| • In 1942, Ras Behari Bose established the ‘Indian Independence League’ to fight for India’s freedom from British rule. • He later handed it over to Subhas Chandra Bose, who developed it into the Indian National Army (Azad Hind Fauj). |
- On 18 August 1945, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose is believed to have died in a plane crash in Taiwan.
- Almost Seventy-Nine years later, his remains are still not brought back to India.
- Days before his death anniversary, his grand-nephew emphasized the need to return his remains to India.
- Anita Bose Pfaff, daughter of Netaji, highlighted that since her father didn’t witness India’s freedom, his remains should at least return to Indian soil.
- The Japanese, who last saw Bose, reported in a detailed 1956 investigation that he was cremated at Taihoku Prefecture (present-day Taipei).
- His remains were handed to his confidante SA Ayar and his articles to Rama Murti of the Tokyo Indian Independence League on 8 September 1945.
- Subsequently the remains were placed at the Renkoji temple near Tokyo, where they still rest.
- In 2017, as a response to a Right to Information application, the Ministry of Home Affairs said, after considering the reports of Shah Nawaz Committee, Justice GD Khosla Commission and Justice Mukherjee Commission of Inquiry, the Government has come to the conclusion that Netaji had died in the plane crash on 18.8.1945.
- Modern technology now offers sophisticated DNA testing, which could provide scientific proof to confirm the remains at Renkoji temple are indeed Netaji’s.
Dig Deeper: Read about Indian National Army’s contribution in Indian National Movement.
