Govt has no record on Netaji's role in freedom struggle

NEW DELHI: In a shocking revelation, Government has said it has no information in its records about the contribution of Netaji Subash Chandra Bose to India's freedom struggle.

This admission has come from a senior Government officer in response to an application by Delhi-based Dev Ashish Bhattacharya under the Right to Information Act.

Bhattacharya approached the Union Home Ministry with five questions in which he had sought information on what role Bose had in the freedom movement.

The applicant had also sought information whether India maintains any protocol with regard to Bose and whether he fits somewhere in that protocol.

"The information in your letter is not available in the records," SK Malhotra, Deputy Secretary in the Home Ministry said in reply to Bhattacharya's petition.

"It was shocking for me to have this response," Bhattacharya said.

Netaji Subash Chandra Bose may have contributed immensely towards India and make people aware about their strength to fight British man-to-man but the Government says it has no documents to substantiate this, said Bhattacharya.

"It is a common knowledge about formation of Indian National Army and that it came within the striking distance of Indian mainland before being pushed back from Moreh in Manipur but this historical fact, the government is reluctant to put on record in response to my application," he said.