RTI activist rebuffs Netaji's plane crash theory as 'debunked'

Hooghly (West Bengal) [India] May 31 (ANI): Expressing displeasure over the Centre's reply to a Right to Information (RTI) query on Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, Sayak Sen, the RTI activist who filed the RTI vis-a-vis Bose' s death rubbished three different reports and commissions, dubbing the plane crash theory as a pretty old story which has been debunked way back. Sen told ANI, "The government's present conclusion that Gumnami Baba or Bhagwanji was not Netaji is apparently based on the reports of three commissions- Justice Khosla Commission, Shah Nawaz Commission and Justice Mukherjee Commission report. However, all are brutally flawed and contain certain loopholes. Justice Khosla never went at the airport. Shah Nawaz Committee consisted of three members and Suresh Chandra Bose, Netaji's brother was one of them who had filed a dissension report and disagreed with other two members of the committee. Justice Mukherjee, also reported that there was never any such plane crash. How can you conclude the judgment on the basis of the flawed and bogus reports?" Sen further stated that the Government of India's such lame response was highly unlikely. "From the past one and a half year, the government has been mute on this issue post declassification of the files. The main purpose of filing this RTI was to at least know where the government stands. Last year in the parliament Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju has openly said that it (Government) is not in the state to tell what happened to Bose. I believe this is wrong outright. I did not expect this from the Centre," he added. He also said that future steps are unknown as of now, adding that the conclusions of the Sahai Commission which are scheduled to be out on June 30 are much awaited. "If nothing at all works another appointment with Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be fixed and different solutions will be reflected upon as he is the only one so far who personally has exhibited keen interest in the involvement of the Subash Chandra Bose death case," he stated. Asserting that they are waiting for the government's response over the same, Sen said if the government officials commence shrugging it off, they would protest against it. "The Government of India on this matter has the same stand for the last seventeen years. Narendra Modi-led NDA Government took the initiative of declassifying the papers. Prime Minister Modi is the first Prime Minister who has exhibited genuine interest in revealing the information about Netaji's death. I am certain, that he will keep his promise. If nothing at all works, will try scheduling another meeting with him," Sen added. The RTI application was filed by Sen in April wherein he asked if there was any information available with the government on Gumnami baba or Bhagwanji who lived incognito in Uttar Pradesh till 1985 and was rumored 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. (ANI)