Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced that the process of declassification of files relating to Netaji will begin on January 23, 2016, the birth anniversary of Subhash Chandra Bose.
The Prime Minister, on Wednesday, met the relatives of Netaji at his official residence in New Delhi. Home Minister Rajnath Singh and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj were also present.
Later Mr. Modi tweeted that he Will request foreign governments too to declassify files on Netaji available with them.
"Shall begin this with Russia in December," he said.
Declaring that “there is no need to strangle history”, Mr. Modi said “Nations that forget their history lack the power to create it.”
Lat month, West Bengal government >declassified 64 files related to Netaji, which were in the possession of the Kolkata police and West Bengal police.
There has prompted demands to Centre from various spheres, including political leaders and Netaji's kin, to release files pertaining to the freedom fighter.
From The Archive
The last year's of Netaji's life are shrouded in mystery. From his curious disappearence in 1941 to the air crash in 1942 in which he was announced dead and the crash in 1945, there seem to be loose ends that many hope declassification of the State and Central intelligence files will tie up. Here is a look at how The Hindu reported on some of these events:
From The Hindu archives
>Mr. Subhas Bose missing from his residence, search by relatives and friends
"He was much depressed that, at such a critical juncture, the Congress leadership had failed the country."
>Whereabouts of Mr. Subhas Bose
“It has been common talk in certain quarters in this country for some time that Mr. Subhas Chandra Bose is either in Rome or in Berlin and has entered into a pact with the Axis powers"
>Mr. Subhas Bose reported killed in air crash
A Bangkok dispatch to the German News Agency says that two leaders of the Indian community in Siam were killed in an aeroplane crash off Japan.
>'Brave son of India' - Congress leaders' tributes
"The tragic end of Subhas, while he was still in the prime of life, will cause deep sorrow to all those who knew him."
>Mr. Subhas Bose not involved in air accident
The German Official News Agency, while announcing the aeroplane crash, did not list Mr. Bose among the victims
>Netaji meets Hitler
The Berlin Radio was announcing that Hitler had received Subhas Chandra Bose at his headquarters.
>Bose dead, fatally wounded in air crash: Japanese report
An Agency said that Mr. Subhas Chandra Bose died in a Japanese hospital from injuries received in an air crash.
>Subhas Bose's last days
Mr. Subhas Chandra Bose was being brought to Tokyo as the first step in his transfer to Manchuria where he was expected to seek safety and protection from the Russians
>Pandit Nehru's views on Subhas Bose
'Japanese report that Bose was killed in a plane crash is not believed in British and American military circles'
