I've voiced my opinion on a similar issue - the Sino-Indian conflict of '62 - earlier too.
Why are the papers on Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose not declassified even now? I can understand a Congress regime sticking to the 'declassification-of-the-Netaji-papers-will-be-against-India's-interests' theory because some of its leaders, especially, Jawaharlal Nehru's position, regarding the cover up of Netaji's last years and his end, might not stand scrutiny. But why is the Modi government hesitating to declassify the information?
Let me hazard a few wild guesses. It has to be presumed that the declassification process is being blocked by the parties who're gonna be cornered and may have to answer a few tough questions, consequent to a tell all. And who could they be? Are they one of these or a combination of all:-
(a) The Congress party.
Its government was in power and the known fact that Netaji and Nehru stood at differing
viewpoints - within the party - regarding the position India should take towards the adversaries
of World War II. Netaji wanted India to support the Axis powers to bring about a speedy end
to the British Raj while Nehru was for supporting the Allied powers towards the war effort.
Gandhiji supported the latter and the manner in which the Congress party sidelined the former
from becoming its President has been well chronicled. The party will have to answer a few
awkward questions regarding the positions taken by its predecessors!
(b) Russia, Japan, Taiwan and Germany may also have to answer questions regarding the last
days of Netaji or more importantly, the treatment that they'd meted out to him when they
realised that the Indians seemingly supported Nehru's stand on the issue.
(c) Netaji is still alive at a very advanced age. Even though I say this I know that it sounds
improbable! But if that were to be true, what would be the ramifications of bringing him out
from hiding, now?
Consider these nuggets of history:-
(a) A man crossed into India through the Gorakhpur border in 1955. From then to '65, he lived
in self imposed isolation at various places in UP and from '65 to '85, he lived in a room
behind Thakur Guru Dutt Singh's house in Faizabad.
(b) Everyone knew him as Gumnami Baba who met people - a few Bengalies who're regular
and others from the higher echelons of the government - covertly and during the nights!
(c) He died on 16 Sep '85 and was cremated at Guptaar ghat - 10 steps away from where Lord
Sree Ram had walked into the Saryu and vanished, according to mythology! The cremation
was witnessed by a knot of thirteen people and the body was draped in the tricolour!!
Tailpiece.
Justice Mukherjee had headed the Vajapyee appointed Commission of Inquiry to study the subject. Its report was summarily dismissed in 2006. In an unguarded moment, the judge had said that the unknown baba was none other than Netaji himself!
Why are the papers on Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose not declassified even now? I can understand a Congress regime sticking to the 'declassification-of-the-Netaji-papers-will-be-against-India's-interests' theory because some of its leaders, especially, Jawaharlal Nehru's position, regarding the cover up of Netaji's last years and his end, might not stand scrutiny. But why is the Modi government hesitating to declassify the information?
Let me hazard a few wild guesses. It has to be presumed that the declassification process is being blocked by the parties who're gonna be cornered and may have to answer a few tough questions, consequent to a tell all. And who could they be? Are they one of these or a combination of all:-
(a) The Congress party.
Its government was in power and the known fact that Netaji and Nehru stood at differing
viewpoints - within the party - regarding the position India should take towards the adversaries
of World War II. Netaji wanted India to support the Axis powers to bring about a speedy end
to the British Raj while Nehru was for supporting the Allied powers towards the war effort.
Gandhiji supported the latter and the manner in which the Congress party sidelined the former
from becoming its President has been well chronicled. The party will have to answer a few
awkward questions regarding the positions taken by its predecessors!
(b) Russia, Japan, Taiwan and Germany may also have to answer questions regarding the last
days of Netaji or more importantly, the treatment that they'd meted out to him when they
realised that the Indians seemingly supported Nehru's stand on the issue.
(c) Netaji is still alive at a very advanced age. Even though I say this I know that it sounds
improbable! But if that were to be true, what would be the ramifications of bringing him out
from hiding, now?
Consider these nuggets of history:-
(a) A man crossed into India through the Gorakhpur border in 1955. From then to '65, he lived
in self imposed isolation at various places in UP and from '65 to '85, he lived in a room
behind Thakur Guru Dutt Singh's house in Faizabad.
(b) Everyone knew him as Gumnami Baba who met people - a few Bengalies who're regular
and others from the higher echelons of the government - covertly and during the nights!
(c) He died on 16 Sep '85 and was cremated at Guptaar ghat - 10 steps away from where Lord
Sree Ram had walked into the Saryu and vanished, according to mythology! The cremation
was witnessed by a knot of thirteen people and the body was draped in the tricolour!!
Tailpiece.
Justice Mukherjee had headed the Vajapyee appointed Commission of Inquiry to study the subject. Its report was summarily dismissed in 2006. In an unguarded moment, the judge had said that the unknown baba was none other than Netaji himself!
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