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Yogi Adityanath sparked outrage by misattributing the slogan associated with Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose to Swami Vivekananda during a rally in West Bengal. Social media has reacted strongly.
Yogi Adityanath’s Vivekananda quote ahead of Bengal elections sets social media on fire, ‘Netaji must be thrilled’ (@myogiadityanath X/ANI Photo)(@myogiadityanath X/ANI Photo)What Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said during a campaign rally in West Bengal on 20 April has set social media on fire. He wrongly attributed the iconic slogan "Tum mujhe khoon do, main tumhe azaadi dunga" to Swami Vivekananda instead of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose.
The slogan was spoken by Netaji in 1944 to motivate the Indian National Army during the freedom struggle. It is one of the most widely-recognised lines associated with Bose.
At the rally, Adityanath was praising Netaji. He spoke about his decision to give up a confirmed position in the Indian Civil Service to join the freedom movement. CM Yogi also mentioned that Bose had studied at Cambridge University and led the Azad Hind Fauj.
"Netaji chose to bring revolution over getting himself established in politics," the UP CM said while garlanding Bose's statue in Lucknow separately.
In his comments before the Bengal rally, Yogi Adityanath correctly attributed the same slogan to Netaji. During Parakram Diwas celebrations in both January 2023 and January 2026, he publicly credited Bose with the line while praising Bose’s contribution to India's independence.
Meanwhile, social media users, especially those from Bengal, have taken to Twitter (now X) to post their reactions. Many of them have resorted to sarcasm while responding to the faux pas.
Social media reaction
“Gosh! Now, Yogi quotes Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose's "Give me blood, and I will give you freedom" as a quote said by Swami Vivekananda. Does BJP deliberately do such mistakes to insult Bengalis? Or, are they so illiterate, uninformed on the history of Bengal?” asked one of them.
“Wow, groundbreaking history lesson from UP CM Yogi Adityanath… when you’re busy lecturing the entire nation on cultural pride and “correct” history, why let facts get in the way of a good rally line? Netaji must be thrilled with the remix,” commented another user.
Another user remarked, “When BJP leaders like Yogi Adityanath can’t get even basic history right and still push divisive rhetoric, it reflects a troubling level of ignorance at the top—another slight to Bengal’s legacy.”
“What has happened to you? Yogi should remain stress-free. What's the big deal with the Chief Minister's post? It comes like salary into the accounts of Noida's private employees and gets exhausted even before time!!” came another sarcastic comment.
“The fate of us all Indians is so unfortunate that the Chief Minister of India’s largest state, Uttar Pradesh, has such poor knowledge,” one user posted.
One user posted, “Yogi Adityanath continues to distort history while peddling tired Hindu-Muslim rhetoric. It’s yet another instance of the BJP undermining Bengal and disregarding Bengali icons.”
West Bengal Election 2026 will take place in two phases, once on 23 April and the other on 29 April. Mamata Banerjee’s fate will be decided on 4 May.
About the Author
Sounak Mukhopadhyay
Sounak Mukhopadhyay covers trending news, sports and entertainment for LiveMint. His reporting focuses on fast-moving stories, box office performance, digital culture and major cricket developments. He combines real-time updates with clear context for everyday readers. <br><br> Sounak brings newsroom experience across breaking news, explainers and long-form features. He has a strong emphasis on accuracy, verification and responsible storytelling. His work tracks audience behaviour, celebrity influence and the business of sport and cinema. He helps readers understand why a story matters beyond the headline. <br><br> Sounak has contributed to widely read digital publications. He continues to build a body of journalism shaped by consistency, speed and editorial clarity. He is particularly interested in the intersection of media, popular culture and public conversation in contemporary India. <br><br> At LiveMint, he writes daily coverage as well as analytical pieces that interpret numbers, trends and cultural moments in accessible language. His approach prioritises factual depth, balanced framing and reader trust. The reporting aligns with modern newsroom standards of transparency and credibility. <br><br> Outside daily reporting, he explores storytelling across formats including podcasts, filmmaking and narrative non-fiction. Through his journalism, Sounak aims to document the rhythms of modern entertainment and sports while maintaining rigorous editorial integrity. <br><br> Sounak continues to develop audience-focused journalism that connects speed with substance in a rapidly-changing information environment. His work seeks clarity, trust and lasting public value in every story he reports.
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