Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose (File photo)

Indian-origin British MPs happy to assist in bringing back Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose's ashes from Tokyo

Replying to a question, Vaz said that the MPs would be very happy to assist the process of bringing back Netaji's ashes from Tokyo, but a request for such intervention has to come from New Delhi.

LONDON: Indian-origin parliamentarians in the UK would be happy to assist India to bring back the mortal remains of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose from Tokyo, a British lawmaker of Indian descent said here Wednesday.

There are more than 20 Indian-origin lawmakers in the UK parliament.

"It is very important that we recognise the significance of having the ashes back in India where they truly belong," Keith Vaz said here during a discussion at The Nehru Centre on the book 'Laid to Rest: The Controversy over Subhas Chandra Bose's Death' written by NRI journalist Ashis Ray.

Replying to a question from the moderator, Mihir Bose, a biographer of Bose, Vaz said that the Indian-origin MPs would be very happy to assist the process of bringing back Netaji's ashes from Tokyo.

However, a request for such intervention has to come from Delhi, he said, adding, "Then we will be very happy to assist. I will try and get my colleagues to support this and it would be an easy task".

Commenting on the book, the senior-most member of parliament of Indian descent in the House of Commons said, "Not only is he (Bose) laid to rest, but the conspiracy theories are also laid to rest by this exceptional book." Also in the panel of speakers was Dr Sarmila Bose, a lawyer and niece of Netaji.

"Ashis has done a great public service.He has written the book in a very accessible manner and it should further the cause to put an end to the controversy (over Netaji's death)," she said.