One of Netaji's relics at Victoria Memorial exhibition fake: Expert

Netaji Research Bureauchairperson Sugata Bose has shot off a letter to the VictoriaMemorial authorities, claiming that one of the relics at anongoing exhibition at the museum, commemorating the 125thbirth anniversary of the legendary freedom fighter, is fake.

In the letter to Victoria Memorial Curator JayantaSengupta, the leader's grandnephew said the museum authoritieshad never asked for a copy of Netaji's resignation letter fromthe Indian Civil Service and what has been put on displaythere is a fake exhibit.

The Harvard University professor and son of Dr SisirBose said the authentic photocopy of Netaji's resignationletter from the ICS has been with the bureau for about 50years.

He urged the museum authorities to ''immediately takedown the fake copy'' and said ''more shockingly Netaji ResearchBureau is mentioned as the source below this fake'' item.

''You never asked us for Netaji's resignation letter oranything else and we supplied nothing to you directly. SisirKumar Bose and Krishna Bose had found Netaji's original letterof resignation in his own handwriting and signed by him to theSecretary of State for India in the India Office of Records ofLondon in September 1971.

''They obtained an authentic photocopy which waspublished in facsimile for the first time in Krishna Bose'sbook Itihaser Sandhane and has been displayed in the NetajiBhawan for nearly 50 years,'' Bose said in the letter.

''You should also investigate who produced the fakeitem as it is extremely embarrassing that the Prime Ministerof India inaugurated the exhibition with the fake item ondisplay,'' he said.

Bose also asserted that the photographs ''apparentlydisplaying Netaji disguised as Md Ziauddin are also fakes''.

No photographs of Netaji in disguise were taken orallowed to be taken during his ''mahanishkraman'' or greatescape, the research bureau chief claimed.

''While it appears that the originals of manyphotographs and facsimiles of letters and documents exhibitedby you are indeed from the archives of Netaji Research Bureaucollected with the dedicated effort of more than six decades,Victoria Memorial never contacted NRB to seek help with yourexhibition.

''I am puzzled therefore about the basis on which youhave given acknowledgements,'' Bose mentioned in the letter.

Expressing his disappointment over Victoria Memorial'sconduct in mounting the exhibition, Bose said, ''This is no wayto honour our great leader.'' Bose told PTI on Sunday that he has not got anyresponse from the Victoria Memorial authorities on the issue.

The Victoria Memorial curator could not be reached forhis comment.

'Nirbhik Subhas'(Irrepressible Subhas), a multimediaexhibition, celebrating the 125th birth anniversary of Netajibegan at Victoria Memorial for the public from January 28.

''The exhibition contains 125 stories on Netaji incelebration of his 125th birth anniversary,'' the museumauthorities had earlier said.

''These stories are shared through 125 originalartefacts, pictures, replicas and objects sourced from acrossthe world, making the viewer reflect on Netaji's ideals andbeliefs in contemporary times,'' it added.