Netaji's daughter pained at controversy over father's death

"Pained" over the continuous controversy over the death of her father, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose's daughter Anita Pfaff Friday said secret government files on the freedom fighter should be declassified.

Talking about her father, Pfaff said: "My father perhaps was over optimistic in thinking that independence alone would solve India's problems." "My father's life in many ways was rather mysterious and it is not so surprising that people give their own interpretations on it. I may not obviously like them, particularly about his death. I am pained at times," Pfaff told media persons on the sidelines of a programme here.

She also said that secret government documents on Netaji should be declassified. "Such documents should be declassified unless there is any danger. But after so many years, I don't think there can be any danger in making the documents public. I cannot envisage why they cannot be declassified," she said.

Pfaff also hailed Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's announcement to erect a monument in Netaji's memory at his ancestral house in South 24-Parganas district's Kodalia, which has raised a controversy.

She expressed surprise over this. "I think that (erecting the monument) would be a very nice step. I am more in favour of monuments than just erecting statues. I cannot think why there should be a controversy over erecting a monument," said Pfaff.

Soon after Banerjee announced the proposal to erect the monument, Forward Bloc - a party founded by Bose - objected to the proposal,  saying the party would not allow such a move as "there is no evidence or proof that Netaji has died."