Former Japanese envoy to India Hiroshi Hirabayashi Former Japanese envoy to India Hiroshi Hirabayashi Stating that the ashes of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose were being safeguarded in Japan since his death in 1945, Hiroshi Hirabayashi, the President of Japan India Association, Tokyo (JIA) and former Ambassador of Japan to India asked as to why successive governments in India have failed to take back the ashes of the “hero” back home. Narrating how Netaji had decided to seek the help of Soviet Union after the defeat of Japan in World War-II, Hirabayashi while delivering a lecture on “India, the last superpower” on Friday said Bose decided to travel to Soviet Union through Japan. “But when his plane arrived in Taiwan, his plane crashed and he was incinerated… Netaji’s ashes came back to Tokyo and he has been kept in Renkoji temple,” he said, adding how Taiwan was still a Japanese territory when the accident happened. “Ever year in August on the day of his passing away in Taiwan, we hold a memorial praying for the peace of Netaji’s soul. But, frankly speaking, since sometime, there is no representative from the Indian embassy. There are no major visitors from India (to the temple). Why?,” he asked an audience at Ahmedabad Management Association (AMA) without naming any Indian diplomats or politicians who visited Japan in recent times. Sujan R Chinoy, is the current Indian Ambassador in Japan. Talking about the legendary Indian freedom fighter who founded the Indian National Army, the former Japanese diplomat said, “In India there is politics over whether Netaji’s ashes are authentic. India sent three survey missions. But in spite of passage of 120 years or so (of his birth), some people still believe that Netaji may be living somewhere in Siberia. And successive governments of India are yet to decide when to recuperate the hero’s ashes back here (in India).” These comments from Hirabayashi who was the Ambassador of Japan to India in 1998-2000 comes at a time when political leaders across parties have been accusing one another of ignoring Netaji and his contributions to India’s freedom movement. “So, we are keeping them and inspecting them. One day, this has to stop for the sake of Indian people. In the Parliament, there is a huge statue of Subhash Chandra Bose, the airport of Kolkata is called Subash Chandra Bose airport. In spite of this, why successive governments are hesitating to get the hero’s ashes back home?” he asked. Just two days ago, the Narendra Modi government decided to release a Rs 75 coin to commemorate 75th anniversary of Tricolour hosting by Netaji at Port Blair. Meanwhile, talking about how India could become the next superpower, Hirabayashi said, “India may be a super power in the next 20-25 years. India’s path to becoming super power is not easy… In order to do so, India has to get rid of caste system. It is very deep rooted.” He also listed corruption as a major impediment in India’s path. For all the latest Ahmedabad News, download Indian Express App

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