Delhi HC directs Centre to decide on Subhash Chandra Bose's ashes plea

The Delhi High Court today asked the Centre to take a decision in accordance with law on a PIL seeking an order to bring back to India the ashes of Subhash Chandra Bose currently lying in a museum in Germany. Disposing of a plea, the bench of Acting Chief Justice B D Ahmed and Justice Vibhu Bakhru asked the Centre's standing counsel Jatan Singh to treat the PIL as representation and take a decision as per law. "The petition be treated as representation by the government of India through ministries of External Affairs and Home. The government will take appropriate decision in accordance with law." The court was hearing the PIL filed by Prashant Paliwal through counsel Sugriv Dubey saying the ashes of Bose were lying in a museum in Germany and they should be kept at a public place in India for paying tributes to the late leader. "The ashes of late Subhash Chandra Bose to be directed to be brought to India and kept in a public place for paying tributes to late leader for the sacrifices made by him in the freedom struggle of the nation," the plea said. The plea further sought for an order for submerging of the ashes into Ganga and also sprinkle atop Himalayas claiming that the same had been done in cases of other national leaders like Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi.