Finance Minister Arun Jaitley's tweet, acknowledging Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose's death anniversary, sparked protests on Twitter on Thursday. Jaitley deleted the post after West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, some members of Bose's family and several users called out his "error".

“Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose was an icon of exemplary valour and sacrifice. We remember and pay him our respectful tribute on his death anniversary,” Jaitley had tweeted. Many believe Bose lived even after reports claimed the leader died in an air crash in Taiwan in 1945. The tweet became controversial also because it was reportedly interpreted as the first acknowledgement from the Bharatiya Janata Party government that the iconic leader died in the air crash on 18 August, 1945.

The freedom fighter's family as well as various organisations related to Bose tweeted their dismay and urged Jaitley to take down the tweet. The government had, in 2015, taken a decision to declassify documents related to Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose. These documents have been made available online and are accessible on netajipapers.gov.in.