Kolkata: The All India Forward Bloc (AIFB) on October 15 urged the Centre to declassify documents that could help chronicle the history of the Azad Hind government headed by Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose and observe October 21, the anniversary of the first free Indian government, a day of national importance.

Regretting that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government at the Centre had never attempted to give Bose and his sacrifice for the country due honour, West Bengal Forward Bloc secretary Ashok Ghosh urged the Centre to declassify over 9,000 documents, in possession of the Indian Army, within October 21 to enable scholars to rewrite the history of the Azad Hind Fauj in right perspective.

"About 9,999 documents were submitted by the British government during the historic Red Fort trial of Azad Hind soldier trio Shahnawaz-Saigal-Dhillon, who were sentenced to death in 1946. Till date only 999 documents have been made public. The rest are under wraps," he told a press meet to announce the diamond jubilee celebration of the Azad Hind government on October 21.

"...Only these documents can provide the right picture of the trial and help chronicle this glorious chapter in the freedom movement of India, as also of the free India government formed by Netaji on October 21, 1943 in Singapore," he said.

Lamenting that besides bringing out commemorative stamps in 1964 and 1968 during the 25th anniversary celebration of the Azad Hind government, the Centre had made no visible effort, he said, neither Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee nor his deputy L K Advani had ever made any public reference in recognition of the historic importance of the day.

PTI