New Delhi, April 20: The Supreme Court rejected a significant public interest petition related to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose on Monday. The petition sought to declare the Indian National Army (INA) as a pivotal organization in India’s struggle for independence. Additionally, it requested that Netaji be granted the title of ‘National Son.’
The petition also called for the declaration of January 23, the date of Netaji’s birth, and October 21, the INA’s founding day, as ‘National Days.’
Filed by Pinakpani Mohanty, the petition was dismissed by a bench comprising Chief Justice (CJI) Suryakant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi.
At the outset of the hearing, the court questioned the petitioner about whether a similar petition had been filed previously. When the petitioner attempted to differentiate this petition, the court adopted a stern stance, inquiring about the petition’s preparation and expressing frustration over the repeated filing of such petitions.
The court remarked that it was evident that filing such petitions repeatedly could be an attempt to gain popularity. It also stated that matters related to history and facts do not fall within the court’s jurisdiction. The court emphasized, “Such factual issues cannot be resolved through judicial processes.”
In dismissing the petition, the court stated that dragging the court into such matters repeatedly is inappropriate. It clarified that public interest litigations (PILs) cannot be used for personal or repeatedly asserted historical claims.
Furthermore, the Supreme Court ordered that the registry should not accept any future writ petitions on similar issues filed by the petitioner.
This was not the first instance of such a case reaching the Supreme Court. On March 12, a similar petition was heard, which demanded the return of Netaji’s mortal remains from Japan. The court had also declined to advance that case.
Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi represented Ashish Rai, Netaji’s grandson, who sought permission to withdraw the petition after the bench led by the Chief Justice refused to consider the issue.
The court had previously made a stern comment, asking, “How many times will this issue be raised in court?” It suggested that if someone genuinely wants to pursue the matter, Netaji’s legal heir, Anita Bose Pfaff, should file the petition herself rather than operating from behind the scenes. The court stated, “If she wants to pursue it, she should come directly to the Supreme Court.”
My name is Bhupendra Singh Chundawat. I am an experienced content writer with several years of expertise in the field. Currently, I contribute to Daily Kiran, creating engaging and informative content across a variety of categories including technology, health, travel, education, and automobiles. My goal is to deliver accurate, insightful, and captivating information through my words to help readers stay informed and empowered.
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