The Centre on Friday announced that a memorial dedicated to Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose will be built in the national Capital even as it released the third batch of 25 declassified files related to the freedom fighter. The documents consist of five files each from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) and Home Ministry, and 15 files from Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) pertaining to the period between 1956 and 2009.
Some of the files declassified show that Pakistan did not agree to India’s repeated requests in 1970 for allowing historical research on Netaji’s activities and his stay in Western Pakistan in building regiment of INA. The diplomatic communications between India and Pakistan during the war time show the hostilities between the two countries. The communications show Islamabad was not at all in a mood to allow India to conduct historical research on INA’s activities in early 40s and gave replies that there was no record on the matter.
Addressing media, Union Culture Minister Mahesh Sharma said various organizations were demanding the government for a suitable memorial for Netaji to record his contributions in freedom fight. “People of this country specially the youth want to know about the life of Netaji, his contribution towards freedom fight. So, this is a big achievement,” he said.
Sharma said keeping in view the demand of various organisations and Parliamentarians, the government has decided to built a huge memorial in his name in Delhi which will depict his life and freedom struggle.
“There has been a demand from a number of organisations and Member of Parliaments that a big memorial dedicated to Netaji should be built in Delhi. So we started the work for its construction. It will depict his life, freedom struggle and facts related to his death,” he said.
The Minister said Japan has also agreed to declassify two files liked to the life of Netaji. However, there is no assurance regarding three other such files in its custody. “We have got this offer from Japan that they are ready to give us two out of the five files linked to Netaji’s life. The ministry will talk to them on this further. This will add to the information and research scholars will get some more information whether it is from Japan or Russia,” he said.
