Dr Vishiesh Verma
January 23, is the birth anniversary of Netaji Subash Chander Bose. It is also being observed as the National Day of Patriotism. “In the name of God, I take this sacred oath that to liberate India and 380 million of my Countrymen, I, Subash Chander Bose will continue the sacred War of Freedom till the last breath of my life. I shall remain the servant of India and will look after the welfare of 380 million Indian brothers and sister and it shall be my highest duty”. This was Netaji’s oath after establishment of provisional Government of India at a cinema hall in Singapore on October 21, 1942.
If there was one man in India’s freedom struggle who fascinated millions irrespective of their religion, caste or language, he was Subash Chander Bose who received unabashed hero-worship from his followers and goodwill and respect from those who sometimes opposed him. The life of Subash Chander Bose reads like a thriller. It is a life story of a National Hero who carried on the freedom struggle for India thousands of miles away from his motherland.
Jawaharlal Nehru was much impressed by Subash’s work in the INA that he wrote- a post script to ‘The discovery of India,’ on 29th Dec 1945 quoting, “The story of INA, formed in Burma and Malaya during the war years, spread suddenly throughout the country and evoked an astonishing enthusiasm – they became the symbol of unity amongst the various religious groups in India for Hindu, Muslim, Sikh and Christian were all represented in that army. They had solved the communal problems amongst themselves and so why should we not do so?”
Michael Edwards in his book, ‘last years of British India’ wrote, “Only one outstanding personality took a different and violent path and in a sense, India owes more to him (Subash) than to any other man even though he seemed to be a failure.”
Subash Chander Bose was the enigmatic leader of our Freedom struggle. Beginning his Political career with the Congress in 1920 he was elected its President in 1938. The following year in 1939 Bose contested again and though Mahatama Gandhi threw his weight behind Dr. Sitaramayya, his lone rival stating ‘Sitaramayy’s defeat is my defeat.’ Gandhiji’s opposition of Bose – forced him to resign from the congress, and he launched the Forward block.
His fiery patriotism, supreme courage and gifted organizational abilities inspired the people of India during the freedom struggle. He was a philosopher and a man with a fore-sight. He had a vision of free India as an Independent Federal Republic. Subash Chander envisioned a Secular India which will guarantee complete religious and cultural freedom for individuals and groups. There will be no state religion. In the matter of political and economic rights, there will be perfect equality among the whole population. He planned to develop social order in India based on the eternal principles of Justice Equality and fraternity. He was the earlier supporter of Hindu Muslim Unity in the scheme of India’s future and urged the people to develop cultural intimacy for establishing communal harmony.
Subash Chander Bose had a message for the youth also, he said, “I believe that if our young men unite and make up their mind to bring to an end with a firm determination the oppression in our society as well as all undesirable activities, then a new era will dawn in our social life at no distant date.” Today Patriotism is a much debated. The protagonists and antagonists are resorting to their own narrow interpretations.
Rabinder Nath Tagore had a more enlighten view of nationalism. To him Nationalism is an invention of the west. The Nation has thrived for long upon mutilated humanity, soldiers, manufacturers and bureaucrats. “Nationalism is a great menace. For years it has been at the bottom of India’s troubles” wrote Tagore, “Where the spirit of Nationalism prevails the people are being taught from childhood to hate the enemy.” Tagore saw in nationalism instinct of self-aggrandizement of its flags and hymns and patriotic bragging. Nations are engaged in a wrestling match, they are not bound to listen to the voice of truth and goodness. Earl Stanley Jones a close associate of M Gandhi wrote, “One of the greatest dangers to the world peace is the rise of Nationalism. It has taken that lovely sentiment called patriotism and has turned it into the deadliest enemy known to the modern world. It causes men to sin where they otherwise would not.”
The common people of one nation usually have no reason to hate the common people of another nation. But nationalism takes hold of these common people, subject them to propaganda, instil fear, inspire hate and make them against the common people of another country.
The present state of affairs is patriotism is not so much about love, affection and courage as about hatred antipathy and fear. The seamless unity that it so desperately seeks can only be by posing an imagined enemy. In more malignant version, this enemy is within, destroying the nation like a deadly intimate virus.
Gautama Buddha said, “In the sky there is no distinction of East and West, people create distinctions out of their own minds and then believe them to be true.” Barnard Shaw’s statement explains it, “Patriotism is fundamentally a conviction that a particularly country is best in the world because you were born in it.” There was a time and place early in this century when patriotism was a symbol of liberation and hope. But in the last half century its best achievements on the battle field, with millions of lives lost.
Regarding Patriotism, Mahatma Gandhi’s statement resolves all the controversies by referring to Netaji as a man of great arts and abilities. His greatest and lasting act was that he abolished all distinctions of class and caste… He never thought himself to be a caste Hindu. He was Indian, first and last. He fired all under him with zeal so that they forgot in his presence all distinctions and acted as one man”.
The writer is a former Reader Coordinator of University of Jammu.
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