Did India understand Netaji Bose?

Bishaldeep Kakati

(deep.kakati99@gmail.com)

History has often been a bit more appreciative of leaders than followers, although a leader is termed successful only when he has an efficient group of followers to help him in his path of bringing revolution to the society. Society often remembers these leaders or revolutionaries by commemorating them on their birth or death anniversary. However, sometimes, people are limited to only remembering the heroes on specific days, and forget them in the majority part of the year.

The country of India has produced many legendary figures over the years, but a significant number of legendary faces evolved out during India's struggle for independence. India's hard-fought battle for Purna Swaraj saw many eminent figures playing crucial roles, but history somewhere down the line has always portrayed Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi as the cardinal figure in India's freedom struggle. Even though Mahatma Gandhi's contribution can never be discarded at any cost, at the same time it is for the people to know about another leader who too dreamt for India's Purna Swaraj, maybe in a way that didn't resonate with that of Mahatma Gandhi.

On 23rd January 1897, an individual known as Subhash Chandra Bose was born to Janakinath Bose and Prabhavati Dutta. Although Subhash Chandra Bose was a brilliant student who occupied the second rank in his matriculation, it was probably in Presidency College, Calcutta (Kolkata), where Subhash Chandra Bose came to the limelight as a young revolutionary. In 1916, Subhash Chandra Bose reportedly thrashed one of his British teachers E F Otten, for passing a racist remark against the Indian students. Later on in the year 1920, Bose passed the most prestigious Indian Civil Services Examinations, but gave up his high salaried job, to dedicate himself completely to India's struggle for Independence.

Although in 1938, Bose was elected as the president of the Indian National Congress, ideological differences with Mahatma Gandhi meant Bose resigned from Indian National Congress. Later in 1939, Bose formed the Forward Bloc intending to spread the idea of complete independence, at the same time adhering to the principles of equality and social justice.

Netaji's sharpness and revolutionary mindset even made the British to be scared of him. As a result of which, the British put him behind the bars in Calcutta. But to get himself free from the jail, Netaji went on a fast and a deteriorating health condition meant the British had to free him from the jail but kept him on house arrest from the 5th of December 1940. But a diplomatic Netaji understood that to gift India her freedom, it was essential for him to get help from Germany. As a result of which Netaji very cunningly eloped from British surveillance to reach Kabul and from there he finally reached Germany via the Soviet Union, which is popularly known as the 'Great Escape'. And it was in November 1941, when he with his broadcast from German radio sent shockwaves to the British and gave new hope and confidence to the fellow Indians that he was working on a master plan to make India free from British Raj. In 1943, Netaji visited Japan, where the royal administration agreed to his appeal for helping him in the cause of India's independence and it was in Japan itself where Bose reconstructed the Indian National Army (Azad Hind Fauz). And a section of the society still credit Subhash Chandra Bose and Azad Hind Fauz for the British's decision to stop their operation in India and shift back to their place. In reality, it was indeed decisive in paving the way towards Indian Independence. Subhash Chandra Bose also encouraged women to play a significant role in India's freedom movement. There existed a women regiment of Azad Hind Fauz, known as Rani Jhansi under the command of Captain Lakshmi Swaminathan. Bose not only formed the Azad Hind Fauz but also constantly kept on motivating the troops by giving fiery speeches. His famous quote, "Give me blood and I shall give you freedom!" still reverberates in every patriot's mind.

But it is reportedly believed to reinstate and restart his struggle (as Azad Hind Fauz failed to liberate India), Netaji escaped on a plane from Taihouku Airport, but his plane crashed in Taiwan. Although the government theory tells that Bose died of third-degree burns, there's still mystery surrounding his death or alleged disappearance. The Figgess Report (1946), the Shah Nawaz Committee (1956) and the Khosla Commission (1970) which were set up to investigate the death mystery of Netaji, concluded that Netaji died in a plane crash. But it was the report of Justice Mukherjee Commission that took the nation by shock. The report of Justice Mukherjee Commission tabled in Parliament on May 17, 2006, said, "Bose didn't die in the plane crash and the ashes at Renkoji temple are not his." But these findings were rejected by the government of India. Mystery still surrounded a person known as "Gumnami Baba" who many thought to be Netaji Bose, as items recovered from the alleged "Gumnami Baba's" room had a strong link with Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose.

Subhash Chandra Bose was a visionary beyond excellence and he played a crucial role in gifting India her freedom. But a free India probably couldn't provide him with that much respect and reverence that he rightly deserved. The textbooks read by the students do not have much detail about the role played by Netaji Bose in gifting India her freedom. Free India still didn't know how Netaji died, as different people had different views on it. There are still many files relating to Subhash Chandra Bose that haven't been declassified by the Indian government, but the few that have been declassified do put reasonable doubt on the alleged disappearance of Netaji Bose and the role of certain leaders. But for all the efforts that Netaji put in for mother India, the government needs to make the youth of India read and know more about Netaji. The present government has come out with plans like celebrating Netaji's birthday as 'Parikrama Divas', erecting a statue of Netaji at India Gate, starting the republic day celebration from 23rd January itself, but these simply won't be enough if the government fail to take apt steps to make the people read more about Netaji. Lastly, India can still do much research not only to understand the diplomatic brilliance that Netaji possessed, but also the way via which he laid down the initial pillars of Indian security forces. It is therefore high time that the nation gives the respect that Netaji rightly deserved.