Wednesday, December 28 2005 17:41 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Kolkata: Nobel laureate economist Amartya Sen today (Dec 28, 2005) declined to comment on the mysterious disappearance of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, saying he preferred to go by the view held by Netaji's daughter Anita Pfaff that he died in the Taihoku air crash.

"If Netaji had been alive, he would have been 108. It is not unknown for people to live to that age, but I have no jurisdiction to comment on how he died. I will go by what Netaji's daughter has to say on this," Sen told newsmen during a visit to the Netaji Bhavan here.

Pfaff had said on earlier occasions that she believed Netaji was killed in the air crash at Taihoku. "Otherwise, he would have come to India after Independence," she said.

Sen, who visited Netaji Bhavan for the first time, said that the leader's political thoughts, such as bringing about Hindu-Muslim unity, empowering women and integrating the country were something to be 'felt with the heart.'

"This visit brought me close to someone whom I have known about since childhood. I am particularly touched by a picture in which a group of Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs are having a meal together. This was the practice of the Indian National Army. It is through vignettes like these that the thoughts of the great man are driven home," he said.

Earlier, Sen was shown around the three-storey building, which was once Netaji's residence, by his niece-in-law and former MP Krishna Bose and her son Prof Sugata Bose.

He also had a conversation with Netaji's daughter Anita Pfaff and her husband Martin Pfaff.