Ashes in Japan's Renkoji Temple was of Netaji, says declassified files

The govt in 2006 had instructed the Indian ambassador to shift the mortal remains of Netaji to newly constructed building of Indian Embassy there

Manmohan Singh government in 2006 had accepted that ashes in Renkoji Temple in Japan were those of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose.

It even instructed Indian ambassador to work out modalities to shift the mortal remains of the freedom fighter to newly constructed building of Indian Embassy there when the temple's priest indicated that the remains of Netaji could not be preserved with respect, according to the declassified files on Netaji, released by Prime Minister Narendra Modi yesterday.

The points were made in a reply by Ministry of External Affairs to then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh who instructed the ministry to examine the issue of bringing back the last remains of Bose, it showed.

Singh had asked the MEA to examine the issue after he received a representation on December 7, 2006 from Subrata Bose, then Lok Sabha MP, who had stated that "countless Indians" were of the firm view that ashes in the Japanese temple were "not those of Netaji" and any decision of the government to take over the remains of Netaji from temple would be opposed "tooth and nail".

In its reply, Ministry of External Affairs had said that the Government of India has accepted that the ashes in the Renkoji Temple are those of Netaji Subash Chandra Bose.

"The Head Priest of the Renkoji Temple has indicated that he may no longer be in a position to ensure preservations of the remains with due respect and honour.

"EAM has decided in principle that the remains of Netaji will be relocated to a suitable place in a new building of the Indian Embassy being constructed in Tokyo," the External Affairs Ministry pointed out.

It also said "Ambassador of India has been instructed to work out appropriate modalities for shifting the remains to the newly constructed building."

Ministry of External Affairs, which was under pressure from the Japanese government and the temple authorities, had reminded the Singh's government earlier as well about the issue of bringing back the ashes of Netaji.