BJP's Swapan Dasgupta backs TMC demand to make Netaji's book public; says Nehru blocked it

A day after ruling Trinamool Congress in West Bengal demanded that a book chronicling the history of Azad Hind Fauj (INA) – compiled by the history division of the Defence Ministry decades ago should be made public, now BJP's Swapan Dasgupta has backed the party. Swapan Dasgupta on Wednesday wrote on Twitter that he endorses the demand by TMC's Sukhendu Sekhar Roy, adding that in 1999, he was told by a PMO official that Jawaharlal Nehru suppressed it because he felt the government version would not be believed. He added, "Time to get the real story out."

Addressing a press conference a day earlier, Roy had slammed both the UPA and the NDA governments at the Centre which didn't publish the book. According to Roy, Chandrachur Ghose, a researcher from Haryana, had filed a PIL in 2009 seeking a copy of the book and in September 2010, the then Chief Information Commissioner had directed the Centre to either hand over a draft copy of the book to Ghose or publish it. He added that the then UPA government wanted to add more details in the book but the proposal was turned down by the High Court. He also said that he had written to the PM but no work has been done. 

READ | Netaji Subash Chandra Bose's Birthday Jan 23 To Be Celebrated As 'Parakram Diwas' Annually

READ |  2 TMC Workers Killed, 2 In BJP Injured In 2 WB Incidents; BJP Slams 'Mamata's Gun-tantra'

Fight over Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose's legacy

This comes after the Government of India decided to observe Netaji Subash Chandra Bose's birth anniversary on January 23 every year as Parakram Diwas. The Centre announced its move to pay tribute to the freedom fighter to inspire the youth of the nation to 'act with fortitude in the face of adversity'. Ahead of Netaji's 125th birth anniversary, the Ministry of Culture issued a circular announcing January 23 to be observed as Parakram Diwas every year from now on. Soon after, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced that the birth anniversary of Netaji will be celebrated as 'Desh Nayak Diwas' annually. A train has also since been renamed to Netaji Express.

Amid long-standing claims that successive Congress governments had since Independence attempted to sideline Netaji Bose and his efforts in India's freedom struggle, in 2015, the Modi government declassified 33 files relating to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, with digital copies of 100 files being released by PM Narendra Modi in January 2016. Last year in December, the Modi government de-classified all records related to Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose and Azad Hind Fauj and placed them in the National Archives of India, Minister of State of Culture and Tourism, Prahlad Singh Patel informed. A total of 304 declassified records/files have been transferred to National Archives of India for permanent retention. Out of 304 flies, 303 files are already uploaded on the Netaji web portal. The National Archives of India is the custodian of declassified files and records of the Government of India. Earlier, in 1997 the National Archives of India had received 990 declassified files pertaining to the Azad Hind Fauj from the Ministry of Defence.

In 2018, PM Modi visited Andaman and Nicobar Islands and joined the programme to mark 75th anniversary of hoisting Tricolour by Netaji Bose - renaming Ross Island as Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Dweep, Neil Island as Shaheed Dweep and the Havelock Island as Swaraj Dweep. Recently, in January 2019, a Netaji museum was inaugurated by PM Modi at Red Fort, New Delhi. The Modi government had also inculcated 4 INA veterans in its Republic Day parade in 2019- marking a first.

READ | TMC To Observe Netaji's Birth Anniversary On Jan 23 As 'Desh Nayak Diwas'; BJP Reacts

READ | BJP responds to Trinamool neta Madan Mitra's 'Bengal maango toh cheer denge' threat