New Delhi — The Supreme Court of India on Monday dismissed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) that sought to declare Subhas Chandra Bose’s Indian National Army (INA) as the force responsible for securing India’s Independence. The petition also requested that Netaji be officially recognised as the “National Son” and that key dates linked to him be declared national observances.
A Bench led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi declined to entertain the plea, noting that similar petitions had already been filed and rejected in the past.
The petitioner, Pinakpani Mohanty, had urged the court to declare January 23 (Netaji’s birth anniversary) and October 21 (the INA’s foundation day in 1943) as national days. The plea also sought directions to convert Netaji’s birthplace in Cuttack into a national museum.
However, the Bench questioned the petitioner about repeated filings on the same issue and expressed concern over misuse of PIL provisions. The court remarked that such petitions appeared to be driven more by a desire for attention than by genuine public interest, adding that historical and political questions of this nature fall outside the judiciary’s domain.
The court further instructed its registry not to entertain similar petitions from the same petitioner in the future under the guise of public interest.
Earlier, on March 12, the apex court had also declined to hear another petition related to Netaji, which sought directions to bring back his mortal remains from Japan. During that hearing, senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, representing Netaji’s grandnephew Ashish Ray, withdrew the plea after the Bench indicated it was not inclined to examine the issue.
At the time, the Bench had questioned the repeated litigation on the matter and suggested that any such legal claim should be pursued by Netaji’s daughter, Anita Bose Pfaff, identified as his sole legal heir. The court noted that if she wished to pursue the matter, she should approach the court directly.
While reiterating its deep respect for Netaji’s legacy, the Supreme Court cautioned against filing petitions that seek judicial declarations on historical or political issues, emphasizing that such matters lie beyond the scope of court proceedings.
With inputs from IANS