No, Netaji's cap is not missing, says govt as Chandra Kumar Bose complains

From the Red Fort museum, Netaji's cap was loaned to the Victoria Memorial under proper documentation and after signing an MoU, the government said.

The grandnephew of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, Chandra Kumar Bose, on Sunday alleged that the historic cap of Netaji that was handed over to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to be kept at the Red Fort museum has gone missing. Tagging PM Modi, Chandra Kumar Bose requested him to ensure that the cap is placed in its original place.

The cap was loaned to Victoria Memorial, which also comes under the ministry of culture, the Centre said.

Reacting to the allegation, the government said the cap was loaned from the Red Ford museum to Victoria Memorial for the exhibition on Netaji which took place in the Victoria memorial on January 23. Both the institutes come under the ministry of culture. "This loan was done with proper documentation and a formal memorandum of understanding was signed. Under the MoU, the loan is valid for six months and can be extended to one year," an official said. The artefacts were sent with proper escort and insurance, the government said.

As the agreement expires on July 18, further steps on where the cap will remain will be decided after the expiry.

The cap was gifted by Netaji's family when a museum dedicated to Netaji was inaugurated at Delhi's Red Fort on January 23, 2019. This year, the government started a year-long programme to mark the 125th birth anniversary of the freedom fighter, which was inaugurated by PM Modi on January 23 in Kolkata. It was then that the cap was transferred from the Red Fort museum to the Victoria Memorial.