Siliguri: “Netaji was a victim of conspiracy. He sacrificed so much for his country but at the end disappeared into oblivion. It is very unfortunate that we know his date of birth but do not know of his death,” stated Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee government programme to commemorate the128th birth anniversary of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose in Alipurduar on Thursday.
“We have declassified 64 files on Netaji’s mysterious disappearance. Now the Centre should also declassify the files relating to this in the national archives,” demanded Banerjee from the programme organised at the Subhashini Tea Garden ground in Kalchini, Alipurduar.
Dubbing Netaji a pathfinder, Mamata stated: “He set up the National Army. The Planning Commission that was his brainchild has been defunct by the present government at the Centre. Though Netaji is a national leader, the Union government has failed to declare this day as a national holiday. However, we have declared it as a state holiday.”
The Chief Minister further stated that Netaji was a propagator of unity of all religions. “Secularism is our strongest weapon. It was INA’s motto. We should all walk on the path shown by Netaji,” said Banerjee.
Incidentally, Netaji’s disappearance remains a mystery and controversy to date. At the age of 48, Bose apparently died from third-degree burns after his plane crashed in Japanese-occupied Taiwan on 18 August 1945. His body was cremated at the Taihoku crematorium on August 20. There are many theories suggesting he survived the air crash. However, no official evidence of this has ever been presented.
Chinese historians have contradicted the longstanding theory that Netaji died in a plane crash in 1945. Authors Anuj Dhar and Chandrachur Ghose cite new evidence suggesting Japanese General Tsunamasa Shidei, reportedly on the same flight as Bose, was actually killed in a separate incident.
Chinese war historians assert that Shidei’s plane was intercepted and shot down by Chinese forces in the East China Sea, not in Taipei. This undermines the Japanese claim, upheld by the Indian government in 2006, that Bose and Shidei died together in
Taipei. The authors have urged the Modi government to reevaluate these revelations, which could reshape the official narrative surrounding Netaji’s mysterious disappearance.
Later in the day, taking to her official X handle, Mamata wrote: “Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose’s life was a symphony of courage, intellect, and uncompromising patriotism. On his 128th birth anniversary, I joined countless admirers in paying homage to this towering figure whose clarion call for freedom galvanised a nation shackled in subjugation. For the first time, this historic day was commemorated in the hallowed grounds of Terai-Dooars.
The air reverberated with the sounds of conch shells, echoing Netaji’s immortal legacy. Today, more than ever, Netaji’s ideals of justice, equality, and selfless service must illuminate our path. He is a living philosophy, a perennial force that drives us to stand for what is right. Let us channel his undying spirit to build a Bengal that he dreamed of.”