The contribution made by Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose towards the achievement of freedom in 1947 was no less, and perhaps far more important than that of Mohandas Gandhi
by Dipin Damodharan / www.theviewspost.com
History is like that, it always shows leaning towards the ruling class. It happened in the case of India too. When the Indian National Congress (INC) came to power in 1947 after India’s independence, they had distorted Indian history in their own way.
And the true national hero, many historians call him the real father of modern India, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose moved out to trash bin. India’s first Prime Minister, also the creator of the country’s many problems including Kashmir, had tried his level best to put Netaji in the hidden shades of history.
In other words we can say Nehru’s congress and independent India had shown unpardonable ingratitude to the real man behind India’s freedom. ViewsPost tries to go back to some historical facts to expose the betrayers (including Nehru) of Netaji.
Lt. Manwati Arya, Rani Jhansi Regiment, Ex. INA (Indian National Army), candidly exposes many facts regarding the ant-Netaji policy of Congress and Nehru in her 2010 book, Judgment, No Air crash, No Death.
In this book she says that Jawaharlal Nehru had given a very cold response to initiate any action to decipher the truth about Netaji’s death.
Lt. Manwati Arya also explains that the Nehru government had adopted an anti-Netaji policy to banish steadily the contributions of Netaji and his struggle against the British rule for the independence of the country.
Nehru’s shoddy plans
Nehru’s substandard actions to insult Netaji had no boundaries. The ‘great’ prime minister of India had also tried to put a ban for hanging up Netaji’s portraits in public places including offices and army mess halls.
"I also asked Attlee about the extent to which their decision to quit India was influenced by Gandhiji’s activities. On hearing this Attlee’s lips widened in a smile of disdain and he uttered slowly, putting strong emphasis on each single letter: ‘MI-NI-MAL’."
In a confidential memo dated February 11, 1949, under the signature of Major General P N Khandoori, the government recommended:”The photos of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose be not displayed at prominent places, Unit Lines, Canteens, Quarter Guards or Recreation rooms.”
Lt. Manwati Arya, in her book on Netaji, remembers that during her talks in All India Radio (AIR) she was always briefed by her programme producers, without fail, about the national policy to be careful and not mention any reference of the INA including the name of Netaji in her discourse on AIR.
All these actions were to be expected from Nehru, a prime minister heavily favoured by the British, at the same time, he had no legacy to project himself as a proud freedom fighter.
Nehru had succeeded in getting support for his anti-Netaji policies even from Netaji’s comrades in INA like Shah Nawaz Khan, S A Ayer etc. These people betrayed Netaji for cheap positions offered by Nehru in the then government.
Remember, Shah Nawaz Khan was the chairman of National Inquiry Committee (NIC) constituted by Nehru in 1956.
The ‘great’ prime minister of India had also tried to put a ban for hanging up Netaji’s portraits in public places including offices and army mess halls
Real man behind freedom
Who is the real father or the man behind India’s freedom? This question is always controversial.
Many eminent historians had neglected the over-exaggerated projection of Mohandas Gandhi as the father of modern India. Dr R C Majumdar in his book, History of the Freedom Movement in India (1948), put forward:
“The honour and esteem with which every Indian regarded the members of the INA, offered a striking contrast to the ill-concealed disgust and contempt for those sepoys (soldiers) who refused to join the INA and remained true to their so-called salt. The British came to realize that they were sitting on the brink of a volcano which may erupt at any moment.
It is highly probable that this consideration played an important role in their final decision to quit India in 1947. So the members of the INA did not die or suffer in vain, and their leader Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose has secured a place of honour in the history of India’s struggle for freedom.”
In the same book, Majumdar candidly states that “the contribution made by Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose towards the achievement of freedom in 1947 was no less, and perhaps far more important than that of Mohandas Gandhi, and I hope true historians and all lovers of truth now accept this view.
From the horse’s mouth
Clement Attlee was the Prime Minister of Britain when India got freedom in 1947. Therefore his words on Netaji have relevant and important than any proof.
Attlee had a visit to Kolkata When P B Chakraborti was the acting governor of West Bengal. The following are the words selected from Chakraborty’s thanks note (dated March 30, 1976) for the publication of Dr R C Majumdar’s book.
"I had then a long talk with Attlee about the real grounds for the voluntary withdrawal of the British from India. I put it straight to him like this:
The Quit India movement of Gandhiji practically died out long before 1947 and there was nothing in Indian situation at that time which made it necessary for the British to leave India in a hurry? Why did you then do so?
In reply Attlee cited several reasons, the most important of which are the activities of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose which weakened the very foundations of the attachment of the Indian land and naval forces to the British Government.
I also asked Attlee about the extent to which their decision to quit India was influenced by Gandhiji’s activities.
On hearing this Attlee’s lips widened in a smile of disdain and he uttered slowly, putting strong emphasis on each single letter: ‘MI-NI-MAL’.”
But all these historical facts have been neglected by our history text books penned by pseudo-historians.
It is now high time to realize and recognize the great contributions of the real, but forgotten hero, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose to build modern India.
Reference
1. History of Freedom Movement in India, Dr R C Majumdar
2. Judgment, No Air crash, No Death, Lt. Manwati Arya, Ram Kishor Bajpai
(The author can be contacted at dipin@theviewspost.com )
Article first appeared in www.theviewspost.com
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