The Dakota aircraft used by legendary leader Biju Pattanaik to rescue Indonesian leaders during the Indonesian freedom struggle, remains unclaimed at the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose international airport, Kolkata despite claims by the Odisha government that it has sought permission to shift it as a memorial to Cuttack, said RTI activist Hemanta Panda here on Friday.

Panda said he has obtained information from the Airport Authority of India that the aircraft bearing registration VT – AUI is now stationed at the Kolkata Airport.

The report further mentioned that neither the Odisha government nor any one from Biju Patnaik’s family has contacted the AAI or sought the aircraft’s possession till date.

Panda said he had filed RTI applications after the ruling BJD and the Odisha government had talked of bringing the legendary aircraft to Ananda Bhawan, Cuttack, recently.

Years prior to that, another BJD MLA Debasis Nayak had raised the issue in the state assembly and pleaded with the government to initiate steps to get the historic aircraft.

Last year, family members of Biju Patnaik, including his son and CM Naveen Patnaik had donated and dedicated their ancestral house “Ananda Bhawan” at Cuttack to the people of Odisha by converting it to a museum. At that point in time there was a lot of talk of fetching the Dakota from Kolkata and displaying it as one of the exhibits.

“I was surprised that the plane that has great history and bore the memory of deep bonding that was once existed between Pandit Nehru and Biju babu laying unclaimed” said Panda while explain that it was faith upon Biju babu that Pandit Nehru had assigned the operation of rescuing the leadership of Indonesia using the plane during 1947.

The Odisha government should take steps to secure custody of the Dakota and start the formalities like moving the concerned central ministries and the Airport Authority of India, said Panda.

It may be recalled that at the height of the Indonesian freedom struggle, as the Dutch attempted to re-establish control over the country after the end of Japanese occupation, Biju Patnaik, on the instructions of then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, flew out the Indonesian leader Sultan Sjahrir from a jungle hideout on a Dakota belonging to his Kalinga Airlines, reaching India via Singapore on 24 July 1947. For his exploits he was granted Indonesia’s highest awards.