Modi government released Bose files to deflect attention: Congress

New Delhi: The Congress on Saturday said the Narendra Modi government's decision to declassify the first set of 100 files on Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose was an "attempt to deflect attention from the miserable failure on all fronts".

Addressing a press conference here, senior Congress leader Anand Sharma said the Congress never tried to suppress the truth on Bose as was being alleged.

"When the government decided to declassify the files on Netaji we had said that all files and documents related to him must be declassified as it would clear controversies related to the issue of his death," he said.

On being asked that some of the distant relatives of Bose had raised doubts over Congress' intention to declassify files on him when the party was in power, Sharma said, "We don't want to enter into any debate with any distant relative. We respect what has been said by his own daughter (on the issue)".

He also advised the media be "careful" as fabricated and forged documents could be used to "sensationalize and to defame one of India's greatest sons".