Kolkata: On the eve of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose’s 128th birth anniversary, his daughter, Anita Bose Pfaff, made a plea to bring his mortal remains back from ‘exile’. Netaji’s ashes have been lying at Renkoji Temple in Tokyo for the past eight decades.
Successive governments were hesitant on the issue, unsure how his followers would react. While many, including some from the Bose family, for years harbored the belief that Netaji did not die in the Taihoku crash on Aug 18, 1945, but had actually fled to Russia or China, opinion on the issue shifted since the disclosure of several secret files on the patriot, including investigations into his death. Pfaff, who urged the government to get her father’s ashes back to India, made the appeal again on Wednesday.
“Many Indians still remember and honor the heroes of India’s Independence struggle. Many freedom fighters fled their country to avoid persecution and to continue the struggle from abroad. Many never returned to their motherland. Their remains remained in foreign lands. Netaji’s remains, too, were given a ‘temporary’ home in Tokyo, Japan. Do not keep Netaji exiled any longer. him, honor him and love him,” said Pfaff.
Pointing out that for decades, most Indian govts hesitated—or refused—to welcome his mortal remains back home, she acknowledged that initially, there might have been good reasons for the Indian govt’s reluctance to take this step. “Many people, also members of his own family, hoped he did not die on Aug 18, 1945, that he could escape persecution and death once again. Meanwhile, most, if not all, documents pertaining to Netaji’s death—including 11 reports on investigations of the event —became available to the public,” she reasoned.
Pfaff told TOI other than the Narasimha Rao’s government, her pleas were met with silence. “PM Manmohan Singh and PM Modi’s office did not answer my request or even acknowledge the receipt of my letters. A politician is understandably concerned with gaining advantage and not disadvantage from actions. This is, after all, an old issue, of little relevance to the well-being of an electorate today. He (Modi) is one of the two PMs who did not consider it opportune. to go to Renkoji Temple during visits to Japan,” she said.
Pfaff said Renkoji Temple and priests the Japan government were ready, willing and eager to let his remains return to India. “I visited in 1979. The remains were kept very well and with great respect,” she said.
Successive governments were hesitant on the issue, unsure how his followers would react. While many, including some from the Bose family, for years harbored the belief that Netaji did not die in the Taihoku crash on Aug 18, 1945, but had actually fled to Russia or China, opinion on the issue shifted since the disclosure of several secret files on the patriot, including investigations into his death. Pfaff, who urged the government to get her father’s ashes back to India, made the appeal again on Wednesday.
“Many Indians still remember and honor the heroes of India’s Independence struggle. Many freedom fighters fled their country to avoid persecution and to continue the struggle from abroad. Many never returned to their motherland. Their remains remained in foreign lands. Netaji’s remains, too, were given a ‘temporary’ home in Tokyo, Japan. Do not keep Netaji exiled any longer. him, honor him and love him,” said Pfaff.
Pointing out that for decades, most Indian govts hesitated—or refused—to welcome his mortal remains back home, she acknowledged that initially, there might have been good reasons for the Indian govt’s reluctance to take this step. “Many people, also members of his own family, hoped he did not die on Aug 18, 1945, that he could escape persecution and death once again. Meanwhile, most, if not all, documents pertaining to Netaji’s death—including 11 reports on investigations of the event —became available to the public,” she reasoned.
Pfaff told TOI other than the Narasimha Rao’s government, her pleas were met with silence. “PM Manmohan Singh and PM Modi’s office did not answer my request or even acknowledge the receipt of my letters. A politician is understandably concerned with gaining advantage and not disadvantage from actions. This is, after all, an old issue, of little relevance to the well-being of an electorate today. He (Modi) is one of the two PMs who did not consider it opportune. to go to Renkoji Temple during visits to Japan,” she said.
Pfaff said Renkoji Temple and priests the Japan government were ready, willing and eager to let his remains return to India. “I visited in 1979. The remains were kept very well and with great respect,” she said.