kolkata: Accusing opportunists of exploiting Netaji's popularity to peddle bogus tales about his "disappearance" in 1945 and his "non-existent afterlife post-1945," Netaji Subhas Bose's grandnephew and noted historian Sugata Bose said this has pained many in the Bose family immensely.
"There is no doubt that he was killed in air crash," Bose, Gardiner Chair at Harvard University and former MP, said.
Trashing theories about the patriot's mysterious disappearance after that date, Bose said the recently launched book by his late mother, Krishna Bose titled "The life and struggle of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose" which traverses Netaji's life from his childhood to his mortal end on August 18, 1945, and vividly reveals the truths.
"Bose said my mother was very annoyed by bogus tales about Netaji's "disappearance" in 1945 and his "non-existent afterlife post-1945,
"There is no doubt that he was killed in air crash. All the later theories about his presence have no basis," Bose added.
To a question, he said if the ashes of Netaji kept in Renkoji temple in Japan are brought to the country that should be done in a proper solemn manner, with due dignity and respect to the great warrior.
A chapter in the book, devoted a single, long article titled Abid Hasan's Eyewitness Account' reaffirming the crash theory.Hasan, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose's trusted aide in INA, had narrated to Krishna Bose, a former MP, the leader's last journey by air from Bangkok to Saigon in August 1945 and the fateful crash.Bose said: "Mother had a marathon interview with Abid Hasan lasting several days, which she conducted in 1976 in our home Basundhara, around 2 km from Netaji Research Bureau."