Mamata expresses 'shock' over Centre's RTI reply on Netaji

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday expressed shock over the Centre's unilateral decision on Subhas Chandra Bose.

"The Central Government recently gave information about Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose through a reply under the RTI Act. I am shocked to see this unilateral decision of the Central Government without evidence. Netaji is a great son of the soil. Our state, the country and the whole world are proud of him," Mamata said in her Facebook post.

She further said that any matter involving a person of his stature does not deserve to be handled in such a casual manner.

"I have drawn the attention of Hon'ble Prime Minister to this matter and has sought the considered stand of Central Government in this regard. I thought of sharing this with all of you," she added.

In a reply to an RTI query on Subhash Chandra Bose, the Narendra Modi Government said that Netaji died in a plane crash.

The RTI application was filed by one Sayak Sen in April wherein he asked if there was any information available with the government on Gumnamibaba or Bhagwanji who lived incognito in Uttar Pradesh till 1985 and was rumoured to be Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose.

To this, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) replied that some information about Gumnami Baba and Bhagwanji is available in the Mukherjee Commission report on page 114-122.

The RTI application asked if the government has any information regarding the whereabouts of Netaji post August 18, 1945.

Replying to the query, the MHA said that after considering the reports of various commissions, the government has arrived at the conclusion that Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose died in a plane crash on August 18, 1945.