RESPONSES TO DIVERSE COMMENTS

Netaji is not only a legend but he is a living reality who can as yet transform India if his life and message are allowed to reach the masses.

Absolutely reprehensible. No Indian needs religious law to govern his life. Neither the Muslims need the Sharia which has been imposed by the Muslim mullahs on them nor do the Hindus need the Manu Smriti anymore to legislate their lives. The Constitution of India is all that we need as our legal code to bind us within civic bounds and to guide us to an enlightened citizenry.

Secularism is not hypocrisy but pseudo-secularism is as is practised by the political parties to garner votes.

Let us all be heroic in the service of our motherland. Let us shed all cowardice and take up cudgels for the cause of nation-building even as Netaji had aspired that future generations would do following in the foot-steps of the freedom fighters.

Step-motherly treatment was meted out to Netaji by Gandhiji, true. But what about the vast number of Bengalis who failed to do him justice, failed to stand by him in his hour of political isolation, what about them? It was Tagore who soothed the felled hero's nerves, took him into his peaceful retreat at Shantiniketan, understood him and adorned him with the honorific 'Deshanayak' (heroic leader of the land). Have we Bengalis, thereafter, despite our constant clamour for declassification of Netaji Files, a laudable objective doubtlessly and sincerely so, not betrayed Netaji by siding with politicians who had called Netaji 'Tojo's dog' and had so often opposed him on ideological grounds ever since the hero had signed alliance with Nazi Germany in his bid to uproot and overthrow British imperialism from Indian soil? Do we even today bother to live the life that will make us legitimate heirs to his legacy, a life of purity, purpose and perseverance with service to the motherland as our guiding principle so that Netaji's dream of a renascent India is realised? Seek deep in your hearts the answers to these questions, my countrymen, before you raise your heads in rightful salute to the memory of the martyrs who bled to free the motherland and of those who bleed on the borders even today to keep the flame of freedom alive.