Issn: 2455-2224

ISSN: 2455-2224

Contents lists available at http://www.albertscience.com ASIO Journal of Humanities, Management & Social Sciences Invention (ASIO-JHMSSI) Volume 1, Issue 1, 2015: 12-14

SOCIAL AND POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY OF NETAJI SUBHAS CHANDRA BOSE N. Soniya DDE, Department of History, Burdwan University, Burdwan, W. B., India

ARTICLE INFO ABSTRACT Subhas Chandra Bose is popularly known as 'Netaji'. In the year of 1902, when Short Review Article History he was only 5 year old, he got admission in Cuttack Protestant School and then Received: 12 August, 2015 he started his educational career. In the year of 1909 he got admission in Ravenshaw Collegiate School, Cuttack. In 1913, he started his higher secondary Accepted: 19 October, 2015 educational academic career in Presidency College, Calcutta. On twenteeth Corresponding Author: October 1943, Netaji formed the Indian National Army (I.N.A). Netaji Subhas †N. Soniya Chandra Bose is remembered for his Salutation and slogan of 'Jai Hind'. The

famous words of Subash Chandra Bose "Give me blood, I will give you freedom" DDE, Department of History, encouraged the freedom fighters. The famous book “The Indian Struggle” was Burdwan University, Burdwan, W. B., written by him. Scientific propaganda was prescribed by him on the above lines to combat communalism. Shah Nawaz Khan said that, for Subhas there were no India religious or provincial differences. Hindu, Muslim and Sikh soldiers in the Indian Email:[email protected] National Army were made to realise that they were sons of the same motherland. That most of ardent supporters and admirers of Netaji were found

to be Muslims. Another close associate of Netaji, S.A. Ayar said that, communal harmony of a high order prevailed among the ranks. Accordingly some suggest that Bose's alliance with the Axis power during the world war was based on more than just pragmatism, and that Bose was a militant nationalist, though not a Nazi, nor a Fascis. Netaji supported empowerment of women, secularism and other democratic ideas.

INTRODUCTION The famous freedom fighter Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose founding an Indian National Army (INA) in Southeast Asia. was born on January 23, 1897 at Oriya bazaar of Cuttack Bose was flown to Singapore and became commander of district Orissa. His father Janaki Nath Bose was a famous the INA and head of the Free India provisional lawyer and his mother Prabhavati Devi was a devout and government. The INA included both Indian prisoners of religious lady. Unlike other prominent leaders of the war from Singapore and Indian civilians in Southeast Asia. Indian freedom struggle, Subhas strongly believed that an The strength of INA grew to 50, 000 and fought Allied armed rebellion was necessary to wrest independence forces in 1944 inside the borders of India at Imphal and in from the British. Subhas Chandra Bose is popularly known Burma [2, 4-6]. as 'Netaji'. In the year of 1902, when he was only 5 year For Bose any means and any ally were acceptable in the old, he got admission in Cuttack Protestant School and struggle to liberate India. By the end of World War II none then he started his educational career. In the year of 1909 of Bose's Axis allies had helped, and Bose then turned to he got admission in Ravenshaw Collegiate School, Cuttack. the Soviet Union. On Aug. 18, 1945, it is believed that Bose In 1913, he started his higher secondary educational was en route to the Soviet Union in a Japanese plane when st it crashed in Taiwan, burning him fatally. However, his academic career in Presidency College, Calcutta. On 21 death it is very controversial and disputed subject in India, October 1943, Netaji formed the Indian National Army due to the lack of evidence and records of his final days in (I.N.A). Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose is remembered for his his life. Bose indirectly and posthumously achieved his Salutation and slogan of 'Jai Hind'. The famous words of goal of Indian independence [7]. Subash Chandra Bose "Give me blood, I will give you The credential of Subhas Chandra Bose as a socio-political freedom" encouraged the freedom fighters. The famous thinker will be well traced on a careful study of his book “The Indian Struggle” was written by him [1-3]. activities, letters, writings and speeches at different phases Netaji Arrived Tokyo in May 1943, Bose attracted the of the freedom struggle, indicating a process of evolution attention of the Japanese high command, including Hideki of his social, economic and political concepts connected 12 Tojo, Japan's premier. The Japanese agreed to cooperate in with the development of his own mind responding to the

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N. Soniya / ASIO Journal of Humanities, Management & Social Sciences Invention (ASIO-JHMSSI), 2015, 1(1): 12-14 shifting environment in India and the World outside. The same motherland. That most of ardent supporters and sum of his ideas and convictions constitutes his admirers of Netaji were found to be Muslims. Another philosophy, though he was more of an actionist [6-9]. close associate of Netaji, S.A. Ayar said that, communal harmony of a high order prevailed among the ranks [6, 7- Social Concept: 9]. (a) Views on religion, communalism

It was under the influence of his parents that Subhas Political Concept Chandra Bose developed a profoundly religious and Bose's earlier correspondence (prior to 1939) also reflects spiritual frame of mind, and love for Hindu scriptures from his deep disapproval of the racist practices and annulment his early life to the last days of his glorious career in the of democratic institutions in Nazi Germany. He also, battlefields of South East Asia in 1945. however, expressed admiration for the authoritarian His religious and spiritual propensity was further elevated methods (though not the racial ideologies) which he saw in and broadened in contact with the teachings of Italy and Germany during the 1930s, and thought they Ramkrishna Paramahansa and Vivekananda. He always could be used in building an independent India.Bose had had a small copy of Bhagavat Gita in the breast pocket of clearly expressed his belief that democracy was the best his field uniform. He would plunge into deep meditation at option for India. The pro-Bose thinkers believe that his dead hours of night even in the battlefields of South East authoritarian control of the Azad Hind was based on Asia. While in Singapore he used to drive to Ramakrishna political pragmatism and a post-colonial recovery doctrine Mission late at night, change into a priestly silk dhoti, shut rather than any anti-democratic belief. However, during himself up in the prayer room with rosary in hand and the war (and possibly as early as the 1930s) Bose seems to spent a couple of hours in meditation. He would display his have decided that no democratic system could be adequate deep devotion to God in the hours of sorrows and to overcome India's poverty and social inequalities, and he sufferings, weal and woe of his life. wrote that an authoritarian state, similar to that of Soviet At the time of the proclamation of the Provisional Russia (which he had also seen and admired) would be Government of Azad Hind, he took the oath, "In the name needed for the process of nation’s re-building. Accordingly of God, I take this sacred oath that to liberate India and the some suggest that Bose's alliance with the Axis power thirty-eight crores of my countrymen. I, Subhas Chandra during the world war was based on more than just Bose, will continue the sacred war of freedom till the last pragmatism, and that Bose was a militant nationalist, breath of my life." Again, on the day of taking over direct though not a Nazi, nor a Fascis. Netaji supported command of the I.N.A. on 26 August 1943, he said "I pray empowerment of women, secularism and other democratic that God may give me the necessary strength to fulfil my ideas. duty to Indians, under all circumstances, however difficult The political philosophy of Subhas Chandra Bose requires or trying they may be." Again in his address to Indian an enunciation and analysis from the angles of his National Army at Singapore, he said, "May God now bless spiritualistic, nationalistic, secularistic, democratic and our Army and grant us victory in the coming fight." Subhas socialistic characteristics [8-11]. Chandra Bose accepted Upanishadic concept of 'Tyaga' and imbibed the ideal of renunciation for self-realisation and (i) Spiritualistic Characteristics: became determined to work ceaselessly for the benefit of A spiritual approach of life was originally initiated under the country and its toiling masses. the influence of his deeply religious parents. Subsequently, Subhas Chandra Bose, being a Secularist, had an attitude of his searching mind, right in his school days could explore impartiality towards all religions. According to him, the out the meaning, significance and objectives of human life Government of Free India must have an absolutely neutral when he came in contact with the teachings, writings and and impartial attitude towards all religions and leave it to philosophy of Ramkrishna Paramahansa, Swami the choice of every individual to profess or follow a Vivekananda and Sri Aurobindo Ghose. Ramakrishna particular religion of his faith; Religion is a private affair, it Paramahansa's emphasis on character building in general cannot be made an affair of the State. and spiritual approach to life. Renunciation of lust and gold It was the shrewd and subtle diplomacy of the British that and complete self-abnegation are, according to the communal problems in dependent India assumed such Ramkrishna, indispensable for a spiritual life. Under such a dangerous proportion. According to Subhas Chandra influence Subhas Chandra Bose became more idealistic Bose, a nation-wide freedom struggle would result in and spiritualistic to state, "I had a new ideal before me psychological metamorphosis on political front. Bose was now which had influenced my soul to effect my own of the firm opinion that economic issues cut across salvation and to serve humanity by abandoning all worldly communal divisions and barriers. The problems of poverty desires and breaking away from all undue restraints." and unemployment, of illiteracy and disease, of taxation Meditation, sex control and Brahmacharya became matters and indebtedness affected the Hindus and Muslims and of primary concern to him. He began to think of his future other sections of the people as a whole. That the remedy in terms of spiritual welfare and uplift of humanity. This lies in the solution of the political problem on the became the idealistic dimension of his religious and establishment of a national, popular and democratic spiritual bent of mind [11-13]. government in which people will have direct right to Subhas in his college days came in contact with participate and indirect right to criticise. Scientific Aurobindo's philosophy through his writings, "We must be

propaganda was prescribed by him on the above lines to dynamos of the divine electricity so that when each of us combat communalism. Shah Nawaz Khan said that, for stand up, thousand around may be full of light, full of bliss

Subhas there were no religious or provincial differences. and Ananda". Impressed him very deeply, Aurobindo 13 Hindu, Muslim and Sikh soldiers in the Indian National Ghosh has written in his Bhavani Mandir, "For what is a

Army were made to realise that they were sons of the nation ? What is our mother country ? It is not a piece of Page dids no.: 12.2015-81145222, dids Link: http://dids.info/didslink/12.2015-82291369/

N. Soniya / ASIO Journal of Humanities, Management & Social Sciences Invention (ASIO-JHMSSI), 2015, 1(1): 12-14 art nor a figure of speech, nor a fiction of mind, it is a 5. Höpp G, Wien P and Wildangel R. Blind für die mighty Sakti composed of all the Saktis of all the millions of Geschichte? Arabische Begegnungen mit dem units, that make up of the nation just as Bhavani Mahisha Nationalsozialismus. Berlin: Klaus Schwarz Verlag, Mardini sprang into being from the Sakti of all millions of 2004. gods assembled in our mass of force and wielded into 6. Jaffrelot C. The Ideas of the Hindu Race in the Writings unity. The Sakti we call in India Bhavani Bharati is the of Hindu Nationalist Ideologues in the 1920s and living unity of the Saktis of 300 million people." Subhas 1930s: A Concept Between two Cultures. In: P. Robb, imbided this philosophy of Aurobindo Ghosh and thought ed. The Concept of Race in South Asia. New Delhi: of Indian Nation as the Divine Mother, a spiritual entity, a Oxford University Press, 2003, pp. 327-354. fragment of the universal spirit [13-16]. 7. Kersten R. Japan. In: R. Bosworth, ed. The Oxford Thus spiritualism became one of the principal Handbook of Fascism. Oxford/ New York: Oxford characteristics of his political philosophy. University Press, 2009, pp. 526- 544. (ii) Nationalistic Characteristics: 8. Küntzel M. Djihad und Judenhass. Über den neuen Subhas Chandra Bose's father was a government pleader antijüdischen Krieg. Freiburg: Ça ira, 2002. and Public Prosecutor and became a member of the Bengal 9. Kuhlmann J. Subhas Chandra Bose und die Legislative Council and earned the title of Rai Bahadur, but Indienpolitik der Achsenmächte. Berlin: Schiler he resigned from the said post and renounced the title of Verlag, 2003. Rai Bahadur as a protest against the repressive policies of 10. Larsen SU. Fascism Outside Europe. The European the British Government. Moreover, he was a regular visitor Impulse Against Domestic Conditions in the Diffusion to the annual sessions of the Indian National Congress and of Global Fascism. Boulder: Social Science a staunch supporter of Swadeshi. Thus Subhas inherited Monographs, 2001. the spirit of nationalism from his father. In his early life, as 11. Mallmann KM, Cüppers M. Halbmond und a student of the Protestant European School run by the Hakenkreuz. Darmstadt: WBG, 2006. Baptist Mission, Subhas exhibited his spirit of nationalism 12. Manjapra K. The Mirrored World: Cosmopolitan when discriminatory treatment was made against Indian Encounter between Indian Anti-Colonial Intellectuals students. His expulsion from the Presidency College for and German Radicals, 1905-1939. Harvard: being involved in Oaten Affair in protesting against the Unpublished Dissertation, 2007. sense of racial superiority of the British is a glaring 13. Nehru J. Selected Works of Jawaharlal Nehru. Vol. 9. example of his spirit of nationalism. He expressed his ed. by S. Gopal. New Delhi: Orient Longman, 1976. feeling of satisfaction, "I had rather a feeling of supreme 14. Oesterheld J. Die Indische Legion in Frankreich. In: G. satisfaction of joy that I had done the right thing, that I had Höpp and B. Reinwald, eds. Fremdeinsätze. Afrikaner stood up for our honour and selfrespect and had sacrified und Asiaten in europäischen Kriegen, 1914-1945. for a noble cause [13, 16-18]." Berlin: Verlag Das Arabische Buch, 2000, pp. 209-226. 15. Payne S. Fascism. Comparison and Definition. REFERENCES Madison: The University of Wisconsin Press, 1987. 1. www.orissa.gov.in 16. Pelinka A. Demokratie in Indien. Subhas Chandra 2. Guha R. Dominance without Hegemony. History and Bose und das Werden der politischen Kultur. Power in Colonial India. Cambridge, Mass./ London: Innsbruck: Studienverlag, 2005. Harvard University Press, 1997. 17. Roy P. The Search for Netaji: New Findings. Kolkata: 3. Hauner M. India in Axis Strategy. Germany, Japan and Purple Peacock Books & Arts Private Limited, 2012. Indian Nationalists in the Second World War. 18. Sareen TR. Subhas Chandra Bose in Germany. A Stuttgart: Klett-Cotta, 1981. Documentary Study, 1941-44. New Delhi: Manjuli 4. Haynes, R. Subhas Chandra Bose in Nazi Germany: Prakashan, 2007. Politics, Intelligence, and Propaganda 1941-43. New York: Columbia University Press, 2011.

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