'Netaji forced to seek fascist nations' support in fight for Independence'

A day before the126th birth anniversary of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, his daughter, Anita Bose Pfaff, on Sunday said the revolutionary leader, in his struggle for India's Independence, was forced to seek the cooperation of fascist countries which did not share his ideology.

In a statement, Pfaff also noted that the countries Netaji had approached were the only ones willing to support the fight against a common adversary.

"In his struggle for India's independence, he saw himself forced to seek the cooperation and support of fascist countries who did not share his ideology and his political agenda. At that time, they were the only countries willing to support this struggle against a common adversary," she stated.

Pfaff, who lives in Germany, also renewed her call for bringing back the ashes preserved at Renkoji temple in Japan, believed to be that of the freedom fighter.

"Even though he died in a foreign country more than 77 years ago and his remains are kept in a foreign land, many of his countrymen and his country women have not forgotten him... Members of all parties, across the entire political spectrum, parties who share his ideas and his ideology and those who do not, pay tribute to him and thank him for his sacrifice for India," Pfaff said in the statement.

"Let us bring Netaji's remains back home," she emphasised.

The economist pointed out that education for all men and women was therefore of utmost importance to the freedom fighter.

She described her father "as a politician inspired by socialism who envisioned India to become a modern, socialist or in today's terms social-democratic state, with equal opportunities for the wellbeing of all.

"He believed in equal rights, opportunities and duties for men and women, for members of all religions, castes and all social strata. This meant the empowerment and emancipation of all disadvantaged people. As an individual he was a religious person. However, he wanted free India to be a secular state where members of all religions would live together peacefully and with mutual respect. These values were practised in the Indian National Army," she added.

Several reports, over the years, have claimed that Netaji had on August 18, 1945, boarded a plane from Taihoku Airport in Taiwan, which crashed soon after leading to his death.

The reports have also suggested that his remains are kept at Renkoji temple.

Three inquiry commissions were formed by the Centre to unravel the mystery of Netaji's death. Two of them - the Shah Nawaz Commission (1956) and Khosla Commission (1970) -- said that Bose died in an air crash.

The third one the Mukherjee Commission (1999) -- had said he did not die in it.

Many still continue to believe that Netaji survived the plane crash and lived in hiding.