NETAJI --- A MAN OF EPIC PROPORTIONS ... 1

Netaji broke the backbone of imperialism and colonialism in the world by effectively destroying its British bastion in India. This is his world-significance in historical terms seen only from a single perspective, for he was a multidimensional man with universal vision and execution of precision work thereof. Netaji's life and achievements have a far wider and deeper significance for the evolution of future humanity and the continuation of the evolutionary process that has been in motion since antiquity, than is easily realised. The reason for this is that historians see Netaji in a biased light because of his association with Nazi Germany and fascist Italy and Japan. This is not a very scientific way of looking at a phenomenal historical personality like Netaji and historians worth the salt ought to do a bit of soul-searching before they venture into passing judgement on such a premier soul of modern times.

The historical process is complex and world history is the resolution of countless forces and factors which are not apparent to the prejudiced reader of it. Such superficial students merely go by the dominant narrative of the victors in war which aims at justifying their every war crime as dire necessity in the defence of civilisation and a like transgression on the part of the vanquished as war crime of unpardonable proportions for which they must pay reparations along with their unconditional surrender and keep on paying tribute to posterity by submitting to the foisted narrative of the conflict where they are blamed wholly for it and its horrendous consequences. So has Netaji been declared 'War Criminal' by the victorious Allied Powers and in a secret pact with independent India they have got it ratified that should Bose be located anywhere and laid hands on by the Government of India, he should forthwith be handed over to the Allies for trial for war crimes.

That Netaji could never be traced post 18 Aug, 1945 has led to considerable speculations about his whereabouts and doings thereafter, despite his reported death in an air crash at Taihoku on the same date. 18 Aug, 1945 was the date of the air crash as reported by Domei News Agency of Japan on 23 Aug, 1945. The time lag of five long days has been conveniently explained away as having been caused by the chaotic wartime situation in Japan post Hiroshima and Nagasaki and her subsequent surrender on 15 Aug, 1945. However, given the stature of the man Bose was, it is unlikely that such a delay even in such turbulent times was warranted and it seems to be a clear indication that the Japanese were simply buying time for Bose to allow him safe haven somewhere beyond the reach of the Allies. It is said that Bose was escorted through Manchuria to the Soviet borders where he gained the hospitality of Stalin.

Then one finds mention of him in Soviet documents where the highest authority in Moscow is seen deliberating as to what they ought to do with Bose, and the date is Oct, 1946, over a year after the reported crash. Then there is a lull and one does not know what transpired till rumours abound of sightings of Bose here and there, at Singapore, in Vietnam, in Tashkent, in Paris, and in several places of Uttar Pradesh in India where he is reported to be a roving monk in disguise. The credibility of these stories has been challenged by critics and nothing conclusive as of now has been established beyond the certitude of his being a monk in hiding in the minds of countless devotees of his, many of whom still expect him to return at the age of 121 to take up his rightful place in the hierarchy of world governance.

... to be serialised