Headlines
Bengal government to declassify Netaji files
Kolkata, Sep 11
West Bengal Chief Minister
Mamata Banerjee on Friday announced her government's decision to
declassify 64 files on freedom fighter Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose,
saying the mystery surrounding his disappearance needs to be put at
rest.
"Still the mystery surrounding Netaji's disappearance
continues to be unsolved. So whatever files we have, we will declassify
them which may help in unravelling the mystery.
"From next Friday
(September 18), all the 64 files that we have will be open for public.
They will be kept at the city police archive," Banerjee told
mediapersons at the state secretariat.
Netaji's descendants and
researchers, who have been steadfastly campaigning for declassification
of the secret government files, welcomed Banerjee's decision saying it
will create pressure on the Narendra Modi-led central government which
is claimed to have at least 100 such files in its possession.
Citing
various reasons including adverse effect on foreign relations,
bureaucrats at the prime minister's office, home ministry and ministry
of external affairs have so far stonewalled attempts to access the
classified files that can throw light on Netaji's disappearance.
Banerjee said the files did not concern internal security or the country's international relations.
"I don't think the documents relate to any issues concerning internal security or the like.
"Even
we were not aware that we had such files. We believed all such files on
Netaji were with the central government," said Banerjee, adding that
top city police officers have been entrusted to allow people to access
the documents in a systematic manner.
"Netaji lived here, his
fight for the country's freedom began from here, so it is only
appropriate that the people of Bengal get to know all the facts about
him. People deserve to know about his last days," added Banerjee.
The chief minister also said the process of digitisation of all government files between 1937 and 1947 will also be undertaken.
Netaji's grand nephew and convener of Open Platform for Netaji, Chandra Kumar Bose welcomed the decision.
Open
Platform for Netaji is a forum comprising a host of descendants of the
nationalist leader and researchers steadfastly campaigning for
declassification of the secret Netaji files.
"We wholeheartedly
welcome the decision. It is a great decision and will pave the way in
unravelling what actually happened to Netaji. I think her decision will
also prompt the central government to take a decision in this regard,"
Chandra Kumar told IANS.
Earlier in April, another of Netaji's
grandnephews, Surya Kumar Bose had met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in
Berlin raising the issue of declassification of the files.
Anuj
Dhar, the author of "India's Biggest Cover-up", said Banerjee's decision
will create pressure on the Modi government to release the files.
"Most
of the important files that can really blow the Netaji cover-up are
with the central government. Mamata Banerjee has given a huge boost to
our fight for declassification. This will surely create pressure on Modi
government," Dhar, whose next book deals with the issue of
declassification, told IANS.