Netaji row: WB govt strips BJP MP Anant Maharaj of state honour

The West Bengal Government on Thursday withdrew and annulled the Banga Bibhushan honour conferred on Nagendra Ray alias Ananta Maharaj on February 21. In an order, the Information and Cultural Affairs Department said that certain facts and circumstances that emerged after the conferment of the honour raised questions over its continued retention. The move came after Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari directed the police to take stringent action, including arrests, against those making derogatory remarks about Netaji, a freedom fighter and a revered figure in Bengal, on social media, and said the law would apply equally to MPs, MLAs and government officials.The government said the honour has been withdrawn and annulled with immediate effect.

West Bengal government has withdrawn and annulled the Banga Bibhushan awarded to Nagendra Ray alias Ananta Maharaj on February 21, 2026. Citing subsequent facts and circumstances, the government said retaining the honour was inconsistent with its dignity, prestige and purpose,… pic.twitter.com/924uGB575d

— IANS (@ians_india) August 13, 2026

The BJP MP hails from Cooch Behar in the northern part of the state and is a leader of the Rajbanshi community. On February 21, former West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee conferred the Bangabibhushan award on BJP's Rajya Sabha MP Anant Maharaj on the occasion of Bhasha Diwas.
Earlier in the day, the Supreme Court refused to entertain a request by a lawyer seeking the Court to take suo moto cognisance and initiate proceedings against Rajya Sabha MP Nagendra Ray, aka Anant Maharaj, who has allegedly made defamatory statements against Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. A bench led by CJI Surya Kant told the counsel representing the petitioner to file a writ petition on the issue instead of seeking suo moto action. "File a petition! Your concern is that someone is making comment which is equivalent to a hate speech, file a petition, then we will examine it", Justice Joymalya Bagchi said.