The day when Prime Minister Narendra Modi declassified a number of files related to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee demanded that the Centre should initiate talk
The day when Prime Minister Narendra Modi declassified a number of files related to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee demanded that the Centre should initiate talks with the Russian government and release documents that is with them. “It is a disgrace for our nation that even after 75 years of Netaji’s disappearance, we do not know what happened to him after the controversial air crash of 1945,” Ms Banerjee said at a special government function in Darjeeling to mark the occasion of Netaji’s 120th birthday.
“I don’t want to comment on diplomatic relations, but it is the demand of the people that the contents of the Russian files should be known. Many researchers have hinted that the answer to the mystery over Netaji’s disappearance lies in the Russian files. The people of the country have a right to know what happened to the leader,” she added.
The chief minister raised her voice that Netaji must be given the title of “Leader of the Nation” as he deserves that honour. Ms Banerjee’s Twitter handle read, “We believe that the truth about the last days of Netaji must come out through documentation and proof. It is our responsibility towards the young & future generation to share with them the truth of Netaji.”
Without taking any names, Ms Banerjee reminded that people know that Netaji was deprived of the due respect by some people and said that it’s time to fulfil our duties in regard to the great leader
The chief minister again said that she does believe the theory that Netaji died in an air crash in Taihoku in August 1945. Ms Banerjee was the first head of a state government in the country to declassify files on Netaji — 64 files in all, running into almost 12,800 pages — on September 18 last year. Since then, she had been a mounting pressure on the Modi government for a complete disclosure of the files in its possession.
Meanwhile, while leaving the stage on Saturday, the chief minister called the journalists as she often does and said that the problem at the tea gardens of the Duncans has been sorted out. “The problem with the Duncan’s tea gardens have ended. The dues of the tea garden workers will all be cleared soon after 15th April,” she said.
