'TERRORIST', TODAY A TAINTED TERM, NOT THEN

'TERRORIST', TODAY A TAINTED TERM, NOT THEN

Today the word 'terrorist' is tainted through the degeneration of those professing to be so with their indiscriminate acts of killing innocent civilians and for low fundamentalist agenda pursued. But once upon a time in India it was an honoured term synonymous with the word 'revolutionary'. These 'extremists' or 'terrorists' or, in today's parlance, 'revolutionaries' were highly moral men and women inspired with the higher ideals of life and freedom with the liberation of the motherland from the bondage of the British as their supreme objective. Even Netaji addressed them in a speech from Burma as being involved in 'revolutionary terrorism' which he thought would not prove to be potent enough to dislodge the British from their colonial seat. The word did not carry any taint then and those who are today shell-shocked on hearing anyone address them as such must consider the context of such reference and not feel so offended at that. Such reference in no way demeans them or their selfless sacrifices for the nation but rather glorifies them in the correct time perspective with all its timely usages.

Disclaimer : This post has no bearing on the current political scenario in India where terrorists are attempting with the help of foreign agencies and certain seditious internal ones, too, to fragment our motherland and render her sovereignty sterile. As such, it ought to be read in context and interpreted likewise with no ulterior association to be attached to it. It must be read correctly in the light of the patriotism which was manifested in the lives of our erstwhile revolutionary terrorists during our protracted liberation struggle which eventually gained us freedom in its climactic evolution in the armed struggle led by Netaji against the British occupying forces.

Written by Sugata Bose

P.S. :
Sugata Bose: [@Debkumar Chatterjee] That is exactly the reason why I have posted it. Then where does the necessity to edit it or delete it arise? Please read the post well to comprehend the intended import of it. I have had in my earlier days the occasion to meet a few revolutionaries and none thought terrorism to be what it today is deemed as. Terrorism and revolutionary terrorism in the context of the Indian freedom struggle were to them synonymous. So far as going against the spirit of Netaji is concerned, I do not think you can be the sole arbiter for it, although, you sure have ample right to object to the use of terminology. Actually, the term 'terrorist ', I remember from my boyhood days, was a highly honoured and revered term then and has only of late owing to indiscriminate Islamic terrorism suffered such a derogatory verbal association.

Sugata Bose: [@Debkumar Chatterjee] Oho, I understand what you mean. Then there is a serious point to consider and take consequent action which I will do. Thank you for alerting me.

Sugata Bose : [@Abhirup Sarkar] I know it, Abhirup, which is why I will have to attach a post-script to the post to clarify conceptions.

Sugata Bose : [@Debkumar Chatterjee] Now have a look at the post. A disclaimer has been appended.

Sugata Bose : [@Debkumar Chatterjee] On re-reading several times the original post, I find your observation flawed and missing the mark in the comprehension of the post on multiple counts. The disclaimer attached in no way upholds your observation but was an exercise in folly by me that I was guided temporarily by a peculiar oblique and refracted vision on your part to which I unwittingly subscribed. The disclaimer remains, nonetheless, as the fruit of my literary labour but being born in misapprehension of the parent post by an errant reader and, so, being quite out of place as supplementary sequel to the post, it ought to have been given residence elsewhere which for pragmatic considerations I desisted from doing so. However, it may have so transpired that you may have failed through a cursory glance through the post to get to its meaning right from its very caption. This seriously makes me reconsider whether amidst such a plethora of puerile suppositions and propositions thereof about posts that abound in facebook one ought to labour in futility in pursuit of the fine art of literary self-expression there. Perhaps, recording one's thoughts in book form is a more sensible and a saner approach in one's bid to career oneself along the literary incline en route to the summit of artistic self-realisation. Art in common hands is likely to be corroded and culture proliferating is certainly to nosedive unto the least common multiple of it where it will become indistinguishable from its most degenerate form and far far removed from its pristine self.

Sugata Bose : [@Gautam Biswas] What have I done to make you so ashamed? Grace me with a rational answer. Be not tongue-tied now.

Sugata Bose : [@Gautam Biswas] My dear friend, perhaps, you are innocent of the nuances of language and are misreading my post. Hence, your misapprehension. You need to ruminate deeper on the import of it all including my supplementary comments to arrive at a more considered and comprehensive understanding of the import and intent of the post. Your rather simplistic statement that revolutionaries are not terrorists is known to all and sundry, no less known to me as well necessarily thereof. The post seems to have missed its mark on most of you who are not trained in the intricacies of both language and the context of its use, what you might term linguistic usage in historic terms. Hence, the faux pas from your side.

Sugata Bose : [@Gautam Biswas] I await your rebuttal if there should be any more coming from your side this way to mine. Else, admit defeat in grace so that you are shorn of the shame which you have chosen to adorn yourself with on my behalf.

Sugata Bose : [@Gautam Biswas] How can you be so vain except in complete misapprehension of the English language which I have used to offer my reverence for these revolutionaries? I am now certain that you have not been able to follow a line of the writing which I have had occasion to post in this short piece.

Sugata Bose : [@Gautam Biswas] That is not the fault of the writer but is surely so of the reader who in persistent opposition cares not to reflect on the meaning of the caption before rushing in to comment along prejudiced preconceived lines of vain argumentation. Such perverse logic betrays a sense of sanity in civic discourse and renders literary endeavours to becoming the butt of puerile proclamations on patriotism by the people in charge of such assault fuelled by linguistic innocence.

Sugata Bose : [@Abhirup Sarkar] Thank you, Abhirup, I have appended the said speech of Netaji as provided by you to the post by way of ultimate authentication of the reverent usage of the term in those tumultuous days of the freedom struggle.