Kolkata/New Delhi: Chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday hit out at the Centre alleging that it is handling the matter involving a person of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose’s stature in a “casual” manner. Ms Banerjee’s reactions came just two days after the Union home ministry, in a response to an RTI query, informed that Netaji was killed in a plane crash in 1945.
“The Central government recently gave information about Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose through a reply under the RTI Act. I am shocked to see this unilateral decision of the Central government without evidence,” Ms Banerjee posted on her Facebook page.
She claimed that she has drawn the attention of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to this matter.
“I have drawn the attention of the Prime Minister to this matter and has sought the considered stand of Central government in this regard,” she further posted.
Referring to Netaji as a great son of the soil, she wrote, “Our state, the country and the whole world are proud of him. Any matter involving a person of his stature does not deserve to be handled in such a casual manner.”
Meanwhile, the home ministry distanced itself from the controversy on Friday while clarifying that its reply was based on 2006 findings and that it was open to examining new facts as and when they came to light. “Replies were based on 2006 findings and the government is open to examine new facts when they come to light,” the ministry said in its clarification while clearly putting the blame on the previous UPA regime.
Earlier in a response to an RTI query on Netaji’s death, the ministry had stated that “after examining the reports of Shahnawaz Committee, Justice G.D. Khosla Commission and Justice Mukherjee Commission of Enquiry, the government has come to the conclusion that Netaji has died in plane crash in 1945”.
This response has triggered the ongoing controversy. The ministry claimed that the issue was not close and that a supplementary response was being sent further clarifying the government’s stand.
