Did Netaji really die?

Did Netaji really die at Formosa ?

This is a question which has been asked umpteen number of times with no satisfactory answer available. This has also been debated time and again by both Netaji loyalists as well as the media and the people of India at large.

Here we will try to explore this mystery, but by no means it is the definitive article on his death.

After dropping of the atom bomb in Hiroshima on August 8, 1945 and Nagasaki on August 9, the Japanese surrendered. But Netaji was not willing to do that since he was fighting to free India from the British.

According to Gordon, Bose flew to Bangkok on August 16, 1945 and to Saigon on August 17. He was accompanied by Col. Habibur Rehman, Col. Pritam Singh, Major Abid Hasan, S.A. Ayer and Debnath Dass. Bose had hoped to take all of them, but in vain. In Saigon, the plans had to be changed. Bose was told that only one place was available in the aircraft which was to leave for Taipei and then Dairen (Manchuria). One more seat was secured for him.

Among his Japanese co-passengers accompanying Bose in the aircraft was the Lieutenant-general Shidei, a Japanese expert on the Soviet Union who was to fly to Dairen to take command of the Kumantang army to work out the surrender. In a bomber of the 97-2 (sally type), Netaji and Col. Habibur Rehman boarded the aircraft with two heavy suit cases filled with gold and jewellery. There were ten other Japanese in the plane which took off from Tourane on August 18, 1945 between 5 and 5.15 a.m. and flew to Taipei (Japanese Taihoku).

The aircraft again took off from Taipei and just after rising to the height of 30 feet, it burst into flames and crashed. This was on August 18, at about 5 p.m. Bose received extensive burns over his whole body, the more serious ones on the head, chest and thighs. He was in a state of semi-consciousness. In a truck, he was driven up to the hospital. Dr Yoshimi Tameyoshi who attended on Netaji state, "When he (Netaji) was laid on the bed, I personally cleaned his injuries with oil and dressed them. During the first four hours, he was unconscious". Later, when he gained consciousness the doctor asked him 'Whether there was any statement, will or such matter he wanted to make' Bose answered, 'Nothing'. Dr Tameyoshi added,' After the fourth hour he appeared to be sinking into unconsciousness.' At about 23.20 hours, Subhash Chandra Bose died. Apart from the injuries received about there were abrasions on his elbows and knees."

Dr Yoshimi Tameyoshi's statement is a first-class eye-witness account to establish Subhash Chandra Bose's death on August 18, at Takhoku. This statement was brought to light by the noted archivist and historian Dr T.R. Sareen from the achieves of Public Records Office records. Dr Gordon, by using this source, has established Bose's death. We have to note that this statement forms a part of British records submitted to Captain A.R. Turner in-charges of War Crimes Liaison Branch (Formosa).

(Please note that the above account was taken from another website, but unfortunately I have lost it's link. If you know about the site please contact me so that it can be credited and the link be put up in the Links section)

But the major question arises is whether the statement given by Taneyoshi's is factual or not. Remember that the Britishers  were the victor's, and history is written by the winners. Also he could have been pressurised by the Britishers to give such a statement so that a major headache, at least for the time being, could be avoided.

But things are not as simple as said above. There are many big questions which have been left unanswered.

These include - Whether Netaji was really there in the plane at the time of the crash? Was he mortally injured after the crash? Did he somehow escape before or after the crash? Are the ashes at Renkoji temple really his? Was Goomnami Baba really Netaji? Was the crash done by the British intelligence? Was he really captured by the Russians and kept in captivity? If Netaji survived than where did he really went after that and why didn't he made himself public? Where did he disappear?

The first enquiry was setup almost immediately by Lord Wavell, the Viceroy, to look into the disappearance of Netaji. It is believed that after an extensive inquiry they came to the conclusion that Netaji had died. Though no official report have ever been made in this regard.

The first Indian enquiry relating to Netaji's death was commissioned by the Government of India(GOI) under Shah Nawaz Khan, a Railway Minister in the Union Government. He quickly declared that Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose had died at Formosa on the 18th of August, 1945. This decision seemed to be given with a lot of haste and without the necessary investigation. While it is undoubted that he was a great soldier, one of the three most important INA figures after Netaji, but did he really had the skills to carry out an investigation of this nature?

Then came the Khosla enquiry.  It was commissioned by the GOI under Prime minister Mrs. Indira Gandhi. It was a one member commission chaired by G.D. Khosla, a retired Chief Justice of the Punjab High Court. It visited many important places like Singapore, Bangkok and Rangoon and interviewed many people.

It is said that the relationship between Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose and Khosla were not great. Both of them met in England, when Netaji was giving the ICS examination. It is said that Netaji and Mr. Khosla had a small fight when Netaji returned to India, but Khosla was still keen on giving the exam.

There was a further loss of credibility, because Khosla was said to be very close to the Nehru family and it is historic that in the later years, Netaji and Pandit Nehru were not on the best of terms.

Also Khosla didn't visit many key places like Formosa, which caused a further dent in his credibility.

After four years he gave the verdict that Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose had died at Formosa. For this he relied on the medical report of Dr Yoshimi Taneyoshi, Captain of the Imperial Japanese army, the surgeon in-charge when Netaji was reported to have succumbed.

But this report was rejected by many eminent persons outside the Congress, including Morarji Desai.

The BJP(Bhartiya Janta Party) led NDA(National Democratic Alliance) has instituted the latest such inquiry by setting up Justice J.C. Mukherjee commission.

But a significant amount of time has passed since the incident and most of the documents relating to the period, include those of crashes in Formosa, are not available. Also many key witnesses or those believed to have information in that regard are no longer alive, which will hamper the commission.

But at the same time technology has improved dramatically over the years. DNA testing can be (and have been) done. After the Mukherjee commission's report is made public it may be possible to authoritatively say whether the Renkoji ashes or Goomnami Baba have anything to do with Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose.

The report is expected soon (unless there is another extension!) and let's hope that it will have the final word in this controversy.