Government's discomfiture on Netaji continues

New Delhi, July 15: After making a shocking revelation that it did not have any record on Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, the government continues to flounder in the matter by admitting that ''no advertisement was released by DAVP on January 23, 2007 (Netaji's birthday) to spread the message'' of one of the immortal heroes of the country's freedom struggle.

Over the period April 2006-March 2007, the Directorate of Audio-Visual Publicity (DAVP) spent a whopping Rs 1,09,66,95,750 on advertisements to various newspapers and around Rs 100 crore on the electronic media.

Not even a single rupee out of this huge amount was spent to release ads on the life and ideals of the Netaji. This unsavoury fact was conceded by the Home Ministry when a pesky social activist of Delhi used the Right to Information (RTI) Act to ferret out the facts as well as the government's stand on the contributions of Subhash Chandra Bose, a frontline freedom fighter.

There was only a DD News telecast of a video spot of 60 seconds on Netaji, but that was done free of cost.

It was on February 5, and later on April 2, that Dev Ashish Bhattacharya had sought information from the Home Ministry about the DAVP ad spent on Bose's birth anniversary. The Ministry's final reply came on April 9.

Perturbed by the reply, Mr Bhattacharya, on June 8, sent another 10 queries to the Home Secretary under the RTI Act, seeking information about the ministries and officials who were responsible for directing the DAVP not to release any ads (both in the electronic and print media), which otherwise would have facilitated in spreading the Netaji's message.

He also inquired from the government whether there was any plan to install a statue of Netaji in the precincts of Parliament or the Parliament Annexe.

While seeking the number of statues of the country's statesmen erected on the premises of Parliament and its annexe, Mr Bhattacharya also demanded information on the parameters, available with the government, which determine the suitability of such installation.

Another query for the Home Secretary is whether the Indian Government acknowledges Subhash Chandra Bose as the Commander-in-Chief of the Indian National Army (INA).''If yes, what status has been assigned to Netaji in the hierarchy of the Indian Military Establishment? If not, then what are the reasons?'' The activist is also keen to know whether the Centre acknowledges the Provisional Government of Free India-in-exile'' formed by the Netaji and was recognised by Japan and Germany. ''If yes, then has Netaji been given the Head of the State status? If not, what are the reasons?'' Apparently, no such status has been given to the founder of the INA.''But the fact remains that all surviving INA soldiers are getting pension through the Government of India, which does recognise their contribution towards the freedom struggle.

Accordingly, Netaji should have been accorded appropriate military recognition and honour for being the founder and commander-in-chief of the INA,'' he said.

In support of his contention, he points out that India has accorded the 'Head of the State' status to the Dalai Lama for heading the Government of Tibet-in-exile.''There is no compelling reason for the government to deny the same status to Netaji if this logic is extended to his contributions also.'' Mr Bhattacharya also wants to know from the government whether there is any plan to appoint a commission for ''getting the true position with regard to the contribution of Netaji towards the freedom struggle.''' Finally, he wants to know if any currency, issued by the 'Provisional Government of Free India' formed by Subhash Chandra Bose, is available with the government.''The fact is that the Provisional Government had issued currency having the picture of Mahatma Gandhi on the one side and of the Red Fort on the other side,'' he points out.

''My grouse against the Home Ministry stems from the fact that instead of furnishing information with regard to my queries, it has forwarded these to six different authorities, including the Culture Ministry, National Archives, Defence Ministry, External Affairs Ministry and the Lok Sabha Secretariat,'' he says.

According to him, this only betrays the government's ''dilly-dallying attitude'' because as per the provisions of the RTI Act, the Home Ministry should have redirected his application to the appropriate authorities within five days of its receipt.

''Instead, it redirected my application of June 8 to the authorities on July 5. It means the government took 25 days, which is in contravention of the RTI provisions,'' he points out.''I am sorry to say that the entire information provided to me is evasive, misleading and a mere lip service. Nothing concrete has been done with regard to the preservation of the memory of Netaji.'' Meanwhile, Mr Bhattacharya is keenly awaiting replies from the six authorities to his set of ten queries.

UNI