NETAJI, BLINDLY ADULATED OR READ, RESEARCHED, RELOCATED?

Let the photograph, impressive as it is and expressive of the lustre of the soul of its subject, not detract viewers from the reading of the text of the essay and the offering of the desired defence to Narayanan Gandhi's arguments against the achievements of Netaji in the climactic phase of his career. The mere giving of a 'like' and a post-unconnected comment shows the audience in a poor light which is certainly not desirable, especially, when Netaji, the supposed soul of the nation, is under attack. A vociferous thrust from Shri Gandhi demands an equal response in reasoned argumentation and not senseless jibes aimed at the offender.

It is time to take up serious study of Netaji and not indulge in mere picking up stray bits of data hither and thither and, mixing the same with adequate emotion, to hold them out as offering for the deity divine. A serious disservice is being done to India's premier patriot by refusing to delve deep into his life and times, his career and contributions to the world at large, and his thought and message for humanity struggling to cope with the odds of life and the tyranny of the times. Netaji must be studied and not merely read, read and not merely admired at a distance, adulated but brought to bearing as well in real life through service and sacrifice for the motherland. Else, such hero-worship devoid of substance is tantamount to a mere mass of nothingness which the hero, surely for all his epic attainments in life, does not deserve at the hands of his professed followers.

It must be borne in mind that the life and achievements of Netaji are as important and worthy of attention as the mystery surrounding his disappearance and death. Those that consider themselves dedicated to the cause of resurrection of the liberator of India from historical obscurity, consequent on a persistent perfidious policy of the powers that be, would do well to take up the task of rewriting the narrative of the INA and its hero themselves by doing significant research on the subject and not wastefully indulging themselves in the condemnable act of the giving of a superficial 'like' or dotting down a comment quite unconnected to the post and reflective of a poor association with the iconic personality that Netaji remains. Here rests my case and await I the reasoned responses of the readers and the follow-up programmes of the 'faithful'.