The comprehensive petition sought a series of declarations, including the recognition of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose as the "National Son" and the designation of his birth anniversary, January 23, 1897, as a national day. Furthermore, the petitioner demanded that October 21, 1943, the foundation day of the Azad Hind Fauj, be observed as a national day to pay tribute to the 26,000 INA soldiers who sacrificed their lives for Indian independence. Mohanty argued that the activities of all revolutionaries who did not follow the path of Ahimsa (non-violence), alongside the Azad Hind Fauj, were the actual catalysts that forced the British to leave Bharat in 1947.
Beyond symbolic titles, the PIL requested a directive for authorities to declassify the "actual truth report" regarding the 1947 independence, specifically exploring the reasons behind the British withdrawal. This requested report aimed to detail the roles of non-violent revolutionaries, the mutinies within the Indian Navy, Army, and Air Force in 1946-1947, and the influence of foreign governments including Adolf Hitler’s Germany, Japan, and Italy. The petitioner also sought the inclusion of perspectives from then-British Prime Minister Clement Atlee and the British government of that era.
In addition to the honors for Netaji, the plea sought to have his birthplace in Cuttack, Odisha, officially recognized as a national museum. The petitioner further moved for the official declaration of Neera Arya, recognized as the first lady spy of the INA, as the "National Daughter," requesting that her birth date of March 5, 1905, be designated as a national day. By rejecting the petition and issuing a restrictive order against the petitioner, the Supreme Court has signaled a zero-tolerance policy toward the use of PILs for historical revisionism or personal publicity, reaffirming the judiciary's role in addressing substantive legal violations rather than adjudicating complex historical narratives.
About The Author
Comment List