As we remember the heroes of independence every August 15, one such hero, Netaji Subash Chandra Bose remains unfound and unattended.
Anita Bose Pfaff, the daughter of Netaji, has urged the union government to bring back his remains to India. She currently resides in Germany.
“Modern technology now offers the means for sophisticated DNA testing, provided DNA can be extracted from the remains. To those who still doubt that Netaji died on August 18, 1945, it offers a chance to obtain scientific proof that the remains kept at Renkoji temple in Tokyo are his,” Bose said.
It is widely believed that Netaji’s relics remain under the care of the Japanese government in Renkoji temple in Tokyo. Moreover, three generations of priests have been looking over the relics since he passed away.
Bose claimed that the Japanese government and the priests are more than willing to conduct the trials and hand over the relics to the Indian government.
Netaji’s relics in Renkoji temple, Tokyo
She further urged the people of India, Pakistan and Bangladesh to help bring his relics back as that is the least the countries can do for his commendable sacrifices to fight the British. “So let us finally prepare to bring him home! Nothing in his life was more important to Netaji than his country’s independence. There was nothing that he longed for more than living in an India free of foreign rule! Since he did not live to experience the joy of freedom, it is time that at least his remains can return to Indian soil,” she added.
Additionally, Netaji’s relatives have also urged government agencies to conduct investigations on where he went from Taiwan. The awaited DNA test is to also ensure the relics belong to the beloved freedom fighter
Netaji’s Death
The leader of the Indian National Army dedicated his whole life to India’s freedom movement. “So let us finally prepare to bring him home! Nothing in his life was more important to Netaji than his country’s independence. There was nothing that he longed for more than living in an India free of foreign rule! Since he did not live to experience the joy of freedom, it is time that at least his remains can return to Indian soil,” the Austrian-born economist added. Anita was only four years-old when Netaji left Germany to attend to India’s dire need for independence.
There continues to be an ambiguity over how Netaji passed away as many argue he died in a plan crash after which the Japanese authorities took over his relics. Two commissions of inquiry concluded that Netaji died in a plane crash on August 18, 1945, in Taipei, a third panel led by Justice M.K. Mukherjee had disputed it to state that Netaji was alive at the time.
