India must seek critical files on Netaji from Japan: C K Bose

Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose grandson C K Bose requested the central government to approach the Japanese government to seek the critical classified files pertaining to Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose's mysterious death.

New Delhi:India must approach the Japanese government to seek three critical classified files pertaining to Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, his grandson said on Wednesday.

"Japan has critical documents pertaining to Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose. In fact, in 2016, Sushma Swaraj Ji had written to Japan, and Japan had clearly stated that they had five files pertaining to Netaji. They have released a couple of files, but three of them are still with the Japanese authorities," said CK Bose.

Bose's statement came in response to Moscow conveying to India that it was unable to find any documents pertaining to Netaji Bose in the Russian archives, according to Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan who informed the Lok Sabha in a written reply to a question.

Moscow had initiated an investigation following the request by New Delhi on whether Netaji was in Russia anytime before or after August 1945 or whether he escaped to Russia in August 1945 or thereafter as reported by some researchers. However, no such information could have been found.

Bose claimed that it is Japan and not Russia that knows the truth of what exactly happened to Netaji after August 18, 1945. "In fact, the last available picture of Netaji was at (the) Saigon airport (presently in Vietnam), and he was in the custody of Japan. This was on August 17, 1945."

Bose requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to immediately take up the issue with his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe. Additionally, he called for the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the matter.

"Nine enquiry commissions were held, International commissions were held, three commissions of enquiry within the country also examined a lot of papers, but they could not get to the truth because the critical files are there with Japan," Bose added.

Bose opined that there is no evidence suggesting that Netaji went to Soviet Russia in August 1945. "Going to Russia through Manchuria is only a speculation. You cannot solve a mystery (based) on speculation."

The mystery surrounding the circumstances of Netaji's death has led to various theories, one of which being that he did not die in a plane crash in Taiwan on August 18, 1945, as widely believed but escaped to the then Soviet Union.

Bose requested the Central government to take the matter of unravelling the mystery surrounding Netaji's death seriously, in consideration to his contribution in National Freedom movement.