Netaji family for international pressure for release of files

A section of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose's family is working on creating core groups across Europe and other countries to generate international pressure on India for declassification and release of various government documents on the legendary revolutionary.

"People for long have been crusading for the declassification of government files on Netaji. Along with a countrywide movement, international pressure is also imperative," said Netaji's grand nephew Surya Kumar Bose who recently visited Japan where a core group would soon launch a website dedicated to the nationalist leader.

"The website to be launched within a few months, will host books and documents on Netaji in Japanese and other languages. A key aim of the site will be to campaign for the release of official records/files on Netaji particularly those dealing with his disappearance," he said.

Bose said much like the Japanese core group which has several historians and Netaji researchers, there was need to assemble Netaji lovers and create similar groups in other countries.

"There is a need for building pressure groups across Europe where people are still inspired by Netaji and we are working on it. Although it will take time but then there are Netaji lovers across the globe who would love to know about the real history and truth about the man who still continues to inspire generations," said Bose.

"If through campaigning we can get some Netaji documents declassified in any other country, it will create pressure on the Indian government which has been sitting on over 100 files on Netaji," he said.

"While we do not believe the plane crash theory, there are others who believe it. So it is necessary that all the records and documents pertaining to him are classified. Unless there is a mass movement coupled with international pressure we cannot achieve our goal," added Bose.

A large section of the Netaji family, researchers and historians have been seeking declassification of over 100 secret files said to be with various departments of the Indian government including the prime minister's office.

A branch of Netaji's family as also many others outside believe that he died in a plane crash in Taiwan on Aug 18, 1945. But there is also a strong second opinion across the nation which nixes the aircrash theory.