NEW DELHI: An attempt to confer Bharat Ratna on Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, alongside former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Hindu nationalist leader Madan Mohan Malviya, fell through because of his family's reservations.

Sources said a fresh move to bestow the highest civilian award on the legendary leader was made, with those in favour approaching functionaries of the Modi government.

The Centre was positively inclined to accept the request, but told the proponents about the constraint involved in awarding the recognition to the freedom movement stalwart because of the continuing mystery about his "disappearance" in August 1945 on a flight from Formosa, current day Taiwan, when he was planning to take on the British in alliance with Japan.

Family still believes Netaji is alive

Although Bose has not been seen for almost 70 years now, his family as well as many of his supporters believe that he is alive and will surface one day. Periodic rumours that Netaji would appear on a particular day still generate excitement in certain parts of the country.

The passionate refusal to accept a closure on Netaji also creates complications on where to slot him: among the living or posthumous so far as the award of Bharat Ratna is concerned.

The government's prudence was justified when the family did not waver from their belief about Netaji being alive when they were sounded out by advocates of the proposal to honour the leader who fired the country's imagination with his audacious plan to take on the British militarily.

In August, Netaji's grandnephew Sugata Bose had reacted to speculation about the move to decorate Bose with the highest honour by saying that his stature was above the Bharat Ratna.

An award for the iconic leader would have been in line with the BJP leadership's plan to recognize leaders outside the Nehru lineage.

Source: TOI