January 23rd 2012 – 116th Birth Anniversary of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose.
“Mahatma” Gandhi, famous for his non-violence movement world over and regarded as the father of the nation in India is the true hero who not only earned the respect and applause for freeing India from the shackles of British Empire but was an integral part of the then formed Congress Government post 15th August 1947. He became the ideology of then and now social and political paradigm in India and many countries around the world.
“Netaji” Subhash Chandra Bose, the terror for the then British Empire in India failed to earn love and respect among not only Indians but also among British allies, but has been able to acquire a strong follower base across EasternIndia and some Anti-British super powers.
What Netaji failed to do is try to please all and his nature of being ‘not politically correct’ because he was a leader and master of his will and couldn’t justify his action not to tell any story and his death in absentia did no good to highlight his achievement and perseverance to free India.
The point of difference between Gandhi and Netaji arose from not only their violence and non-violence ideologies but also from Netaji’s demand for complete freedom of India from the British in contrast to Gandhi’s want for independence in phases through dominion status. Truly, this is probably one of the reasons the British and a major section of the world powers were compassionate about Gandhiji and his ways as he could not harm them in anyway whereas Netaji was branded as a rebel against the ‘Her Majesty’. Gandhiji’s political moves and negotiations, much like the functioning of today’s government, did not earnIndia the deserved freedom, but was successful in receiving free India as a gift from the British.
Did the ‘Quit India Movement’ , acquired much later by the then All India Congress, actually force the British to leave India or was it that the British were too scared to fight the Indian National Army and the Indian soldiers who had won many wars for the British. The Gorkha and the Sikh regiment had fought for the British and defeated the Japanese in Singapore then called Malaya. Could it be that Gandhi and Nehru merely became heroes for the next generation in India because when the British leftIndia, the All India Congress formed the Government and forced education boards to modify their syllabi and text books to paint images of their leaders as national heroes? Not their contributions are negligible, but are we not over-obsessed and highlight only their positives and not negatives. Why was Gandhiji shot by an Indian?
The government is keen on bringing back the Kohinoor from the British Government, but has never sought any information the British intelligence may have had about the forced exile or assassination of Subhash Chandra Bose may be because that will reveal a lot of light on the then political situation in India, and will have dented images of many of our national heroes now.
The Congress Government is still in power, and probably that’s the reason that October 2nd is still a National Holiday whereas 23rd January not. – Jai Hind
What ever may Gandhiji did I strongly believe without Netaji it wasn’t possible to attain Freedom…HE APPLIED DARWIN’S PRINCIPLE OF SURVIVAL FOR THE FITTEST AND ITS LOGICAL…He is still the HERO….i SALUTE TO HIM AND FOLLOW HIS PATH….—-JAI HIND. SHAME ON OUR GOVERNMENT.
I think , Netaji’s name and his action is erased from Indian history, all Indians and our next generation should know about his patriotism, Its our duty. No doubt people will recognize him as a great leader if they come to know his true story and action did by him before independence.
When I come to know about his braveness I was highly inspired. He is the real Indian HERO . I am proud to say that “He is my role model.”
His dedication was immeasurable one. It is not necessary for him to escape from house arrest during the midnight and a long voyage of hardship finally mysterious death , instead of that he could stay at home under house arrest and get some post or power after independence but he didn’t Because his aim was to free his motherland only. If our Mahatma is present now he know how to recognize nethaji and his contribution, even though he opposed him.So that Gandhi wrote in the issue Harijan of (24-2-1946) that ”Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose’s patriotism is second to none.”
Its our duty to salute our Leader. I cordially salute him. Thanks for you to still remembering him and gave a way to share my thoughts about Netaji.
I totally agree with you Nirmala and Krishnashis and I also feel had we got freedom shedding blood, we would have rather respected our culture and independence lot more. A gift is a gift , it is not hard-earned hence the present state of our country.
POLITICS-dats the one thing g(h)anduji could do but netaji didnot…..FYI,the congress government is bailing out our india.they need to be out!!!
I totally agree with the article. May be after independence, since most of the years Congress was in power, they ensured from 1st std onwards, it was Gandhiji, in each and every possible lesions. Although Gandhiji should be respected, as in the article, I feel the significance for Gandhiji is over obsessed. However Netaji is not given that much significance. I feel after Netaji became important person in Independence in late 1930’s, Gandhiji’s role in independence struggle was insignificant. People were more towards Netaji’s ideology than Gandhijis. Even 1942 Quit India movement was in retaliation of INA which got significance at that time. However both are great leaders – Leaders should not be compared. But Netaji’s sacrifice should have been highlighted in Books. After all we form impression by what we have studied in younger ages.
thats politics..many undeserving became heroes of the nation post independence while people like Sardar Patel, Netaji and Lal Bahadur Shashtri.. are losing identity slowly ….Gandhi and Nehru …. remain immortal rest all are dying …. and soon they may not be in textbooks as well.
Absolutely right
Hello My say,
Nice article…..but I found that I couldn’t agree with you in certain points!Mr.Subhash Chandra Bose is way too good than The Gandhi!!! Gandhi was just a pompous leader while Netaji was the real hero who is behind the freedom of India! But sadly this fact is hidden from the people today….I too had the same opinion as you some years back but in the course of my education I learnt more things and very truthful facts from one of my English professor which has really brought a change in my point of view!
Any how very nicely written and expressed:)
Thanks Bushraji, well , opinions are to differ … thats why they are 😀 … My findings on why India got slashed into two countries…why some states are yet to agree they are free even if they are part of India, why opportunists are still ruling the country and in the name of minority caste and religion still dividing the rural India (which is in majority).Well, i can go on and on … 🙂 …as a true Indian , we need to accept, the follies of the past , facts of the present and find solutions for the future…. Today’s India is a cosmopolitan culture where peaceful coexistence among people from different walks and beliefs of life is mandatory. Truely secular faces of the past were many why only few get the credit ? Thanks to google , I came to know India of the past and view points of non Indians … and now I have rational approach. 🙂
Woi moi! You are soo political aren’t you! Ha ha! Kabhi Neta ban ne ka socha hai? Ache leader banoge!:)
agar bana to ek vote to pakka hai.. tumhara hahaha! Well,just by being proud of being an Indian would not help….its an illusion..there many things which need to be rectified to be proud of India…No doubt, India is one of the best places to be born where you have a blend of almost the entire world..and almost everything… But India should have been lot more better…it has to be….Supreme and not by owning oil-mines and nuclear weapons…these things are destructive and they are bound to exhaust. India has to be the spiritual leader of the world..landing where,everyone would feel the peace in the air… the bliss, the liberty to be who you are,follow what you want and yet maintain a balance and harmony…..where Ganges and the Yamuna.. be as clean as Thames…where even the poorest of an Indian would have organic food to consume..an India where ‘daan’ or ‘sadqa’ would not be with intention of getting favours back from the Almighty…well,Bushra ji the list is big….and you may not have the time to read the Ideal India ,I strive to see… 🙂 …ab ye sab ke liye politician ban na pade , revolutionary ya spiritual leader…. karna to padega ..filhal… cartoon aur article se kaam chala lu 😀 …. and thank u so very much .. for all your appreciations 🙂
I am glad you decided to expose the criminal tinkering of Indian history. I have no issues with the nauseating deification M. K. Gandhi -it is neither my compulsion nor destiny. But those obliterating and falsifying the contribution of S C Bose to the annals of this nation should be tried and punished in a war crimes tribunal.
Wish history textbooks saluted the true heroes…..crediting SC Bose or Bhagat Singh for their individual contributions would not mean promoting Violence … Sardar Patel,Lal Bahadur Shastri were among those leaders who deserve true exposure !
I was very surprised to see the documentary on Netaji Subhash Chander Bose.He with the help of axis powers, established the Indian Govt. in exile. Our National Antham today was first played in a conference in Munich (I believe). ‘Jai Hind’ was also his term he made popular and so was the ‘Bande Matram’. He had left the comfortable position of presidancy of the congress and had told Gandhiji, that the British were only killing more and more people and doing lip service to the ‘quit India Movement’. I am now a firm beleiver that had it not been for Bose, we would not have got independance. The british became fearful of the fact that Bose was able to generate such a large following who fought against them. The trial of three INA officers was last straw. They had to release the officers, one Hindu, one muslim and one Sikh. Had he not been assassinated, there would have been no partition. In such a short period of time, he achieved so much. He already had deciced what legal and administrative system, currency etc. he would institute…clearly it was not goping be the british way, which alas we still follow, and have become corrupt through the various loopholes it generates.
He went around the world againest all odds single handed. What a Man!
Perhaps his assassination was staged by the British who handed over a brocken country to the Nehru Family.
I am a Sikh, It was a batch of Sikhs who joint the INA first and many more were to join. Perhaps it is for this reason that the british did nothing for sikhs and Punjab…devided it…the swines, and allowed creation of West Pakistan and east Pakinstan?
We the sikhs who contributed to 80 % of the war effort in both the great wars were given the boot. That ‘Boot’ now we have been getting from the Indian Govt.
Need not say like that ..Indian Govt stands for none if not for Sikhs ! So Friend do not discriminate and part yourself !! You are as much an Indian as anyone else following anyother religion. Ironically, our PM himself is a Sikh! Well, govt and political parties are working for their vested interest and they target religion and castes only for votes ! Face it brother ! What extra has the Indian govt done for the Hindus as the majority ?? The answer is purely nothing !!
What extra has the government done for other minorities ? Have just used them for vote bank politics . It is the congress which has ruled the country for most of the years and it is they who call themselves secular and yet divide ppl like u and me in the name of state , caste and religion !! To the Britishers we all were same ‘BLOODY INDIANS’ .. they kept us united and we feel departed , what a contrast .. Anyways brother, thanks for sharing your thoughts ! I appreciate it ! Jai Hind!
Thanks for agreeing to the contribution of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose . Its all the more happier to know that you are a true Sikh . I am a person who believe that India was divided by British for their own ease to rule for maximum years . Even after 1947 under Commonwealth and Lord Mountbatten’s wife ! Well thats another nice plot British applied in last stages .
Bengal was divided before 1947 and again in 1947 Bengal , Assam , Tripura , Punjab , Sindh , Kutch saw blood shed . A decision made by those so called top leaders from ‘Kangress Party ‘ of Nehru and Muslim League of Jinnah .
But if we see many Hindu districts went to Pakistan and many Muslim districts came this side . So geography was wrongly placed .
Every leader wanted bloodshed to rule the poor country .
Who suffered we these people from states divided in partition of India – Pakistan .
Did a Marathi , MP , UP , Bihari , South Indian suffered ? No loss of property , lives , relations , money . All intact with less contributions . Major contributions were from Bengal , Gujrat , Punjab only . Maratha’s also fought but in pockets . Rest were taking rest .
When independence came refugees were those poor fated state people . Their children suffered for two generations for least . And a few still now also .
Excellent post my friend. Being a product of the 60’s Gandhi was and still is an inspiration-thanks.
🙂 thnx
Netaji is the bravest son of bharat maata….. and what congress did with him???? only for PM’s chair one Indian (gandhi) back bite the true Indian???
We have suffered 200 yrs of british rule…. after that corruption rule…
now IS IT THE time to action??????? OR TIME TO SUFFER??????
JAY MATA DI
Netaji Subhas Bose was a thinker . He was recognized and named by Gandhi Ji as Netaji . He was the nightmare of British Raaj . They had put bounty on his head . He had the skill of ruling a country . Which he had shown by creating an armed force outside India to march into British India and free the motherland from those Britishers . Had he not been betrayed by Communists like Jyoti Basu and Nehru , he would have become the PM / President of this country . Probably we would have a different form of government altogether . Not this pseudo democracy of present form prevailing in India . Its a indirect Raaj of police and judiciary ( Indian Lords ) Lordship who can do anything . A lawyer in present judiciary can do anything with IPC and prove a criminal innocent , a innocent as criminal . A politician or a industrialist can earn crores and a labour or a learned person who is employed cannot earn more than a few thousand even though he works hard ? What a India ? Nehru and Gandhi’s India ??? Still the feudal lords exists in form of these money powered guys .
its totally ur view… . it was gandhiji who united the nation under one umbrella fought for the independence of his motherland , sacrificed everything in his life for the country. and so today we call him as the father of the nation and celebrate his birthday as a national holiday as the nation pays homage, tribute to his deeds and sacrifices for the nation. i think am no1 to say anything against netaji, i am nt such a big fool like many others of the country to disrespect any national leader cum freedom fighter of india. we must respect both. u like subash bose, that doesn’t mean u must hate m.k. gandhi. netaji in radio called gandhiji “the father of the nation”. both had respect for each other, might have different ideologies. and as MOHANDAS KARAMCHAND GANDHI is the father of the nation, he must b respected by all the Indians. as one should not b so arrogant, disrespectful towards his/her father. and bapu is the father of the nation.
jai hind. vande mataram.
bapuji amar rahe.
It does not kill anyone’s contribution be it Gandhi aur Netaji . Gandhi ji indeed was the reason why the captured states could raise a voice in Unison. Had the British not ruled us there would not have been a country called India. We were anyways separate kingdoms.
However, I would recommend you to read a little more about Indian politics in the pre-independence era. I have nowhere claimed anything in my article . I have just expressed my perception. I never said Gandhi was not great but all I said was Netaji deserved if not more , at least , equal respect.
Read about Nathuram Godse’s views about Gandhi and what he appreciated about his ideologies and which part of his ideology or process worried Nathuram.
We Indians have a problem, we need Heroes. We can close our eyes and assure ourselves someone is a God like person and he/she would have never made any mistakes.
There is no book which says Great Souls – Mahatmas may not make mistakes as per others perception.
Jai Hind!!
Gandhi was nothing but a fame hungry coward. On the other hand Netaji was the bravest son of mother India. Gandhi, nehru and most other congi could have make a good position in saans bahu ki serial. All they could do was rona-dona and dramabazi