RTI makes PMO release info about "Panditji's file" on Netaji
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But no clue who ordered its destruction & why
Press Release | 18 September 2007
A CIC decision has led to partial disclosure by the PMO of papers relating to
the destruction of an alleged file on the enquires made by former Prime
Minister Jawaharlal Nehru about the whereabouts of Subhas Chandra Bose. The
bunch comprises notes from secret files, letter by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi
and recent correspondence between Mukherjee Commission and Prime Minister's
Office under Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
A selection of the papers provided to Mission Netaji can be seen here.
File 12(226)/56-PM titled Investigation into the circumstances leading to the
death of Subhas Bose was described by Justice Mukherjee Commission of Inquiry
(1999-2005) as one which could have been of "great assistance" in resolving the
controversy surrounding Bose's disappearance. It was destroyed "during routine
process of review/weeding of old records" -- as Kamal Dayani, PMO's Central
Public Information Officer, informed Anuj Dhar of Mission Netaji in September
last year.
Dhar took the matter to Central Information Commission (CIC). Last month, Chief
Information Commissioner Wajahat Habibullah directed the Prime Minister's
Office to provide certain documents identified by Dhar. The PMO obliged, and so
the contours of a shocking tale emerge.
In April 1957, more than ten years after the reported death of Subhas Bose, a
file was opened in what was then called the Prime Minister's Secretariat. The
file was suddenly destroyed in March 1972. Grapevine had it that it was done at
the behest of PN Haksar, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's all-powerful PS. The
timing of the destruction clashed with the ongoing judicial inquiry of GD
Khosla. Strangely, Khosla, a flamboyant friend of Pt Nehru's, went on to write
in his report that the "unwanted" file was "destroyed to lighten the burden of
the record rooms".
In contrast, Mukherjee, a former Supreme Court judge known for his expertise in
criminal law, forced the issue of destroyed Netaji records with the PMO. They
were asked to furnish the copies of the order regarding the destruction as well
as "authenticated Xerox copies of the Rules and Procedures prescribed for
destruction of files".
In response, the PMO Director wrote that "no order as such ... could be
located" and could only provide "the relevant page of the File Register showing
destruction of the file in 1972". The same has been given to Mission Netaji
under RTI along with page No 151/C of classified PMO file 2(64)/56-70 PM,
Vol-V. The documents give no clue as to who could have ordered the destruction
and for what reason. Another PMO letter stated that the Commission may
"acquaint themselves with the destruction procedure of files in Govt of India
offices" as laid down in Manual of Office Procedure.
Mission Netaji traced the Manual of circa 1972 and found that official files in
those days were recorded in three categories. "Class A" files or the "records
fit for permanent preservation" included "files of historical importance" --
those "relating to a well-known public or international event or cause celebre,
or to other events which gave rise to interest or controversy on the national
plane". The question of destruction of such files under any "review and weeding
of records" did not arise before 25 years and prior consultation with the
National Archives of India.
File 12(226)/56-PM seemed to have been shredded hurriedly and unlawfully. Why?
Mukherjee Commission queried PMO on May 23, 2000 to disclose "the subject and
contents of the above file and the circumstances under which the said file had
been destroyed". PMO replied that the file "contained agenda paper/cabinet
decision" which could be procured for the Cabinet Secretariat as "records of
Cabinet proceedings are kept permanently in Cabinet Secretariat". But
Commission got nothing from Cabinet Secretariat. Ditto for Mission Netaji,
whose RTI request was transferred to the PMO.
The released papers further disclose that former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi
reasoned in 1974 that the "file was destroyed only because it contained
copies". "I can assure you that this file (12(226)/56-PM) contained only copies
of certain documents which are still available in other files, she wrote to
late MP Samar Guha who had wondered "whether such a vital file has been
destroyed or withheld".
But, the papers show, this logic too worn thin as the PMO was unable to prove
the veracity of former Prime Minister's assertion by providing documents
supporting her contention.
"The impunity with which such an important file seems to have been destroyed
raises a big question mark on the accountability of our political establishment
and bureaucracy," remarks Mission Netaji's Chandrachur Ghose.
Who are behind this and why is it important to know what happened to Netaji?
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