Meeting long-pending demands, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday announced that government will start unveiling the secret files related to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose from January 23 next year, raising hopes about solving the seven-decade-old mystery about his disappearance.
Declaring that "there is no need to strangle history", Modi told Netaji's family members during a meeting in New Delhi that he would also urge foreign governments to declassify files on Bose available with them by writing to them and personally taking up with their leaders, beginning with Russia in December.
Modi made the announcements while hosting Netaji's 35 family members who welcomed it and hoped the "historic" decision would finally lift the veil over his mysterious disappearance.
"Process of declassification of files relating to Netaji will begin on 23rd January 2016, Subhas Babu's birth anniversary," Modi tweeted after an hour-long interaction with the family members who sought making public of the documents with the hope that these will help solve the mystery about his disappearance in 1945.
"Will also request foreign governments to declassify files on Netaji available with them. Shall begin this with Russia in December," he said in another tweet.
Declaring that "there is no need to strangle history", Modi said "Nations that forget their history lack the power to create it."
Successive governments have refused to make public these documents, arguing that India's relations with foreign countries would be jeopardised. Modi's office too had stated till August this year that the files cannot be declassified as it will adversely affect relations with foreign countries.
The demands for declassification of secret files have been growing lately, especially after the Mamata Banerjee government in West Bengal recently declassified 64 files which were in its possession.
"We had a remarkable & extensive interaction... I told Subhas Babu's family members - please consider me a part of your family. They shared their valuable suggestions with me," the prime minister said, while remarking that "it was a privilege to welcome" them to 7, Race Course Road, his official residence.
Image: Family members of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose presenting a portrait of Netaji to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, at 7 Race Course Road, in New Delhi. Photograph: Press Information Bureau