Declassify all Netaji files, even the 'scandalous' ones, if any

While I can't say whether they are part of the next tranche of the Netaji files to be made public, some government records relating to Subhas Chandra Bose are said to contain Raj-era propaganda scandalising his personal life.

In 2001, the Union home ministry had told the Mukherjee Commission that certain secret documents regarding Netaji could not be allowed to go public in any which way for fear of hurting "the sentiments of the people at large".

This would happen, according to the ministry, because the records "if disclosed, may lower the image of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose". 

An informed source reveals that these notes (prepared on the basis of information provided by Raj era intelligence) have "personal" remarks against Netaji.

Now what could that possibly be?

In view of the available documents at the National Archives at Kew, London, referring to Emilie Schenkel as Subhas's "mistress" and Anita as their "illegitimate daughter", we can conclude what sort of personal remarks we should expect to see in the official files in India. 

That there could also be something about the women personnel of Jhansi Rani Regiment cannot be ruled out. That was an era of war and enemies were routinely given bad name or depicted negatively. The attached record I came across at Kew speaks for itself.

As far as this writer is concerned, all papers concerning Netaji should be made public. No personal charge against him would stick, and nothing would lower his unimpeachable image. A government record at times reflects the views of those in power.

Take for instance, the following excerpt from a record where Bose-Emilie relations have been described somewhat irreverently. This description appears in the interrogation report of AC Nambiar, a polished diplomat who was close to both Jawaharlal Nehru and Bose. This interrogation report was filed by Captain Naurang Singh Bains of the Indian Army. 

But as the record below demonstrates, the contents of the interrogation record could have been inspired by Bains' mindset. 

All the same, if indeed there are records with Government of India containing such personal information about Netaji and the same are going to be released -- either now or in near future - questions about similar records relating to other national leaders would naturally be raised.