The story of Indian freedom is full of heroic acts of countless freedom fighters, who fought for liberation of mother land against colonial rule and sacrificed everything. Amongst all freedom fighters, “Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose” played key role and his substantial contribution brought freedom to our country.
On 23 January 1897, “Subhash Chandra Bose” was born. He was sixth son and ninth child of “Janakinath Bose” and “Prabhabati Bose”. Since childhood he had great zeal to serve society. Whether it’s a cholera and smallpox pandemic or any community work of youths, he used to be there for society. He was greatly influenced by “Swami Vivekananda” and “Ramkrishna Paramhansa”. Bose got admitted to Presidency college in 1911. He received his degree in B.A. in Philosophy in year 1918 . He further went to Cambridge University. In year 1919 , he had cleared ICS exam and fulfilled his fathers dream. But later resigned from ICS as he was not delighted at the prospect of joining the ICS and to work under the British rule. He came back to Calcutta and started working under his political “ Deshbhandhu -Chitranjan Das”. With time he took big responsibilities and served as a Chief Executive Officer of the Calcutta corporation and further became Mayor of Calcutta. During his tenure he was jailed many times due to his involvement in Anti-colonial movement. During his Political carrier he took big initiatives.
He started the newspaper ‘Swaraj’. In 1927, Bose became general secretary of the Congress party. He extended his support to idea of comprehensive independence and with his support resolution of “Poorna Swaraj” in 1929 was passed. He organised the All-Bengal Young Men’s Conference. He got elected as a president of Indian national congress twice. In 1939 Bose resigned from Congress and established the All India Forward Bloc – as a faction within the India Congress. His aim was to liberate India from the colonial yokes. On February 1933, he was exiled to Europe for few years. During 1930s in Europe, the forces of Imperialism, Nationalism, fascism and communism were arrayed against one another. Navigating that political minefield was no easy task. Despite his recurring health problems, Bose travelled tirelessly for the next three years around the European continent as the spokesperson for India’s freedom. He established associations to promote friendship between India and various European countries. He met opinion makers and leaders of government to win their support for Indian Independence. During those years he grew as an international statesman. During this time only he wrote his book- “The Indian Struggle”. After few years returning to India, Britishers had imposed restrictions on Bose and put him under house arrest. As he was turning more threatful to British Raj. When Bose was under house arrest, he escaped from his house with the help of his nephew “Sisir Bose”.
To deceive the British he took a disguise of a north Indian Muslim named “Muhammad Ziauddin”. He escaped Back to Germany via Delhi, Afghanistan and Russian route. The exigencies of the Second World War gave rise to strange alliances. Bose wanted to take the opportunity provided by Second World War to oust the Britishers and liberate India. Thus, he approached Germany, Japan to seek support for India’s cause. An important development in the struggle for freedom during the Second World War was the formation and activities of the Azad Hind Fauj, also known as the Indian National Army (INA). Rash Behari Bose, an Indian revolutionary who had escaped from India and had been living in Japan for many years, set up the Indian independence league with the support of Indians living in the countries of south-east Asia. General Mohan Singh, who had been an officer in the British Indian army, played an important role in organizing this army.
In 1943, Netaji came to Singapore in German submarine to lead the Indian Independence league and rebuild the INA to make it an effective instrument for the freedom of India. Subhash Babu allied to Axis powers. The Azad Hind Fauj comprised about 45,000 soldiers, among who were Indian prisoners of war as well as Indians who were settled in various countries of south-east Asia. On 21 October 1943, Subhash Bose, who was now popularly known as Netaji proclaimed the formation of the provisional government of independent India (Azad Hind) in Singapore. The government was recognized by nine countries including Germany, Italy, Japan and Myanmar. The Provisional Government of Free India acquired its first territories when Japan handed over the Andaman and Nicobar Islands to it and hoisted the flag of India. Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose had an inherent faith in “Nari Shakti”. He created a history by establishing the world’s first all Women Regiment within the Indian National Army in 1943 and christened it “The Rani Jhansi Regiment”. It was a full-fledged combat regiment with its Indian women soldiers receiving all necessary military training. In early 1944, three units of the Azad Hind Fauj (INA) took part in the attack on the north-eastern parts of India to oust the British from India.
“Dilli Chalo”-This was the call he used to give the INA armies to motivate them. Netaji gave slogan-“Give me blood and I will give you freedom” to INA soldiers. Netaji worked tirelessly to secure German and Japanese support in freeing his beloved homeland from the colonial rule. As Axis power was defeated in Second world war by allies. INA too had to face the defeat. But the seeds of mutiny were sown successfully by INA. Mutiny took place in British Indian Army, which shook roots of colonial rule. Netaji was announced to have died in a purported plane crash on the way to Taiwan, but this has been hotly disputed and never confirmed. Many believes and claims that “Netaji” didn’t die in plane crash. He escaped to Russia safely, he lived there for years and then returned to India. Many also claims that the hermit “Gumnami Baba” who lived in Uttar Pradesh in disguise was none other than “Subhash Chandra Bose”.
–Ankitsingh Vyas
