DNA TEST MUST BE DONE AT THE EARLIEST

INTERVIEW Anita Bose Pfaff Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose’s daughter

- RABI BANERJEE

Anita Bose Pfaffwas elated when she was told about the broad agreement in the Bose family in Kolkata about her father’s death. She explained to THE WEEK over phone why the air-crash theory was a logical conclusion. Excerpts from an interview:

Q. The Bose family now unanimously accepts the air crash theory.

A. Our family is a large one and it would be difficult to agree on any issue. Chandra Bose and his family and many other groups in the family have now accepted it. It is relieving. What else can I say?

Q. But you accepted it many years ago.

A. Yes. That was because I personally interviewed survivors of the plane crash. So, for me it was convincing.

Q. But the common Bengalis who worship Netaji are yet to respond. What do you feel their reaction would be?

A. Bengalis are known to have large joint families. And in that large family, disagreements are natural, particularly on big issues like the death of their idol. But one should agree that the remains of Netaji need to be back in India. His life and ideas are more important and they need to be professed rather than [debate about] how he died.

Q. The Indian government has in the past rejected all inquiries on Netaji’s death.

A. That is surprising. However, some of the research done was not rational. So, in our family also a similar phenomenon took place. Some people did not know who my father actually was. They believed in cock and bull stories. Everybody thought they had a say on this subject.

Q. You have written to the prime minister to conduct a DNA test.