The defence ministry order came on the eve of the 114th birth anniversary of Subhas Chandra Bose, who led the INA.
As the nation celebrates the 114th birth anniversary of the founder of Azad Hind Fauj of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, this Sunday, his 60-year-old manuscript of a book chronicling its history will remain under wraps for some more time.
The ministry of defence (MoD) had challenged the Central Information Commission (CIC) order on the plea of a RTI applicant seeking the information regarding Bose saying if the manuscript goes in private hands it may prove detrimental to the economic interests of the government of India.
The case relates to an RTI application filed by activists Anuj Dhar and Chandrachur Ghose, who were the office bearers of a trust called ‘Mission Netaji’ and sought a copy of the manuscript of the book by PC Gupta, a historian, written 60 years ago, who was commissioned by the government to write the official version of the Indian National Army.
The manuscript was completed in 1950, but languished in the History Division of the MoD till date. The Delhi high court has on Friday stayed the CIC’s order that had asked the MoD to provide manuscript of a book relating to the history of Azad Hind Fauj.
The unpublished book commissioned by government six decades ago was refused by MoD to the RTI applicant saying it is “planning” to publish the manuscript submitted in 1950 and the disclosure would hit the “economic interests” of the state. Following the CIC order, Dhar and Ghose had also provided a written oath to the government saying that they would not extract any economic mileage out of the manuscript and it was only for research and personal reference.
Information commissioner ML Sharma had in its order last year directed the MoD to disclose the manuscript to the RTI applicants. “Information sought by Ghose and Dhar is “disclosable (sic)” and the reasons provided by the ministry do not hold in the light of the oath by the duo,” the CIC order states.
“This instance is symptomatic of larger malaise. Our government wants to keep everything about Netaji secret for reasons known to them,” Dhar said.
In 2009, CIC has also directed the home ministry to make public “each” exhibit listed in the Justice Mukherjee Commission report which probed the alleged disappearance of Subhash Chandra Bose in 1945, even if they belonged to other ministries and state governments.
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