As Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled the black granite statue of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose at India Gate on Thursday, Anita Bose Pfaff and other family members, including Chandra Kumar Bose boycotted the event in New Delhi. In a statement, Anita Bose Pfaff, daughter of Netaji, based in Germany has appealed to the “people of India and to all Indian political parties to unite … to bring my father’s mortal remains to India”. She spells out that “My father fought selflessly for the freedom of India. He sacrificed and lost a lot – ultimately his life – in the pursuit of Indian independence.

” She goes on “….when free India is recognizing his valour and heroism by installing his statue at a most central and prestigious location in the heart of the Indian capital, I wish to remind Indians that my father’s mortal remains are still lying in Tokyo and have not been brought home to India for a final disposal for over 77 years.” Anita Bose makes it clear about her belief, when she writes: “He died as a result of a plane crash in Taipei on 18 August 1945.” Thanking the government for declassifying files related to Netaji, she adds, “… Such steps should have removed any doubts about what happened to my father and ended the previous controversy once and for all.” In her statement, Netaji’s daughter expresses the desire that her father’s remains should at least touch the soil of India.

Talking about Anita Bose’s wish, Netaji’s grandnephew Chandra Kumar Bose said, “Anita Bose has planned her visit to India by the year end and she specifically wants to meet the PM. She wants to come during the winter months as the weather is more suitable for her around then. She would have still made an effort to come for the ceremony in New Delhi today if she would have been assured that she would get an audience with PM Modi.

But that wasn’t ensured and so she dropped the idea of coming now.” Revealing the plans of Anita Bose, Chandra Kumar Bose added, “She wants to meet the PM and discuss about the remains of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, which are still lying at Renkoji temple in Japan.

She plans to bring them to India and wants to perform the shraddh (last rites) in accordance with the Hindu tradition since Netaji was a devout Hindu.” The family said that Netaji’s daughter wants to immerse a portion of the ashes in the Ganges and carry some to Mairang in Meghalaya, where the Azad Hind government was formed. In the letter she also expressed the desire to carry out a DNA test, if possible. “We should now strive to instil the values Netaji stood for,” said Chandra Kumar Bose