Netaji's family to put forward action plan for BJP govt

Kolkata: If there is any consensus on Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, it is the fact that he was never really sighted after the so-called plane crash at Taihoku airport on August 18, 1945.

Members of Bose's family and members of the Open Platform for Netaji are getting together on Thursday in Kolkata to discuss measures that need to be taken by the government of India to unravel the mystery of his disappearance. About 18 months have passed since the Narendra Modi-led BJP government in Delhi has taken a

decision to declassify all the secret files at their disposal to expose the truth about Bose's disappearance.

Netaji's grandnephew Abhijit Ray says: "We want the IB files to come out. Instead of a Commission, we want a SIT (special investigation team) to take up the investigation on Bose's disappearance where the Mukherjee Commission (2006) ended. Also, the Mukherjee Commission report should be tabled in Parliament. The real history of India's independence including Netaji's role should come out into the open now."

Other demands include conducting a mitochondrial DNA test on the ashes alleged to be Netaji's at the Renkoji temple in Japan and ascertain its authenticity. Scientific research on Gumnami Baba of Faizabad who ostensibly bore a lot of resemblance to Netaji will also be called for. Arrangements for the visit of the SIT to foreign countries like the UK, Japan, China, Germany, Thailand, must also be facilitated by the government, the members of the forum will demand.

August 18, the day Netaji's plane crash and disappearance was supposed to have taken place, will see a rally from Netaji's statue on Red Road to Netaji Bhawan, Kolkata to create awareness about the measures that need to be taken by the government.

Netaji's family members including Ray and grandnephew Chandra Kumar Bose along with members of the Open Forum will address the media on the said issues on August 17.