Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose was surrounded by people from all communities. His core team had Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs and Christians and he never distinguished between them.
These ideals are especially relevant in today’s India, Bose’s two grand-nephews said at a programme on Wednesday.
The venue was Esplanade Metro station and the programme was organised by Metro Railway to mark 75 years of Independence.
Sugata and Sumantra Bose, sons of Sisir Kumar Bose and Krishna Bose, were discussing a book, Netaji: Subhas Chandra Bose’s Life, Politics & Struggle, a compilation of essays by their mother Krishna Bose.
Krishna Bose passed away two years ago. Sugata Bose, historian and Harvard professor, talked at length about Netaji’s comrades who are the subjects in the book.
He talked about Abid Hasan, Netaji’s only Indian companion on a submarine which sailed from Europe to Asia in 90 days; Mohammmad Zaman Kiani, commander of the First Division of Azad Hind Fauj; John Stacy, an Anglo-Indian officer of Azad Hind Fauj; Miyan Akbar Shah, freedom fighter from the Northwest Frontier Province and Netaji’s aide in his “great escape” from Kolkata.
“I am mentioning these names because they show how Netaji unified Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs and Christians in the freedom struggle. Netaji believed in equality, in equal rights for Hindus and Muslims, for Bengalis, Tamils and Punjabis and for men and women,” said Sugata Bose.
An essay — titled War, the Rani of Jhansi Regiment — was written by Krishna Bose on the basis of conversations she had with Lakshmi Sehgal, Janaki Thevar and other members of the regiment.
Sumantra Bose, author, political scientist and professor at the London School of Economics, who has translated some of essays in the book into English, said Netaji’s close family did not mean his blood relations only.
Sumantra Bose said: “Blood alone does not make a relationship. Netaji belongs to every Indian. In fact, he belongs to the entire subcontinent, which was bifurcated into two countries.” Without naming anybody,Sugata Bose said he was not comfortable with the phrase horrors of Partition. “With utmost humility, I would like to say that when we speak of Partition, we can say tragedy of Partition, pity of Partition but I have strong reservations about the phrase horror of Partition. In today’s India, we have to maintain peace and harmony. We have to give equal rights to all.” he said.
The Modi government decided in 2021 that August 14 would be observed as Partition Horrors Remembrance Day.
Critics have accused the government of using the traumatic events as “fodder” for its politics. Reporters asked the Bose brothers why Netaji’s ideals were “contextual in today’s political scenario”.
The question prompted Metro officials to“request” reporters to not ask political questions. Sugata Bose said he would give a “non-political answer”.
“Netaji’s ideal of equality is more contextual because we are witnessing clashes at several places. We have to rise above this,” he said.