Netaji Bose: What to expect from the declassified files of West Bengal?

Kolkata, Sept 12: West Bengal Chief Minister, Mamata Banerjee yesterday said that 64 files on Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, which lying with the state's Home Department will be declassified next Friday.

Mamata said that there are a total of 64 files and after all of them were reviewed the decision to de-classify was taken.

What do these 64 files contain? What is ther reason for the West Bengal government to declassify these files? Anuj Dhar a leading researcher on Netaji Bose and author of the book India's Biggest Cover Up speaks with OneIndia on what the files to be declassified next Friday would contain. He also speaks about the possible intent behind the decision to declassify the files.

The Shaulmari Baba files:
Several files which would be de-classified by the West Bengal government would contain information on Shaulmari Baba.

The West Bengal Intelligence Bureau had snooped on a person by the name Sadhu Saradananda who was also known as Shaulmari Baba. The intelligence bureau snooped on Shaulmari Baba after it was suspected that he was Bose in hiding.

The West Bengal intelligence bureau felt that he was indeed Bose due to some strange characteristics displayed by him.

He was averse to leaving his finger prints behind or even being photographed. The baba also kept his face covered when anyone visited him and also refused to give a blood sample or take an X-ray. Anuj Dhar says that most of the files which would be declassified by the West Bengal government would contain information on Shaulmari Baba.

Snooping on family and researchers:
The de-classified files would also contain information on how the intelligence snooped on the family members of Bose. There would be some files containing information of how the intelligence snooped on Bose and his family.

Further there would also be information on snooping carried out on all persons who were close to Bose. I do expect that some of the files would also contain information on how various agencies snooped on even researchers, Anuj also points out.

Correspondence on Bose files:

Anuj also adds that some of the files would contain information on correspondence. Over several years there has been a lot of correspondence between the West Bengal Chief Ministers and the Prime Minister over the Bose mystery. These are expected to be de-classified on Friday by the West Bengal government.

Anuj also says that he does not expect anything earth shattering in these files. I feel that the declassification of these files would only create an atmosphere for the centre to declassify the files it has with it.

Files regarding controversies:
"I feel that some of the files among these 64 would relating to the various controversies relating to Bose. When I say controversies, I mean the ones that have been created by people.

There have been various documentaries that have been made on Netaji Bose and in some of them he has been portrayed in negative light. These files would speak about those controversies and who were behind it too," Anuj Dhar also points out.

Why are the files being de-classified?
Anuj says that there could be many reasons behind the decision to de-classify these files.

It has been rumoured that the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi was planning on declassifying the files that the centre had ahead of the West Bengal elections. If that rumour is to be believe that Mamata Banerjee has decided to declassify these files only to pre-empt any such move by the Prime Minister.

Another reason could be that the declassification of these files would create an atmosphere for the centre to declassify the files which have much more material and information.

OneIndia news