Netaji's ashes still in Renkoji temple: MEA

KOLKATA: In a new twist to the mystery surrounding the disappearance of Subhas Chandra Bose, the external affairs ministry has informed Delhi-based Mission Netaji that the alleged ashes and remains of the iconic freedom fighter are still in Tokyo's Renkoji temple.

The current turn of events have their origin in a note (UO No D/S13170) sent on December 2, 1954 by M O Mathai, secretary to then prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru, which said "a small amount of Rs200-odd were received by minister of
external affairs from our embassy in Tokyo along with the ashes and other remains of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose".

Armed with this note, Mission Netaji's Anuj Dhar and Chandrachur Ghosh approached the external affairs ministry and PMO in September last year and asked them to state the facts vis-a-vis the note under the Right to Information (RTI) Act.

In their appeal, Dhar and Ghosh sought to know whether the ashes and other remains of Netaji were ever received in India by Nehru, who was also external affairs minister. They also wanted to know that if the ashes were received, how they were disposed of and why the information was withheld from the people of India.

They also queried the raison d'etre of Mathai's note if Netaji's ashes were allowed to remain in Renkoji temple.

In a letter dated March two this year, Additional Secretary Ajai Choudhary of the external affairs ministry informed Mission Netaji that "as far as the ministry was aware the alleged ashes and remains are still at the Renkoji temple,
Tokyo".