Towards Freedom & Partition (1939-1947)

Answer: Subhas Chandra Bose, also called Netaji, was one of the most influential freedom fighters of India. Considered as a symbol of assertive nationalism, Netaji is known for raising an army to fight against the British and plan an armed coup over them. Role played by Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose in the Indian freedom struggle:

• Initial Contributions:
  • Under C.R. Das, Netaji played a major role in enlightening the students, youth and labourers of Calcutta and became a youth educator and commandant of the Bengal Congress volunteers. He also started the newspaper ‘Swaraj’ in 1921.
  • After release from Mandalay jail (1925-1927), he was elected as the President of the All- India Youth Congress and also the Secretary of the Bengal State Congress in 1927. In 1930, he became the Mayor of Calcutta, as well as the President of All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC).
• Socialist approach: During his time in exile in Europe in the 1930s, Bose came in contact with the communist leaders and got influenced with the idea of Socialism. Therefore, after being elected as the President in the Haripura Congress session in 1938, he set up the National Planning Committee, which brought a policy of broad industrialization.
• Support to the Left-Wing Faction: Bose was an advocate of armed resistance against British colonialism and could not come to terms with the ideology of non-violent resistance that Gandhiji advocated. After resigning, despite being elected as the President of the Indian National Congress in 1939, he formed a progressive group known as the All-India Forward Bloc in an attempt to bring together the leftist faction and fight for Indian freedom.
• Role played during World War II: He was held under house arrest because of his views against the Allied powers. He escaped and tried to forge an alliance with Germany and Japan to help Indians in their struggle against British rule. His regular broadcast from Radio Berlin in 1942 aroused tremendous enthusiasm in India.
  • In July 1943, he arrived in Singapore from Germany and took over the reins of the Indian Independence Movement in East Asia from Rash Behari Bose and reorganized the Azad Hind Fauj (Indian National Army) comprising mainly of Indian Prisoners of War. He also formed a provisional Indian government in Singapore, which was recognised by the Axis Powers. The INA under Netaji’s leadership was able to free the Andaman and Nicobar Islands from the British. However, the defeat of Japan and Germany in the Second World War forced INA to retreat and it could not achieve its objective.

Subhas Chandra Bose was a true patriot who sacrificed his whole life to liberate the sufferings of Indian masses from the shackles of British imperialism.