A WORD UNTO RESEARCHERS

Investigators into the Netaji disappearance mystery must maintain rational rigour for credibility. Fallacious logic proves nothing and one may be held culpable to misleading the people. Credibility once lost is hard to regain and public estimation failing, one is faced with insurmountable barriers in the path of establishment of the truth.

Researchers and truth-seekers would, therefore, be well-advised to treading the path of caution and not engaging in the hazardous misadventure of making fantastic unsubstantiated claims in their bid to bring about a fanciful quick solution to the protracted mystery of Netaji's disappearance. Neither is it scientifically tenable to pass off undocumented and unauthenticated 'episodes' of Netaji's life as gospel truth on the basis of acceptance by familial or social authority, for the validation of an event and its correct interpretation has to be lawfully established and not by emotional human consent.

Thus, the imperative today as always is to be well-grounded in reason, not malefic as rationality traversing down devil's lane is apt to degenerating into while maintaining the facade of adherence to truth, but the genuine striking of rational roots in one's bid to scientifically unearthing the real from a mass of falsity and fabrication.

Researchers must, thus, be well-trained in scientific thinking that bases its findings on evidence and not on personal preference, prejudice or predilection. They must learn the art of sifting, the technique of picking the grain from the chaff and selective acceptance of data based on rejection of arrant nonsensical stuff.

But such rejection must come at the end of thorough investigation of each and every piece of pertinent matter coming through for one's perusal and no bias may be harboured in so far as selection of data to be examined is concerned. Any piece of information may contain the seed of revelation of the truth and, as such, deserves fullest attention before acceptance or rejection as the case may be. This sort of impartial attitude is most congenial to discovery of the truth and must be the bedrock of all investigation.

Lastly, the facts found must be presented in an agreeable manner with aesthetics complementing the concrete core of unshakeable truth for the good and welfare of all. Thus, the trinity of truth, beauty and goodness will have been served well. Jai Hind!