Heartburn over RTI on Netaji's daughter

Even as the government is still struggling to uncover the mystery shrouding Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose's death, an RTI over the leader's German daughter is causing bad blood between the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) and the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Ajay Madhusudan Marathe, a Mumbai resident, had filed a right to information plea with the PMO on November 2, 2009. He sought to know on what basis Government of India recognizes Anita Pfaff, a German, the biological daughter and sole descendant of the Azad Hind Fauj.

Marathe also sought to know whether any DNA test was conducted to ascertain the real identity of Pfaff, a professor by vocation.

"Indians are curious to know whether Bose did in fact father a child whilst in Germany, attempting to gather support for the Indian National Army," Marathe said.
The PMO transferred the application under sections 6(3) of the RTI Act to the Home Ministry on November 10, 2009.

However, Marathe's quest remained unquenched, as the Home Ministry returned the application the PMO and informed Marathe that the information concerned was in the custody of the PMO and "not available in our records".

"Accordingly, your application is transferred to PMO for appropriate action in the matter under the provision of RTI Act 2005," the Home Ministry said in its reply to Marathe.

However, it did not go down too well with the PMO. Finding the ball back in its court, the PMO wrote to the Home Ministry on January 15, 2010 that the return of the application at the end of the 30 day period back with a reference suggesting difference in availability of records between ministry of Home Affairs and PMO "is not in order".

"Photocopies of records of this office (PMO) regarding Netaji SC Bose were made available to the Justice Mukherjee commission for enquiry into the alleged disappearance of Netaji SC Bose set up by the ministry of Home Affairs. The Mukherjee Commission has been wound up and the photocopy of the entire set of this office's record is available with the ministry of Home Affairs," the memorandum from PMO said.

Anguished over being dribbled by two top government offices, Marathe said, "Both the PMO and the Home Ministry's reply clearly reflects that the Indian government is not all that keen to settle the issue officially."
"Forensic science has developed so much that even in the absence of the esteemed leader, DNA testing of Ms Pfaff and close relatives of Bose, who still live in and around Cuttack in Orissa, could settle the matter once and for all, Marathe said.