Today, On 20th April, The Supreme Court of India dismissed a PIL to declare Subhash Chandra Bose “National Son” and recognise the Azad Hind Fauj’s role in India’s independence. The CJI warned, “We will ban your entry; we dismissed this plea earlier.”
The Supreme Court dismissed a PIL, Calling the petitioner “incorrigible”, who sought to declare Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose a “National Son” and to recognise the Azad Hind Fauj (INA) as pivotal to India’s independence.
A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi rebuked the petitioner, Pinakpani Mohanty, for wasting the court’s time.
The CJI said,
“We will ban your entry into the Supreme Court. We have already dismissed the same plea earlier,”
The CJI also noted that Mr. Mohanty had been reprimanded earlier for filing frivolous PILs.
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When the CJI asked whether he had filed a similar plea before, Mr. Mohanty responded in Hindi, “Yeh baar alag hai. (It is different this time).”
When questioned about who drafted the petition, he named a “Mukherjee sir”, further aggravating the bench.
The PIL requested multiple declarations, including official recognition that Netaji’s INA helped secure India’s independence from the British in 1947, and that he be declared India’s “National Son”.
The bench observed that the move appeared aimed at seeking publicity and noted that an earlier PIL by the same petitioner had already been rejected.
It further directed the Supreme Court registry to not entertain any PIL from Mr. Mohanty in the future.
The petition further sought directions to treat October 21, 1943 designated as the Azad Hind Fauj foundation day as a National Day in tribute to the 26,000 soldiers of Netaji’s INA who died for India’s freedom.
It also requested that the relevant authorities either declassify or officially recognise the true report of how independence was achieved in 1947, including details on why and how the British left India.
The petition sought the inclusion of accounts of the role played by various Krantikaries (revolutionaries) who did not follow Ahimsa, together with the narrative of the mutiny involving Indian soldiers, including those in the Navy, Air Force, and Army, as well as civilian personnel during 1946–1947, along with perspectives of foreign governments such as the German government under Adolf Hitler, the Japanese government, Italy’s government, and others along with the account of then British Prime Minister Clement Atlee and the British government.
In addition, the petitioner asked for a direction that Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose be officially declared a “national son,” with January 23, 1897, observed as a national day, and his birthplace, Cuttack in Odisha, recognised and honoured as a national museum.
The petition also sought a similar official declaration for Neerya Arya (described as the INA’s first lady spy), requesting that March 5, 1905, be observed as a national day.
Case Title: Pinakpani Mohanty v. Union of India