One of Netaji's relics at Victoria Memorial exhibition fake: Sugata Bose to Victoria
Kolkata, Feb 7: Netaji Research Bureau chairperson Sugata Bose has shot off a letter to the Victoria Memorial authorities, claiming that one of the relics at an ongoing exhibition at the museum, commemorating the 125th birth anniversary of the legendary freedom fighter, is fake.
In the letter to Victoria Memorial Curator Jayanta Sengupta, the leader's grandnephew said the museum authorities had never asked for a copy of Netaji's resignation letter from the Indian Civil Service and what has been put on display there is a fake exhibit.
The Harvard University professor and son of Dr Sisir Bose said the authentic photocopy of Netaji's resignation letter from the ICS has been with the bureau for about 50 years.
He urged the museum authorities to "immediately take down the fake copy" and said "more shockingly Netaji Research Bureau is mentioned as the source below this fake" item.
"You never asked us for Netaji's resignation letter or anything else and we supplied nothing to you directly. Sisir Kumar Bose and Krishna Bose had found Netaji's original letter of resignation in his own handwriting and signed by him to the Secretary of State for India in the India Office of Records of London in September 1971.
"They obtained an authentic photocopy which was published in facsimile for the first time in Krishna Bose's book Itihaser Sandhane and has been displayed in the Netaji Bhawan for nearly 50 years," Bose said in the letter.
"You should also investigate who produced the fake item as it is extremely embarrassing that the Prime Minister of India inaugurated the exhibition with the fake item on display," he said.
Bose also asserted that the photographs "apparently displaying Netaji disguised as Md Ziauddin are also fakes".
No photographs of Netaji in disguise were taken or allowed to be taken during his "mahanishkraman" or great escape, the research bureau chief claimed.
"While it appears that the originals of many photographs and facsimiles of letters and documents exhibited by you are indeed from the archives of Netaji Research Bureau collected with the dedicated effort of more than six decades, Victoria Memorial never contacted NRB to seek help with your exhibition.
"I am puzzled therefore about the basis on which you have given acknowledgements," Bose mentioned in the letter.
Expressing his disappointment over Victoria Memorial's conduct in mounting the exhibition, Bose said, "This is no way to honour our great leader."
Bose told PTI on Sunday that he has not got any response from the Victoria Memorial authorities on the issue.
The Victoria Memorial curator could not be reached for his comment.
'Nirbhik Subhas'(Irrepressible Subhas), a multimedia exhibition, celebrating the 125th birth anniversary of Netaji began at Victoria Memorial for the public from January 28.
"The exhibition contains 125 stories on Netaji in celebration of his 125th birth anniversary," the museum authorities had earlier said.
"These stories are shared through 125 original artefacts, pictures, replicas and objects sourced from across the world, making the viewer reflect on Netaji's ideals and beliefs in contemporary times," it added.
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Maharashtra sets up state vaccination task force to strengthen immunisation programme
Mumbai (PTI): The Maharashtra government has set up a State Vaccination Task Force to strengthen the regular immunisation programme and review the progress of related campaigns, a health department official said on Monday.
The State Vaccination Task Force will comprise at least 29 members and will be headed by the administrative head of the health department, he informed.
The government has also constituted separate district-level and municipal vaccination task forces to improve implementation and address challenges at the grassroots level, he said.
Municipal task forces, chaired by respective civic commissioners, have been constituted in view of the vast urban population in Maharashtra and the role of civic bodies in implementing different health programmes.
The district-level task forces will function under the chairmanship of collectors.
"Complete immunisation of children at the appropriate age is an extremely simple, cost-effective and highly effective measure to reduce child mortality and the prevalence of diseases among kids. Immunisation is a powerful tool for reducing illness in children," maintained the official.
To ensure full vaccination of all children, the state government implements various campaigns from time to time as per the central government guidelines, he pointed out.
"Active participation and cooperation of other relevant government departments are essential (in making these campaigns successful)," according to the official.
The state-level body will review the regular immunisation programme, associated campaigns and vaccine-preventable diseases in detail. It will also conduct focused assessments of high-risk districts and municipal corporations, including vacancies at district, municipal and sub-district levels, availability of cold chain equipment, resource gaps and training requirements, he noted.
The state task force will review allocation and utilisation of funds for immunisation and ensure timely action by officers concerned based on reports from district and municipal task forces and state-level monitoring mechanisms, the official said.
It will also ensure active coordination and participation of other government departments in immunisation drives, while district and municipal task forces will carry out similar functions at their respective levels, the official added.
