Government refuses to make files public on the dissapearance of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose

NEW DELHI: BJP-led government has refused to make public nearly 39 classified files on the mysterious disappearance of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose and related matters, in sharp contrast to the demands of disclosure raised by its senior leaders when in Opposition.

In January, during a Lok Sabha poll campaign in Cuttack— the birthplace of Netaji— Rajnath Singh had demanded that the UPA government make public the records related to Subhas Chandra Bose. Singh is now the Home Minister.

The Prime Minister's Office (PMO) in a recent 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.

“Disclosure of documents contained in these files would prejudicially affect relations with foreign countries. As such, these files are exempted from disclosure under Section 8(1)(a) read with Section 8(2) of the RTI,” the PMO said in its reply to RTI.