The seminal career of the hero across the Continent amidst the tumult of the Second World War with its fair share of mystery and adventure makes his essay through Europe a gripping tale, and the sad end of it all! What happened to Netaji at the end of the World War remains a mystery but sure enough he did not die in the reported plane crash in Taihoku on August 18, 1945. Perhaps he was interned by Stalin and his successors in a Siberian prison cell where he died a lonesome death betrayed by colleagues in the Congress like Nehru.
But why would the Russians eliminate him? What would they gain from his execution? What were the political imperatives that played their vicious hands in the disposal of Chandra Bose (Netaji)? These are pertinent questions that seek resolution in the light of new findings on Netaji. The Russian connection seems compelling for the Soviet Union was the one place where the defeated leader could have sought asylum in the then prevailing global situation. Netaji had during the War years corresponded with the Russians about future plans of the liberation of India with Soviet military assistance.
But after August 1945 there came a lull over the whole issue and Netaji was buried beneath the debris of a fictitious crash, first let out by the Japanese on August 23, 1945, perhaps as a ruse for Netaji to go underground, and then upheld by successive Congress Governments at the Centre for their own perfidious reasons. The mystery has never been resolved and ardent followers of Netaji are being exhorted to do historical research into his life and 'death' or disappearance which is factually more accurate as of now. However, it cannot be gainsaid that the life of Netaji is to be celebrated as much as his disappearance is to be researched, for both are equally important from our national perspective. While serious research ought to be carried out by individuals and organisations regarding the fate of our greatest hero, we must also make earnest effort to delve deep into Netaji's life and career, his writings and speeches and his plans and proposals for the governance of free India so that we get a directive as to how to steer forward the national ferry in the ocean of international life.
The youth are being misled by bogus divisive political mumbo-jumbo by parties intent on merely capturing political power. The youth must resist such temptation to be led astray and must study the writings of Netaji to form a wholesome nationalistic philosophy which will be in line with India's age-old ethos and her future aspirations in the comity of nations. There are quite a few books which are authoritative sources of adequate information for the beginner but then one has to groom oneself to be gradually historically grounded to sift fact from fiction and arrive at rational conclusions with a higher probability of embedded truth in one's own findings. And that would be good individual research on Netaji to begin with as a national culture which would culminate in resolution of the Netaji mystery at no distant date.
To that end I send these lines tonight nursing fond hopes and cherishing bright dreams of the eventual resurrection of our beloved leader but for whom we would have remained slaves of the British for heaven knows how long. Come, let us all join hands to do justice to the great cause of Netaji and his INA through in-depth study, intensive research and not mere frothy spraying of negative emotions at adversaries, ghosts of the past and at comrades who ever so slightly differ in their perspective on our great liberator. May our effort find fruition in the fullness of time but may we be energetic in the disposal of this, our foremost national duty! Jai Hind!
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