in a setback to Mamata Banerjee ahead of 2021 Assembly polls.

There are speculations of Suvendu Adhikari joining the BJP. Adhikari, who had earlier resigned as a minister, resigned from the Legislative Assembly and left the ruling Trinamool Congress on Wednesday.

On the second day of his trip, the union minister will visit Vishwa Bharti University at Shantiniketan in Birbhum district, where he will pay tribute to Rabindranath Tagore, followed by an interaction with media.

The minister is also scheduled to visit Shyambati in Birbhum, where he will have lunch with the family of a Baul singer. Besides, he will hold a roadshow in Bolpur from hanuman mandir on Stadium Road to Bolpur Circle.

Shah is expected to conclude the visit with a press conference at Mohor Kutir in Birbhum.