Vaiko condemns NDA govt stand against declassifying Bose files

Firing yet another salvo against the Narendra Modi government, NDA partner MDMK today condemned it for declining to make public classified files on Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose's mysterious disappearance and said his party would hold a protest pressing for unravelling the truth.
"It is condemnable that the government is focusing only on maintaining its relationship with other countries, hurting the sentiments of crores of Indians", he said referring to the Centre's stand that disclosure of the files would affect ties with foreign nations.
Vaiko has already come under flak from state BJP for his criticism of the NDA government on various issues including Prime Minister Narendra Modi's greetings to Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse and 'imposition' of Hindi.

Recalling the role played by Bose in the country's freedom struggle and formation of Indian National Army to fight against the British, Vaik said several soldiers, including those hailing from Tamil Nadu lost their lives for Netaji.
"Not only people of various states seek the truth behind the appearance of Netaji, even people living in Tamil Nadu want to know about it. The Central Government should reveal the truth about Netaji", Vaiko said.
He said his party in association with all those having similar sentiments would organise a protest to press the demand for making public the truth about Bose.

Recently, the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) in a RTI reply accepted that there were 41 files related to Bose, of which two had been declassified, but refused to disclose them taking a position similar to that of the erstwhile Congress-led UPA government.

Meanwhile, talking to reporters in Coimbatore, Vaiko slammed BJP leaders Subramanian Swamy and H Raja for their statements against him and said Modi should have condemned the remarks and wondered why he was remaining silent.
While Swamy had stated that MDMK should be sent out of the NDA alliance, Raja had allegedly threatened Vaiko for criticising Modi.
Vaiko said he had criticised leaders like late M G Ramachandran, Rajiv Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi besides DMK chief Karunanidhi but none had issued threats "like these BJP leaders."

"Let MDMK be banned, we will face it," Vaiko remarked.
"Knowing fully well" that he was a staunch supporter of LTTE, former Prime Minister A B Vajpayee and BJP veteran L K Advani had entered into alliance with MDMK in 1998 Lok Sabha elections, he claimed.