#NetajiSubhasChandraBose one of my heroes, it would be impossible to capture his remarkable life in a thread. This thread is more on some aspects of his life, and his ideals. #Netaji125 #NetajiJayanti #ParakramDivas
Netaji Subash Chandra Bose had been a born rebel, there was the anecdote about him attacking, the English lecturer at his college, who had made racist and derogatory comments about Indian natives. #Netaji125 #NetajiJayanti #ParakramDivas
” I still remember very clearly the day when my Principal summoned me to his presence and announced his order of suspension and his words still ring in my ears – “You are the most troublesome man in the College.” #Netaji125 #NetajiJayanti #ParakramDivas
The rebellious, independent spirit was present in him, from quite a long time, and combined with his own intelligence, made him one of the finest thinkers ever. #Netaji125 #NetajiJayanti #ParakramDivas
It was this independent, rebellious streak, that saw him, give up a lucrative job with the Indian Civil Services, and plunge into the freedom struggle. That was the time he came across his mentor Deshbandhu Chittaranjan Das. #Netaji125 #NetajiJayanti
An activist and freedom fighter, as uncompromising and rebellious as Bose was. Deshbandhu had earlier quit the Congress party, due to differences with Gandhiji over the No Council Entry policy, and formed the Swaraj Party along with Motilal Nehru. #Netaji125
C.R.Das, Motilal Nehru, N.C.Kelkar were among the Congress members, who opposed Gandhiji’s suspension of the Non Cooperation movement in 1923, over the Chauri Chaura incident, creating a division between them and those who supported Gandhiji’s decision. #Netaji125
Subash Chandra Bose, along with Vithalbai Patel was becoming increasingly dissatisfied with the tactics of the Congress Party, with both of them favoring an increasingly militant and aggresive approach. #Netaji125 #NetajiJayanti #ParakramDivas
Deshbandhu’s death in 1925, saw a weakening of the Swaraj Party, and Netaji losing his political mentor, which however did not deter him from action. #Netaji125 #NetajiJayanti #ParakramDivas
Already elected twice Mayor of Kolkata, Netaji toured extensively in Europe during the 30’s visiting Mussolini among the other leaders, and that had an influence on his ideology too. #Netaji125 #NetajiJayanti #ParakramDivas
While Netaji was heavily influenced by European nationalist movements and thinkers, especially Garibaldi and Mazinni, he sought to combine it with the best of Indian political and spiritual traditions, a fact resented by his left wing counterparts.
He believed that most of the existing political systems in the West already were in practice in India for long, be it Communism, Republicanism or Democracy.
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What he looked forward to was a philosophy that sought to combine the best of Western political thought with institutions that were already existing in India.
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Again Netaji did not believe in one race, one culture kind of unity that was propagated by most of European thinkers. He did not believe in imposing a dull uniformity in the name of unity, that tried to suppress differences. #Netaji125
For him true unity was achieved only in respecting diversity, accepting differences, the mosaic pattern as opposed to the standard melting pot model.
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It was precisely the same reason, why he was opposed to the Russian model of communism, though some of his own ideals were pretty much on the left side.
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He was opposed to the communists idea of internationalism and use of British cloth, I guess one reason, why for decades, the Communists refused to accept him.
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The communists felt that the labor movement should not be linked with Nationalism, to Netaji both of them were not mutually exclusive.
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Netaji again had his own doubts on the utility of the Khadi movement. As he had stated earlier, while it was helpful for masses, existing at a subsistence level, once they cross that stage, they seek more gainful employment. #Netaji125
Netaji believed that more mass participation in the freedom movement was possible, only if the issues that directly concerned them were taken up along with the cause for freedom.
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As he put it, barring stray cases as in Bengal, when they took up the cause of jute farmers or in Gujarat on nonpayment of taxes, “we have seldom been able to make a direct appeal to the economic interests of the masses”. #Netaji125 #ParakramDivas #NetajiJayanti
Netaji’s impatience with the Congress party was not just in it’s approach toward fighting for independence, he felt it remained a party of the bourgeois elite, far distanced from farmers, workers and the youth.
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Netaji spoke in a language that reached out to the youth of the times, he knew and understood their feelings much more than some of the worthies in the party.
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The major difference that caused a split between Netaji and the Gandhi faction in the Congress, was the approach towards total boycott. Netaji felt that with the mood of the nation, totally for a boycott, it made no sense to enter the Councils. #Netaji125
He believed it made no use, for Indians to go to the Round Table conference unless, they were given full powers. #Netaji125 #ParakramDivas #NetajiJayanti
He wondered why the British had to send in the European Chambers of Commerce, Ruling Chiefs etc, when this was clearly a matter to be worked out between the British Govt and the Indian representatives.
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The differences between him and Gandhiji were too deep, and when Netaji won the election to the post of President at the 1939 Tripuri Congress, Gandhiji took it as his own defeat. #Netaji125 #ParakramDivas #NetajiJayanti
And with some deft manipulations by Gandhi’s clique, Netaji was forced to resign from the Presidentship post. It was a poignant moment, when Netaji suffering from fever, came on a stretcher to submit his resignation at the venue. #Netaji125
One of the persons who strongly supported Bose, was Pasumpon Muthuramalingam Thevar, in fact he mobilized the entire South Indian votes for Netaj.

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Pasumpon was also disillusioned with the Congress inability to force the British to repeal the Criminal Tribes Act, became one of the key figures in the Forward Bloc founded by Netaji.
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What Netaji did not believe was in a false kind of freedom, that would only benefit the bourgeois upper classes and the elite, he sought a genuine freedom that would touch every section of society. #Netaji125 #ParakramDivas #NetajiJayanti
To him, mere political freedom, without emancipation of the poor, the depressed classes and women was meaningless. Netaji was also influenced by the ideals of Swami Vivekananda, and Bhagvad Geeta. #Netaji125 #ParakramDivas #NetajiJayanti
. He quite often drew on India’s glorious spiritual past, its cultural heritage, yet he was not one to be living there forever.
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While influenced by European nationalist thinkers like Garibaldi and Mazinni, with respect to waging a political struggle, he believed in the spiritual renaissance of India.
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What Netaji believed in was the idea of an India, that would awake itself from it’s slumber, and begin to be true to it’s potential. He wanted an India where citizens are awake, in ceaseless activity, or what he called our elan vital. #Netaji125 #ParakramDivas
For Netaji it was the desire for freedom, for expression, a desire to revolt against bondage. He wanted the people to study the ancient history, observe where the degradation took place. For him all concepts like deeksha or initiation, led to the end goal-freedom.
It is precisely his desire for complete revolution and freedom, that led to his appeal among the youth, many of whom saw the Congress as a borgeuois old party, filled with old fashioned ideals. . #Netaji125 #ParakramDivas #NetajiSubhasChandraBose #NetajiJayanti
To Netaji, the youth movement was not just another political movement, it was a holistic movement designed to fulfil the needs of the human soul. For him freedom and self fulfilment were two goals, that had to exist together, one without the other was meaningless.
Netaji had a phenomenal knowledge of Indian history and culture, an aspect that made him reach out to every region in India. Proud of his Bengali heritage and culture, yet at the same time, he recognized the unique cultural synthesis of India.
To him though India’s salvation did not lie in living on past glories, and clinging on to outmoded theories. He felt that if India and Asia, were to throw off the yoke of Western humiliation, they had to look forward, move ahead.
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He sought a revolution of ideas in thought, he desired a complete freedom, where individuals could express, think and move. A freedom that could unshackle the mind and spirit. #Netaji125 #ParakramDivas #NetajiSubhasChandraBose #NetajiJayanti
So was the INA a failure?
In strictly black and white terms, the Indian National Army , was a failure, and too often Bose’s authoritarian control was blamed for it.
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As the dictum goes History is written by the victors and not the vanquished. Leaving aside the merits of Bose’s strategies and his tactics, if we take it on a broader level, the INA, succeeded on many aspects.
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The INA was a shining example of how he managed to integrate the different communities of India into one. Bose went beyond the platitudes of Hindu-Muslim bhai, bhai, and Unity in Diversity. He walked the talk.
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But more than military victories, the INA, succeeded in winning the hearts of people. Ordinary Indians responded in thousands to his call, people willingly gave money and their gold to him. #Netaji125 #ParakramDivas #NetajiSubhasChandraBose #NetajiJayanti
While all other political leaders just paid mere lip service to cause of women, he raised a woman’s regiment in his army. The INA failed in it’s final assault on Imphal , because of their dependence on Japanese for logistics, and the heavy rain. #Netaji125 #ParakramDivas
But it was the later events that would show how successful the INA was. After the war, when 3 officers of the INA, Gen Shah Nawaz Khan, Col Prem Sehgal and Col Gurbux Singh Dhillon were put on trial in the Red Fort. #Netaji125 #ParakramDivas #NetajiSubhasChandraBose
The person defending them was none other than Jawaharlal Nehru, himself, in spite of the fact, that Nehru and Bose differed in their views. Both the Congress and Muslim League, made the defense of the 3 officers a major political issue. #Netaji125 #ParakramDivas
The British Government was so alarmed that it had to stop BBC from broadcasting this story. But it could not prevent mutinies from breaking out in the British Army , especially the one by the Indian soldiers of the Royal Navy. #Netaji125 #ParakramDivas
The British often used the Indian soldiers as cannon fodder, they did all the dirty work, were the persons on front line in conflict and in many World Wars, many Indian soldiers died fighting for the British empire. #Netaji125 #ParakramDivas #NetajiSubhasChandraBose
Yet in grant for this, the British, treated the Indian soldiers as second class citizens, and exploited them. It was Bose’s Indian National Army which sparked the uprising.
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Years later Clement Atlee , cited the revolts of the Indian Army, as a major decision, to grant independence. Britian already economically and militarily weakened, after WW2, knew that it could no longer trust the Indian armed forces to prop up it’s Raj. #Netaji125
So in a way, Bose, contributed significantly to the end of the Raj. Those who call #NetajiSubhasChandraBose a failure just because INA lost, just do not understand the impact it made on a larger level and how he inspired so many.
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I can say this for sure,down South, #NetajiSubhasChandraBose is far more popular than any of the other freedom fighters even now. In my home state Andhra Pradesh, it's common to see many named after him.
Go to deep South of Tamil Nadu, every small village there proudly speaks of their association with #NetajiSubhasChandraBose and how their ancestors fought for the INA.
Odisha considers #NetajiSubhasChandraBose as their son, as he was born there. And many in the North are as proud of their association with Netaji and the INA. #Netaji125 #ParakramDivas
#NetajiSubhasChandraBose is that pan Indian hero, whose appeal cuts across all states, regions, caste, class, religion. And I end this long thread of mine, with this quote from him. #Netaji125 #ParakramDivas #NetajiJayanti
And thank u all for sitting through and following this rather long thread of mine on #NetajiSubhasChandraBose. #Netaji125 #ParakramDivas #NetajiJayanti
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