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PMO discloses details of files relating to Subhash Chandra Bose, but declines making files public

By Subhash Chandra Agrawal | PUBLISHED: 01, Dec 2014, 13:46 pm IST | UPDATED: 02, Dec 2014, 13:35 pm IST

PMO discloses details of files relating to Subhash Chandra Bose, but declines making files public New Delhi: A letter from PMO discloses details of files relating to Subhash Chandra Bose, but declines making files public. This was in an RTI reply to the activist.

Elaborating on the imformation recieved from PMO he says, 'It refers to Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) vide response dated 21.11.2014 after fourteen long months of filing of RTI petition dated 14.09.2013 ultimately providing list of 41 files relating to Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, but declining to make these files public as according to PMO, information (copy of 41 files) would prejudicially affect relations with foreign countries!

But the matter being so old and people in India being so much sensitive and provocative about mystery in death of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose indeed requires invoking provisions of section 8(2) of RTI Act in a positive and right perspective where section 8(2) allows access to information in case public interest overweighs the harm protected.

Here in this case, public interest definitely overweighs the harm protected where even several commissions/committees have been formed by Union government to probe mystery in death of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose. Even family-members of India's great freedom-fighter have from time to time expressed their extreme displeasure over Union government handling the probe-matter even to extent of declining receiving Bharat Ratna once announced for Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose.

Learned CPIO did not even specify name of the country with which relations would be likely to be prejudicially affected. In case such a country is United Kingdom (England), then much more larger public-interest is involved because of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose having devoted his life against domination of that country depriving India from freedom for long till 15.08.1947.

India is now a free country which is no longer under domination of UK. Revealing copies of files will also make the picture clear when media-reports have repeatedly shown certain persons being categorized as Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose having led life in anonymity for some undisclosed reasons after independence of the country.

BJP-led Union government has made list of files public, which were not disclosed in earlier UPA-regime. Prime Minister should move a step further by making even complete files public also on website.