Confusion over public access to Subash Chandra Bose's declassified files, remains

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will declassify documents on freedom fighter Subhash Chandra Bose today, but there exists confusion over the access to these files.

Earlier, Mamata had announced that her government will place the 64 files in the public domain. However, media reports suggest that the files will not be immediately available to the public.

It is now being reportedly said that the Kolkata police will declassify the files before members of the Bose family and the media and later notify when the general public can access them.

Also read- Questions that the declassified documents on Subhas Chandra Bose might answer

According to media reports, until late in the evening of 17 September, there was confusion among Kolkata police officials themselves. While joint commissioner, headquarters, Kolkata Police, Rajeev Mishra said they would not offer the contents of the files in a CD to the media, police commissioner Surajit Kar Purkayastha said, "We are still struggling with the logistics. Let's see if we can arrange something like that."

Kartik Banerjee, who campaigned for the declassification and Mamata Banerjee's younger brother, said, "I am not going to the Kolkata Police museum. Otherwise, it will be construed differently as common people are not being invited."

Meanwhile, reacting to the Mamata's move, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and former home secretary RK Singh on 18 September said that it would have been better if Mamata had consulted the Centre or Ministry of External Affairs ( MEA) before taking the decision to declassify the files.

Another BJP leader Siddharth Nath Singh, however, welcomed the decision and said that Netaji's life must be demystified.

Meanwhile, Abhijit Roy, Bose's relative said that this step by the West Bengal Government would provide vigour and vitality to their struggle.