Panel to probe Netaji's death
Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, March 25 - To put an end to the controversy regarding the death of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose in 1945, the Union Home Ministry today decided to recommend another Commission of Inquiry into the matter.

Announcing the decision here this evening, the Union Home Minister, Mr L K Advani, said it was prompted to act following the directions of the Calcutta High Court and the resolution of the West Bengal State Assembly on the issue.

Mr Advani said although there had been two Commissions of Inquiry in this regard in 1956 and in 1970, the issue of Subhash Chandra Bose's death "has been agitating the minds of his admirers".

Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose was reportedly killed in an air crash on August 18, 1945 in Formosa (Taiwan) but lot of people were not convinced or refused to accept it.

The Home Minister said the Calcutta High Court’s directions while disposing of a public interest litigation last year had set some parameters which could be the terms of reference.

They included whether Subhash Bose is dead or alive, if dead was he killed in the air crash, whether the ashes in a Tokyo’s Renkoji temple are of Bose’s body or if alive, his whereabouts.

He said apart from this, the West Bengal Assembly had passed a resolution during December last year urging the Centre to institute another inquiry into the issue.

The recommendation will be sent to the Union Cabinet for its approval, he said adding that it the Government would prefer the inquiry be headed by a person who enjoys confidence of all.

Mr Advani said the decision was taken after consideration by meeting convened by the Home Ministry which was attended among others by those associated with Netaji and his Indian National Army. They included, Col G S Dhillon, Dr Sisir Bose, Justice R S Narula and official of the Union Home Ministry.

The Home Minister recalled that former Prime Minister Morarji Desai had once replied in Parliament that while two Commissions of Inquiry had gone into the issue, he did not consider their findings conclusive.

He also said the probe body may now have to rely more on documents rather than any direct evidence barring the Japanese Doctor who treated Netaji after the air crash who is still alive.

Jindal’s HSP merges with Congress
Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, March 25 — Former MP Om Prakash Jindal, who headed the nascent Haryana Sarvajati Party (HSP) today joined with the Indian National Congress.

Mr Jindal’s admission and the merger of his party was announced at the AICC Headquarters by Congress General Secretary in charge of Haryana affairs, Pranab Mukherjee, in the presence of the Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee President, Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda and the AICC Secretaries, Mr Mukul Wasnik and Ms Selja.

The former Haryana Vikas Party MP from Kurukshetra said he had decided to merge his Sarvajati Party with the Congress since it was now being led by Mrs Sonia Gandhi, and was committed to root out corruption from the country.

Criticising the HVP-BJP government in Haryana led by Mr Bansi Lal, he said that it was "corrupt and betrayed" the trust of the people.

Mr Jindal claimed that in the next general election, the Congress would sweep all 10 Lok Sabha seats and 85 of the 90 Assembly seats.

Addressing reporters, Mr Mukherjee said the merger of the HSP with the Congress would strengthen the party in the State.

Mr Mukherjee also read out a resolution of the HSP adopted at a meeting of its executive committee here this afternoon at which the party decided to merge with the Congress.

Mr Hooda, who was also present, welcomed the merger of the HSP and said together they would work to strengthen the party.

Asked, about other party leaders like Mr Raghu Yadav of the BSP, Mr Ashwini Kumar and Dr Arvind Sharma who were associated with the HSP, Mr Jindal said these people were not with his party.