The Marxists in Bengal, it seems, are ready to make amends. To start with, their quest for a national icon is settling down on Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, raising eyebrows within and outside the party. Come January 23 and the state government will be party to a celebration to mark Netaji’s birth anniversary. ‘‘We need a powerful symbol to combat the communal forces . And who could be a better hero than Netaji,’’ says Transport and Sports Minister Subhas Chakraborty. He said 10,000 men will leave on motorcycles from Dhaka, Cuttack and Kurseong on January 21 and reach Kolkata on Netaji’s birthday. They will be welcomed by CM Buddhadeb Bhattacharya. ‘‘He was a symbol of a relentless war against imperialism. We have to remember him in the time of crisis we’re passing through,’’ says LF chairman Biman Basu.
