Subhas Chandra Bose mystery: 'Firmly believe that Netaji died in 1985 due to natural causes'

With the government constituting a committee to examine the provisions of the Official Secrets Act (OSA), framed by the British in 1923 it is to be seen how much of the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose mystery will be made public.

What every Indian wants to know today is how did Netaji pass away? Was it a plane crash, was it Stalin who killed him or did he die a natural death in 1985 at Faizabad.

[Read: Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose death mystery: Who was 'Gumnami Baba'?]

It is interesting to find out what everyone is hiding and had Netaji really died in a plane crash then what is this fuss all about to protect the files.

Anuj Dhar, who has authored the book on Netaji titled, "India's biggest cover up," says in this interview with OneIndia that he is 100 per cent sure that Netaji had died a natural death in 1985.

[Read: "On Bose death, Nehru committed the original sin"]

There are so many theories regarding the death of Bose. What is your take on this issue?

I firmly believe that he had died in the year 1985 at Faizabad. He was very much there.

It was on September 16th 1985 that he breathed his last at a home in Faizabad. He was referred to as Bhagwanji and when he died all the locals knew that he was none other than Netaji.

The government has set up a committee to look into this issue. What are your thoughts on it?

It is just another attempt to buy time. These people in the Intelligence Bureau and Research and Analysis Wing want to save the skins of their predecessors. The entire country has let Netaji down and all those who come in the way of the truth are traitors.

Had Netaji died in a plane crash then it was a straight forward case. There would be no need to hide files and discuss its de-classification.

What do you expect the committee to do?

I do not think they will do anything. They will make a selective de-classification. According to me all the files should be de-classified and put in the national archives.

Netaji was a liberator and played a very important role in the freedom of our country.

Would anyone dare to keep files relating to Mahatma Gandhi a secret? They would never.

I do not think that the committee would ever make a comprehensive declassification of all the files.

What does the government know?

My understanding after 15 years of research is that the government knows very well that Netaji did not die in a plane crash.

Then what is there to hide?

Government feels that if the truth comes out then it can lead to a law and order problem especially in West Bengal. That cannot be the logic to hide the truth.

There are law and order problems that are created even during convocations or religious programmes. Does this mean that these programmes are banned?

The government fears a major backlash. Just recently two files came out on Netaji and look at the reactions it has had. You can well imagine what would happen if all the files were to come out.

Does the government know the Faizabad angle?

Of course yes the government knows about it. The government was in touch with him and used to regularly send emissaries to meet him. However, Netaji was unable to come out due to some pressure.

The government never wanted him to come out in the open and neither did they want to tell the nation the truth. Trust me when I say this, during this time Field Marshal Sam Maneckshaw and former R&AW chief, RN Kao had also met him.

Why did the government not want him to come out?

It is not just the Nehru angle and his insecurity. They were scared that that Netaji coming out would also hit the legacy of Mahatma Gandhi.

[Read: Jawaharlal Nehru govt spied on Netaji Bose's kin for two decades]

Moreover, the government tried to hide him and they realized that after so many years if the truth had come out then all hell would have broken out.

This the government could not afford at any cost and hence the truth remained hidden.

OneIndia News