Controversy over Bharat Ratna shortlist - 2

In a debate moderated by TIMES NOW's Anand Narasimhan, panelists -- Shaina NC, Member, Natl Executive, BJP; Satyapal Jain, Chairman, Working Legal Group & Member, Natl Executive, BJP; C R Kesavan, Spokesperson, Congress; Tushar Gandhi, Author & Social Activist, Great Grandson of Mahatma Gandhi; Sudheendra Kulkarni, Columnist & Author; and Justice (Retd) Giridhar Malviya, grandson of Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya -- discuss the issue of controversy over Bharat Ratna shortlist, and Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose's kin not approving the idea of conferring Bharat Ratna for Netaji.

The government is likey to confer the top civilian honour - the Bharat Ratna - to five national icons this year. Among them, fomer Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, former hockey captain Dhyanchand, freedom fighters Subhash Chandra Bose and Madan Mohan Malviya are in the shortlist. The formal announcement is yet to be made but the BJP says it's high time the forgotten heroes be given their long due honour. The speculation has been fuelled by the Home Ministry placing an order for five Bharat Ratna medallions. PM Narendra Modi, who is heading the BJP-led government now, would take a call on this and probably would announce it in his Independence Day speech. And, amidst speculation that the Bharat Ratna may be conferred on Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, his grandnephew claimed that a majority of his family members did not approve of the idea. Chandra Kumar Bose, Netaji's grandnephew, claimed that most family members were opposed to the conferment of the award and instead demanded that the mystery of his disappearance be solved first. "Netaji has been missing since 1945. When you award him with Bharat Ratna posthumously, you have to say when he died, but where is the evidence? The best way to honour him is to declassify govt files which can reveal the truth behind his disappearance," Bose said. He told PTI that he had spoken to around 60 family members of the great leader, none of whom was willing to