Govt. to release 25 Netaji files every month

Following the declassification of the digital version of at least 100 files relating to freedom fighter Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, the government on Saturday declared that it will release 25 files of Netaji every month.

"The people wanted to know that facts in the files. The Prime minister has revealed the files in a transparent manner. Every month we will issue 25 files in similar fashion," said union Minister of State for Culture and Tourism Mahesh Sharma.

Reacting on the same, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Siddharth Nath Singh said, "The time of transparency has started under Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It is a very good signal for the nation as well as for democracy. Gradually, the mystery surrounding his death will get revealed. People of the nation are very happy today."

Singh further said that the Congress had not taken up the issue till date as it feared danger.

Resonating similar sentiments, Union Minister of State for Urban Development Babul Supriyo said, "It's a great beginning. There are very interesting things and we demand why these files were hidden from the people. I am sure that historians who are doing research on Netaji's life will come out with many revelations. I am thankful to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It is going to solve the mystery of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose."

Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled the digital version of at least 100 declassified files relating to freedom fighter Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose at the National Archives of India on his birth anniversary on Saturday.

The declassification of files is in line with promises made by Prime Minister Modi to the kin of Netaji a few months back.

The National Archives of India is placing these files in the public domain after preliminary conservation treatment and digitisation.

In 1997, the National Archives had received 990 declassified files pertaining to the Indian National Army from the Defence Ministry.

In 2012, it received 1,030 files and items pertaining to the Khosla Commission and Justice Mukherjee Commission of Inquiry from the Home Ministry.

All these files and items are already open to the public under the Public Records Rules 1997.