In Bangladesh the Netaji legacy is nearly forgotten
Netajis political struggle or the creation of Indian National Army aiming to attain freedom from colonial subjugation is still relevant
Shahriar Feroze
A Amar Chitra Katha comic followed by a short Bengali biography of Netaji for kids was all that this writer got to learn on one of the most misunderstood and misinterpreted patriot of all time. Despite all the effusive narratives, Subhas Chandra Bose appeared more of an enigma to me since i was ten. Then a huge gap of almost a couple decades before this inquisitive mind entered Netajis Elgin Road residence on a cold January morning of 2012. Following a keen observation of the museum artefacts and a few books bought from the book shop in the ground floor this even more mystified mind headed for his hotel at Sudder Street. Since then many developments on disappearance of Netaji began to resurface steadily. The Indian media was abuzz with shocking revelations surfacing after so many decades, and for me paying a humble tribute to the misconstrued Indian leader at his Elgin road home became almost an obligation on my regular yearly visits to Calcutta.
To get the point across, my understanding on preserving Boses legacies is simple and straight, Instead of a singular form of legacy, i have always found his attributes to be more than just a single legacy. as far as Calcutta and more generally , West Bengal and a few other parts in India is concerned: had it not been for a group of ardent enthusiasts, family members and huge crowds of devotees Subhas Bose perhaps, would have been just another respected though misconstrued political figure in the long-line of nationalist politicians of pre-partition India; whose name would understandably find a place in the history books with a page detailing out his contributions to the Indian struggle for freedom coupled with being remembered twice on his reported birth and death dates. It would also be an esteemed name for group discussion during freedom struggle and partition related seminars, symposiums and talk-shows following a huge self portrait at the back , otherwise a respected Indian patriot of the past not to be forgotten or neglected lest if Bengalis are somehow offended. Furthermore, his cult of a figure would be turned into a Bollywood blockbuster, not to say which the tinsel town turned real by now. Nevertheless, the point this writer wishes to raise is that between the bitterly divided two Bengals - in independent Bangladesh the Bose legacies is badly missed.
Having stated the grief, its not only Netajis political struggle or the creation of Indian National Army aiming to attain freedom from colonial subjugation but more - a legacy of realpolitik patriotism devoid of any political compromise with the oppressor, otherwise - to free India on Indian terms. A legacy of unimaginable organisational capability shown far away from home, and a legacy to inflict terror with daring attempts though little military strength. Foremost - an unforgettable legacy of shattering the trust between the erstwhile British Raj and its defence establishments. This writer, however, has his own way to estimate the brilliance of this great leader, and it is right here where he fails to stay clean of showing some degree of cultural prejudice.
For me Netaji has always been first a Bengali and then an Indian. Concerning his first identity, its rather puzzling what separates the two dived Bengals from marking his achievements with equal zest? Understandably, socio-political developments in post partition two Bengals were heading towards different directions. Following intermittent socialist uprising the State of west Bengal fell into the clutches of a long term communist rule and, the then East Pakistan following a brief stint with democracy fell to military dictatorship. The latter became independent in 1971 and less than five years later it again succumbed to successive military regimes. The point, however, in the midst of everything-the-exact-opposite between the two wings of Bengal - in the east the Bose bequest was deliberately wiped out while being given a shape of an Indian patriot to have contributed to the Indian independence and after the birth of Bangladesh nothing worse happened other than the silent continuation of that same old branding .
If not all, to most Bangladeshis (the reader is most welcome to testify this writers account in any manner) Netaji was a hero who fought against the British and at the most with his acquired military capabilities. His achievement to integrate women and men from all the regions and religions of India in the INA, his contribution on showing gender equality by setting up the Rani of Jhansi regiment, and most significantly the formation of a Republic of India in dire circumstances abroad are either forgotten or not discussed knowingly, let alone that unforgettable INA principle of self-sacrifice, unity irrespective of class and community, and discipline.
Leaving Subhas Boses all contributions and characteristics behind while merely keeping his Bengali identity, the million dollar question is how do we remember and draw lessons from the legacies of this great Bengali son in this country? With an expected sure defiance from many of my countrys politicians the sheer ignition of Bengali nationalism to attain freedom and self-rule is actually evidently seen in his words and actions before any other Bengali politician but in a much greater form and under a different banner of undivided India. It spoke on behalf of entire population of undivided India irrespective of any class, creed, colour and region.
The myth of misconception surrounding Subhas Boses political and military career has given birth to heated sessions of argument and counter-arguments, and now the authentic confirmation of his death is being questioned in the wake of a series of dramatic revelations which is also being closely followed by many in Bangladesh. However, the simple point is that Netaji wanted to free India in the way he believed best , and had he succeeded in that mission in his home ground his definition would have been different from what it is erroneously perceived by many today. Freedom for him was meant to be earned and not given as alms to a beggar. His was a daring a mission only a Bengali could have undertake in the face of extreme odds in foreign lands with unfamiliar faces. Someone from Bangladesh marks all those altruistic daring attempts with endless gratitude. Its time to rediscover and also relive the heroic but patriotic legacies of a great Bengali leader which he surely deserves from all Bangladeshis.
The writer is a journalist
