Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, on Thursday, demanded that the Centre immediately declassify the files of iconic Indian freedom fighter Subhas Chandra Bose from the central archives. 

“Netaji had been a victim of conspiracy. The state government has 64 classified files of Netaji which we have already declassified. Now the Union government should declassify the files there in central archives,” the Chief Minister said while participating in a function at Kalchini in Alipurduar district of West Bengal to pay home to Netaji on his birth anniversary.

The Chief Minister further said, "It is unfortunate that although the people of India know the date of Netaji’s birthday, none is aware of the date of his death. I feel sad when I think that we could not even know what actually happened to Netaji,” the Chief Minister said.

She also said that Netaji was the true political mentor of the entire nation. “He was a true leader and pathfinder. He had set up the Indian National Army. The erstwhile Planning Commission was his brainchild. He believed in the unity of all religions. He used to think for everyone. But it is unfortunate that we do not have any idea on where he actually vanished,” the Chief Minister said.

At a different function at Red Road in central Kolkata, the leader of opposition (LoP) in the West Bengal Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari paid floral tribute to the statue of Netaji.

Already the LoP had questioned the alleged “double standards" of the West Bengal government as regards Netaji’s birthday. According to him, although the state government earlier issued a notification under Section 25 of the Negotiable Instrument Act, 1881 and declared January 23 as a public holiday for 2025, in the WhatsApp group of the state government officials, it has been stated that CMRO grievance redressal office will be functional on that day. “This not only violates the norms for a Public Holiday declared under the NI Act but is also tantamount to showing disrespect towards Netaji,” the leader of opposition claimed.

(IANS)