In an unexpected twist of events, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose’s extended family members hit the streets on Wednesday demanding declassification of files and documents related to Netaji’s death.
Netaji’s daughter Anita Pfaff, niece-in-law Krishna Bose and great grandnephew Sugata Bose, however, were not seen in the rally despite being present at the state government’s official function to celebrate his 116th birth anniversary at Netaji Bhavan.
After failing to get a reply from chief minister Mamata Banerjee to whom they had sent a letter in December requesting her to intervene in the matter, the family members took out a rally from Netaji’s Elgin Road house to Northern Park protesting against the Centre’s refusal to declassify the files citing national security reasons. “It is time that the government of India should end the confusion surrounding Netaji’s death. The people of India have every right to know what happened to him. The secret files must be brought to public domain for the knowledge of Indian people,” Netaji’s nephew Chandra Kumar Bose said.
Participating in the rally, author of India’s Biggest Cover-up Anuj Dhar said: “For the sake of transparency, the records related to the last days of Netaji should be declassified.”