NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he would be receiving family members of Subhash Chandra Bose next month but avoided any reference to declassification of secret files related to him which is being demanded by various sections after West Bengal government did so.
In his 12th edition of monthly radio programme 'Mann Ki Baat', Modi spoke about a number of issues, including those he had highlighted during the previous episodes like giving up of LPG subsidy, Swacch Bharat campaign, promotion of khadi besides pushing for greater voter participation and paying tributes to soldiers on the 50th anniversary of 1965 India-Pak war.
During the 30-minute programme, he recalled that in May he had met some family members of Subhash Chandra Bose during a visit to Kolkata. "I got an opportunity to spend some time with them. That day it was decided that the extended family of Subhash babu will visit the Prime Minister's residence.... Last week, I got confirmation that over 50 members of Subhash babu are coming to visit the Prime Minister's residence," Modi said.
"Over 50 members of Subhash babu's family, from various countries, will be coming...I am happy to welcome them," he said. Describing it as a momentous occasion for him, Modi said the family members of Netaji, perhaps for the first time, would be together visiting the Prime Minister's residence.
"But the bigger happiness is for me as nobody in the Prime Minister's residence would have got such a chance earlier as I will be getting in October."
While making the reference to Bose, the Prime Minister made no mention of the issue of declassification of secret files related to the freedom fighter. After West Bengal government declassified 64 such files a few days back, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and some others have demanded that the central government also should declassify the files that are with the PMO and Home Ministry.