New Delhi: Government will start unveiling the secret files on Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose from January 23 next year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced today, meeting a seven-decade-old demand for disclosing details which could solve the mystery over his disappearance since August 18, 1945.
Modi made the promise to Netaji’s 35 family members whom he hosted at his official residence here and declared that “there is no need to strangle history”. He said he will also urge foreign governments to declassify files on Netaji available with them by writing to them and personally taking up with foreign leaders during meetings, beginning with Russia in December.
“Process of declassification of files relating to Netaji will begin on 23rd January 2016, Subhas Babu’s birth anniversary,” Modi tweeted after an hour-long interaction with the family members who sought making public of the documents with the hope that questions about his mysterious disappearance seven decades back could be answered.
“Will also request foreign governments to declassify files on Netaji available with them. Shall begin this with Russia in December,” he said in another tweet. Declaring that “there is no need to strangle history”, Modi said “Nations that forget their history lack the power to create it.”
The demands for declassification of secret files have been growing lately, especially after the Mamata Banerjee government in West Bengal recently declassified 64 files which were in its possession. “We had a remarkable & extensive interaction…I told Subhas Babu’s family members – please consider me a part of your family. They shared their valuable suggestions with me,” the Prime Minister said, while remarking that “it was a privilege to welcome” them to 7, Race Course Road, his official residence.
During the interaction where External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Home Minister Rajnath Singh were also present, the family members requested the Prime Minister for declassification of the files available with the government of India.
They suggested that the government of India initiate the process to get the files on Netaji available with foreign governments to also be declassified, a PMO statement said. The Prime Minister said he finds the suggestions of the family members of Netaji to be similar to his own thinking and the view of the union government, it said. He agreed with the suggestion to request foreign governments to declassify files on Netaji available with them.
Modi said he would not only write to them but also take up the matter during his meetings with foreign leaders, beginning with Russia in December, the statement said. He also shared with the family members some instances of how he had recalled Netaji during his term as Chief Minister of Gujarat. Amid growing demands for declassification of the files, the Prime Minister had disclosed in his monthly ‘Mann Ki Baat’ radio programme on September 20 that he would be receiving Netaji’s family members at his residence in October. He had noted that it would perhaps be the first time that the family members of Netaji would be together visiting the Prime Minister’s residence. PTI
