Republic Day Tableau Row: Netaji’s Legacy Partly Exploited For Political Reasons, Says Daughter Anita Bose-Pfaff

When asked whether the legacy of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose was exploited for political purposes, his daughter said: “Certainly and partly for political reasons”. 

New Delhi: Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose’s daughter Anita Bose-Pfaff on Monday said that the legendary freedom fighter’s legacy has often been “partly exploited” for political reasons.

Her remarks come amid a controversy over the rejection of West Bengal’s tableau for the Republic Day parade themed on Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose and his Indian National Army.

In a straightforward manner, Anita Bose-Pfaff acknowledged that the fanfare around the start of Netaji’s 125th birth anniversary year celebrations in 2021 in Kolkata had a connection with the West Bengal assembly election.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Sunday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, expressing “shock” at the rejection of the tableau, which also featured other Bengal icons like Rabindranath Tagore, Ishwarchandra Vidyasagar, Swami Vivekananda, Sri Aurobindo, and others.

Netaji’s daughter Anita Bose-Pfaff spoke to news agency PTI about the issue in a telephonic interview from Germany where she lives.

“I have heard about it. I don’t know under what circumstances it happened and why the tableau was not included. There might be some reasons. We can’t imagine that the Republic Day function in the year when my father would have turned 125 is being held and his tableau was not included, it seems very strange,” she said.

“And last year, the opening of the anniversary year was celebrated in a bigger way, of all places in Kolkata, (it) had something to do with election and election prospects in Bengal. The fact that nothing happened this year....certainly the issue is not as important as last year,” she pointed out.

When asked whether the legacy of the legendary freedom fighter was exploited for political purposes, she said: “Certainly and partly for political reasons”. 

She then added that she would not criticise it as politics is about coming across people and communicating. “So if an event like that touches many people, they would do it,” she stated, as quoted by PTI.

Netaji’s daughter had previously lauded the BJP government for declassifying files related to the national hero. However, she has now deplored a high-level committee that was constituted last year to plan a grand year-long programme to celebrate the 125th birth anniversary of the freedom fighter as she says it never even contacted her.

“I am supposed to be a member of that committee, but I have never heard that it has called a meeting.... or any written communication. As far as I know, there has been no meeting. For me, it’s a non-existent committee,” she told PTI.

Anita Bose-Pfaff once again urged the Indian Government to ensure that DNA tests are done on the ashes kept at Renkoji temple in Japan which are believed by many as being of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. The tests can bring out the truth and resolve the mystery surrounding his death.

“I tried to get the remains to move to India...but there are a lot of barriers. Now there is a Covid situation. I certainly would like this to be resolved. I think a DNA test should be conducted. DNA test would bring out the truth,” she said.

According to several accounts, Netaji boarded a plane on August 18, 1945 from Taihoku Airport in Taiwan which crashed soon after take-off, leading to his death. However, it is also believed by many that he survived the crash and lived in hiding in India.

Meanwhile, on the issue of the Republic Day tableau, Mamata Banerjee has urged PM Modi to reconsider the decision as she said that it will cause “pain” to the people of West Bengal. According to her, no reason was put forth for rejecting the tableau.

(With Agency Inputs)