HE DID WHAT NONE ELSE DARED IN DREAMS
Bose met Hitler on even terms. No other world leader dared oppose Hitler in argument which Bose did.
The still photo of the two speaks much. Bose stands tall in front of the titan that the Fuhrer was.
Bose pointed out that the German invasion of Russia was a grievous mistake and even expressed his displeasure at being advised by Hitler as to what was politically the correct approach for Indians in dealing with the British. Bose further pulled up the Fuhrer for writing disparagingly against Indian culture in his autobiography 'Mein Kampf'. He highlighted the glorious civilisation that India represented and asked Hitler to edit his work appropriately. Bose's interpreter, sensing grave danger for Bose in thus provoking the Fuhrer, toned down in German the import of what Bose said in English and did his part of the job.
The intrepid Bose had earlier told German Foreign Minister Ribbentrop, "In this war against the Soviet Union the sympathies of the Indian people are with the people of Russia." These words must surely have reached the Fuhrer's ears. That Bose survived all these direct offensives against the Nazis and their megalomaniac leader proved the personality stature of the Netaji whom even Hitler dared not touch. Or, as detractors would say, Hitler did not touch Bose for he was politically significant for the Nazi regime in the fast-evolving world scenario amidst the cataclysm of the World War and that he could play a vital role in undermining British power in India and, so, in Asia overall. But, be that as it may, it was a tribute to the man's mettle that he could stand up to the German dictator and talk politics on even terms at a time when the Fuhrer was calling the shots the world over and none dared face up to him the way Bose did.
And this is called courage of conviction.
Written by Sugata Bose
Bose met Hitler on even terms. No other world leader dared oppose Hitler in argument which Bose did.
The still photo of the two speaks much. Bose stands tall in front of the titan that the Fuhrer was.
Bose pointed out that the German invasion of Russia was a grievous mistake and even expressed his displeasure at being advised by Hitler as to what was politically the correct approach for Indians in dealing with the British. Bose further pulled up the Fuhrer for writing disparagingly against Indian culture in his autobiography 'Mein Kampf'. He highlighted the glorious civilisation that India represented and asked Hitler to edit his work appropriately. Bose's interpreter, sensing grave danger for Bose in thus provoking the Fuhrer, toned down in German the import of what Bose said in English and did his part of the job.
The intrepid Bose had earlier told German Foreign Minister Ribbentrop, "In this war against the Soviet Union the sympathies of the Indian people are with the people of Russia." These words must surely have reached the Fuhrer's ears. That Bose survived all these direct offensives against the Nazis and their megalomaniac leader proved the personality stature of the Netaji whom even Hitler dared not touch. Or, as detractors would say, Hitler did not touch Bose for he was politically significant for the Nazi regime in the fast-evolving world scenario amidst the cataclysm of the World War and that he could play a vital role in undermining British power in India and, so, in Asia overall. But, be that as it may, it was a tribute to the man's mettle that he could stand up to the German dictator and talk politics on even terms at a time when the Fuhrer was calling the shots the world over and none dared face up to him the way Bose did.
And this is called courage of conviction.
Written by Sugata Bose
No comments:
Post a Comment