Miscellaneous - This Day That Age   

dated September 21, 1955: Memorial service for Netaji

Most Indians, including members of the Indian Embassy, did not attend the memorial service for the late Subhas Chandra Bose, held in Tokyo on September 18. The service took place on the outskirts of Tokyo in a temple which claims to keep custody of the "ashes" of Netaji, who has been stated by the Japanese military authorities to have died in a plane crash in Formosa in 1945. The controversy about how and when he died kept out most Indians from attending the service. Only three Indians attended the ceremony. Among them was Mr. S.V. Virik, who claims to have deposited the "ashes" of Netaji in the temple ten years ago. The controversy revived again recently when the temple authorities issued invitations for the September 18 ceremony. The Japanese authorities had claimed that Netaji died in a plane crash in Formosa on August 18, 1945. But a military aide who was with Netaji said he did not hear of his death, did not see Netaji's body and was only given his "ashes" to bring them to Japan. It is believed Japan offered to send India the urn containing the "ashes" but India refused to receive them saying no substantial proof was available that the "ashes" were those of Netaji.

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