Govt to declassify Netaji files; first lot to be made public on Jan 23, 2016: PM Narendra Modi

PM Modi on Wednesday told the family members of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose that his government will declassify files relating to the freedom fighter.

New Delhi: In a dramatic development, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday told the family members of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose that his government will declassify files relating to the freedom fighter.

The PM gave the assurance during a meeting with Netaji's family members at his residence 7, Race Course Road here.

Writing on Twitter, PM Modi said that “there is no need to strangle history”.

“Nations that forget their history lack the power to create it,” he wrote, adding the process of declassification of files relating to Netaji will start on January 23, 2016 - the birth anniversary of Subhas Chandra Bose.

The PM further said that his government will also request foreign governments to declassify files on Netaji available with them. The first such request will be made to Russia in December, he tweeted.

Netaji's family members today met PM Modi primarily to demand the declassification of files in possession of the Central government.

Just last month, the West Bengal government had released 64 such files.

Netaji's mysterious disappearance 70 years ago continues to baffle all in India as well as outside.

The Prime Minister, in his monthly 'Mann Ki Baat' radio programme on September 20, had said that he would be receiving over 50 members of Netaji's family members at his residence in October.

"Over 50 members of Subhas babu's family, from various countries, will be coming... I am happy to welcome them," PM Modi had said.

Describing it as a momentous occasion for him, he had said that it would perhaps be the first time that the family members of Netaji would be together visiting the Prime Minister's residence.

Bose's grandnephew Chandra Bose had earlier said that his family will appeal to PM Modi to write to countries including Russia, Japan, China, America, UK, Japan, Singapore and Malaysia to declassify all Netaji files lying with them.

"Netaji was in touch with people in all these countries. They all have classified files relating to him. We want to take this movement of declassification to the global level to get all the clues," he had said.

"Our main focus, however, would be on declassification of all Netaji files held by the government of India. If we do not have our own files declassified, then how can we ask other nations to do it?" Abhijit Ray, Netaji's another grand-nephew, had said.