PM Modi also promised to request foreign governments, beginning with Russia in December, to declassify the Netaji files available with them. PM Modi also promised to request foreign governments, beginning with Russia in December, to declassify the Netaji files available with them.

The process to declassify files relating to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose will begin on his birth anniversary, January 23, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Wednesday after meeting 35 member of Netaji’s extended family at his 7, Race Course Road residence. While making the announcement, the PM also said that he sees no reason to “strangle history”.

The hour-long interaction saw Netaji’s family members requesting for declassification of the files relating to him that are available with the Centre.

They suggested that the Centre also initiate the process to declassify the files on Netaji available with foreign governments, the PMO said in a statement. “The Prime Minister said that he finds the suggestions of the family members of Netaji to be similar to his own thinking and the view of the Union government. He said he sees no reason to strangle history. He declared that the process of declassification of files will begin on January 23, 2016, the birthday of Netaji,” the PMO statement added.

The PM also agreed to take up the suggestion to request foreign governments to declassify files on Netaji. He said he would not only write to them, but also take up the matter during his meetings with foreign leaders, beginning with Russia in December.

The PM said that those nations who forget history also lose the power to create it. “Consider me a part of your family,” the PM said to the family members of Netaji. Union Ministers Rajnath Singh, Sushma Swaraj, and Minister of State Babul Supriyo were present on the occasion.

After the Mamata Banerjee government in West Bengal recently declassified 64 files related to Netaji, the Centre has found itself under pressure to do the same with the 41 files in its possession.

Of the 41 files on Netaji created between 1953 and 2000, only two have been declassified so far and can be accessed at the National Archives of India. Of the remaining 39 files, four are “Top Secret”, 20 “Secret”, five “Classified” and 10 “Unclassifed”.

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