NETAJI, CAST IN THE HEROIC MOULD

Kanchan Ghosh, your observation about Netaji's impaired health on account of relentless attacks from rivals within the Congress post the demise of C.R. Das is most pertinent. It throws light on an aspect of Netaji much overlooked, his debilitating health on account of the many stabs he had to bear from adversaries among friends like Nehru and Patel, not to mention the master machinations of the Mahatma who had to hold on to his hegemony over Congress at any cost in spite of pious platitudes seeking to cover up the malicious motives beneath. True, indeed, that Netaji was, after all, human with physical frailties that showed up under extreme duress, but was possessed of ‘a mind, made of the stuff of which the lightening is made’, if I may be allowed the privilege to quote Vivekananda on this point. That India did not get the full services of this lion of a man is her eternal tragedy and we continue to pay the price for the mischief of our leaders and our own shameless adherence to such mischief-mongers despite the disastrous lessons of history which we were taught post-independence. Perhaps, our time to accept such virility embodied in the form of Netaji, Surya Sen and Bagha Jatin has not yet arrived and we must evolve more with time to have the manhood to deal with such seminal personalities but for whom we would have remained slaves of the British for God knows how long. It is, thus, most meet that we gear ourselves to attaining that strength which was the hallmark of these heroes and possessing which alone allows one genuine appreciation of the virtues and valour of these, 'the choice and master spirits of the Age', to quote from Julius Caesar. Netaji, indeed, was the epic personality of our times, in the mould of our classical heroes but endowed with an even higher vision, who set us free by burning to ashes the citadels of the British Empire, and thus, on a larger scale catalysing the liberation of the greater part of subjugated humanity suffering the yoke of British imperialism. Rarely does such a one embody for the sake of saving humanity from doom and it will be our great fortune even now at this belated hour seven decades from independence to be able to honour and absorb his legacy unto us. May Netaji be ever enshrined in our hearts and may his memory inspire us unto higher aspirations and attainments for our beloved motherland for such indeed will be our truest homage to him who gave his all for us! Jai Hind!