Netaji’s family wants UK to declassify files
BERLIN: Freedom fighter Subhas Chandra Bose’s family, still awaiting a response from Prime Minister Narendra Modi over declassifying files on the ‘mystery’ surrounding Bose (also known as Netaji), has approached the UK asserting it has the relevant documents on him.
Netaji’s grandnephew Surya Kumar Bose, who had met Modi in April, said he had written a letter to him days after the meeting but is yet to receive any response. Surya said he was hopeful on securing “closure” to the “mystery” over the issue.
“I am hopeful because I think Modi has the guts to do it and I have told him quite frankly that we are ready to face whatever comes out, whether it is positive or negative or whatever it is. We have to face the music. Because we have been asking for it,” he said. The family has approached the UK government, asserting that it has classified files on him besides Japan and Russia.
“My sister, who has a base in London, has approached the British government to declassify the files. They have admitted that they have files. But they have to go through them. They have asked for more time. So that means they have files on Subhash Bose which are classified,” Surya said.
Bose said the issue is being taken up with Japan and America. Surya claimed that Russia, Japan and the US had information about Netaji and that the Central Intelligence Agency had their files open on him till 1985.
“I do not think opening up of those files will create issues with the government. You cannot blame the present government for what had happened in 1945-46,” he said. The PMO in February had refused to declassify the files relating to Bose. The fate of Bose, who led the Indian National Army, is not known after his plane crashed in Taiwan in 1945.