This article exists as part of the online archive for HuffPost India, which closed in 2020. Some features are no longer enabled. If you have questions or concerns about this article, please contact indiasupport@huffpost.com.

Netaji Files: Government Panel To Decide Tomorrow If Documents Can Be Made Public

Government Panel To Decide Tomorrow If Netaji Files Can Be Made Public
Indian Punjab police salute the statue of freedom fighter, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose in Amritsar on January 23, 2013, as part of celebrations for his 116th birth anniversary. Bose was a prominent Indian nationalist leader who attempted to gain India's independence from British rule by force during the waning years of World War II. AFP PHOTO/NARINDER NANU (Photo credit should read NARINDER NANU/AFP/Getty Images)
NARINDER NANU via Getty Images
Indian Punjab police salute the statue of freedom fighter, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose in Amritsar on January 23, 2013, as part of celebrations for his 116th birth anniversary. Bose was a prominent Indian nationalist leader who attempted to gain India's independence from British rule by force during the waning years of World War II. AFP PHOTO/NARINDER NANU (Photo credit should read NARINDER NANU/AFP/Getty Images)

NEW DELHI — The government has set up an inter-ministerial committee headed by Cabinet Secretary Ajit Seth that is likely to decide on Thursday whether to declassify more files on Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose. The committee will review the Official Secrets Act in connection with the Netaji files, reported ANI.

Its a fantastic news. We are very obliged to PM: Ardhendu Bose (nephew of SC Bose) on reports of Govt forms committee pic.twitter.com/tsIwOeo8At

— ANI (@ANI_news) April 15, 2015

RAW, IB, Union home ministry and PMO officials will be part of the panel, the Times of India said in a report.

A rule says files can be declassified after 30 years. There are about 58 Bose-related files in the Prime Minister's Office and about 25 with the External Affairs Ministry.

Happy to know that PM Modi has taken initiative and formed a special investigation team: Abhijit Roy (relative of Subhas Chandra Bose)

— ANI (@ANI_news) April 15, 2015

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday met Subhas Chandra Bose's grand-nephew Surya Kumar Bose, who said later that he had asked for the declassification of all secret files related to the freedom fighter. The prime minister, he said, had told him that he would look into it seriously and then decide.

"PM said he will try his best to open the files up as he hasn't seen the files himself and can't judge the content. It was an honest answer, he at least promised to look into it and try his best to do something about it. I am hopeful," Mr.Bose said.

We understand that it will take time. But glad that the process has been initiated: Ardhendu Bose (nephew of SC Bose) pic.twitter.com/IL1Qn306iD

— ANI (@ANI_news) April 15, 2015

The matter is making headlines in the wake of declassified intelligence documents saying that Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru ordered a surveillance of Netaji's two homes and his relatives between 1948 and 1968.

Earlier, the Prime Minister's Office had refused to declassify the files in an RTI, reported NDTV, and argued that the "disclosure would prejudicially affect relations with foreign countries."

(With inputs from ANI)

Contact HuffPost India

Close
This article exists as part of the online archive for HuffPost India, which closed in 2020. Some features are no longer enabled. If you have questions or concerns about this article, please contact indiasupport@huffpost.com.