Don’t believe Netaji died in crash: Mamata Banerjee

West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee with Krishna Bose, the niece of Subhas Chandra Bose, at Netaji Bhavan in Kolkata on Friday to mark the 75th anniversary of the freedom fighter’s “great escape” from house confinement. — PTI

Iterating that she did not believe that Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose died in a plane crash in 1945, chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday said that the Russian angle must be probed for unravelling the mystery. She urged the Centre to initiate talks with the Russian government to probe the Russian angle behind Netaji’s disappearance.

Speaking at a programme organised by the Netaji Research Bureau to mark the 75th anniversary of Netaji’s “Great Escape”, Ms Banerjee said, “Sugata (Sugata Bose — the grandnephew of Netaji) you all can believe that Netaji died in the plane crash, but I personally do not believe in that theory. If he had died in the crash, then why would his family be snooped even after Independence I think the Russian mystery needs to be probed.”

The chief minister said though there had been evidence of Netaji’s stay in Russia, there was no clarity on his activities there. “Did Netaji actually visit Russia after his disappearance If he did, how long did he stay, what happened to him. We must know the truth,” she added.

Ms Banerjee said she did not know if Prime Minister Narendra Modi discussed the issue during his visit to Russia. “But I believe we need to raise the issue with the Russian government.”

So that we get answers on whether Netaji had escaped to the country and if yes, then how long did he stay and where did he go from there,” she said.

She wanted to know why the Indian agencies did not conduct any DNA test on the ashes kept in Renkoji temple Tokyo, Japan, though they claimed that the ashes belonged to Netaji. “It is a national shame that we are still in the dark about the death of an individual who had done so much for India’s freedom struggle.”

She said the youth want answers. “I am not a historian. I am a common citizen. The mystery of Netaji’s last days must be solved. If Gandhiji is the father of Nation, then Netaji is the leader of the nation,” she added.

Ms Banerjee said that a committee will be constituted comprising officials from the state information and cultural affairs, education department and the Netaji Research Bureau that will work all round the year to unearth the real story. She announced a grant of '50 lakhs for the facelift of the Netaji’s house and museum at Elgin Road.