Orissa Review August- 2011 Nilakantha in Freedom's Quest : His Association with Subhas and His Forward Bloc Dr. Shridhar Charan Sahoo In the Gandhian era of India’s struggle for which Netaji formed during the Second World freedom, one comes across an array of dedicated War with a new perspective and strategy to and fearless champions of freedom who worked activate and revolutionize the Indian National under Ghandhiji’s leadership to achieve India’s Congress to launch upon the struggle for freedom. freedom. Among those it is only a few who have The present article entitled “Nilakantha left behind a different and In Freedom’s Quest : His special touch as regards their Association With Subhas And role and performance. In that His Forward Bloc” exclusively category comes Pandit concentrates on Nilakantha’s Nilakantha Das who joined the activities vis-a-vis Subhas and non-violent and non- his Forward Bloc during the cooperation movement under Second World War tracing of Gandhiji’s leadership but was course his early linkage through not a Gandhian in the strict the days of freedom struggle sense of the term. A man of which culminated in his sturdy independence, he had collaboration with Subhas and the courage of his own Forward Bloc. The convictions to differ from the distinguished role which he Gandhian mainstream in his played in non-cooperation, Salt quest for freedom prepared to Satyagraha and Civil adopt and follow a different Disobedience Movements, in strategy and line of action. 1920’s and 1930’s and for What mattered him most was which he had his own share of the over-riding cause of India’s freedom and what trials and tribulations, has been kept out of the strategy or line of action would be required at a purview of this article. certain point of time to facilitate the achievement of India’s freedom. That basically explains the During the Second World War close association of Nilakantha with Netaji Nilakantha joined the ‘fiery spirit Netaji Subhas Subhas and his support to the Forward Bloc Chandra Bose’ and became ‘his right-hand man 20 August - 2011 Orissa Review in the movement which Netaji inaugurated. Like my life in Orissa and the first part of my education Netaji, he was also restless for the freedom of his career has been completed in Orissa - The country and to the best of his ability he tried to national movement today has created a serve the people of Orissa and the cause of spectacular awakening in the youth. People like freedom of the country. Gopabandhu Das and Nilakantha Das - are today living examples before the youth of Orissa and Nilakantha’s association with Subhas as would create a new generation who would like per available data and records with us can be not to be deputies but solid men and women of traced to the connection of his father Janakinath character vibrant with patriotism and nationalism. Bose with the first nationalist institution of Orissa I hope the youth of Orissa would follow the established by Gopabandhu Das called footprints of those great leaders. ‘Satyavadi Vidyalaya’ of which he became the Headmaster in 1911. Janaki Nath, as it were, tried The high esteem that Nilakantha was his utmost for the uplift of that institution. accorded by Subhas for his patriotism and nationalism was equally reciprocated by In this connection, it has been said : Nilakantha. His sense of concern for Subhas was “Subhas was not only born in Orissa but his father evident when he was elected to the Central Janakinath Bose, an eminent and reputed lawyer Legislative Assembly for the second time in 1927. of Cuttack was specially associated with the It is to note that one of the several questions asked Satyavadi School and its teachers. At that time, by him on the floor of the Assembly “related to Gopabandhu, Nilakantha and Harihar had earned the attendance of - S.C. Bose - at the Bengal great reputation for the selfless social service Council”. rendered by their philanthropic organization called ‘Kartabya Bodhini Samaj’ which served cholera After the death of Gopbandhu in 1928, Subhas continued to keep up and maintain his patients, helped flood affected people and burnt contact with Nilakantha who like an elder brother dead bodies left uncared. It is natural that Subhas was thirteen years older than him and towards who was also animated with similar spirit would whom he had his due regard. have been attracted by the Satyavadi Group of patriots. The example of the Satyavadi Group of Their association now entered into nationalists and patriots, as has been further said, another sphere – the sphere of trade union shaped and moulded his mind to become a good organization. ‘Nilakantha in association with citizen. This love and regard for the Satyavadi Subhas formed labour organizations at Tata and School of patriots which he developed as a matter Calcutta to alleviate the suffering of Oriya of heritage from his father continued undiminished labourers outside Orissa. He managed also the in the later life of Subhas when he emerged as a tin plate strike against the Tata Company protesting youth icon and national figure in India’s struggle its anti-labour policy. for freedom. In this respect, his message to the Nilakantha as a member of Central All Orissa Utkal Students Conference when he Legislative Assembly showed his utmost concern was the Chief Executive Officer of Calcutta for the interest of labour, peasants and that of the Corporation is a brilliant testimony of his respect common man as a whole whose interest he and regard for Gopabandhu and Nilakantha. prioritized. In the words of Nilakantha. “In the “I have spent an important and significant part of meanwhile, I moved a resolution in the Simla 21 Orissa Review August- 2011 Session in 1929 on the tin-plate strike at position. However, the followers of Nilakantha Jamsedpur. During discussion of that proposal Das were said to be ‘dissatisfied with Subhas Jawaharlal sat in the gallery along with many Bose’s action, and of course not without a basis. others. I spoke on the tin plate strike mixing up What deserves mention in this regard is that in the opinion of Jawaharlal and Subhas together. It the first ever election to Orissa Legislative is a matter of happiness that Government was Assembly under Nilakantha’s able leadership defeated for want of three votes. Congress won 36 out of 37 seats. Sardar Patel Sri Tribikrama Mishra in his article entitled enamoured of this outstanding achievement of ‘Odisha O Nilakanthanka Prati Subhas Nilakantha, sent a message of congratulation Chandranka Anurakti’ has stated that in 1934, which said’ Bravo Orissa, go ahead, rest of India he had received a letter which Subhas sent from will follow you ! That in spite of this outstanding Vienna addressed to Nilakantha at Gopabandhu achievement, Nilakantha was not given his due in Bhojanalaya in Puri where he stayed. As directed the Congress hierarchy naturally dissatisfied his by him, I read out the contents of the letter. Subhas followers. It is heard that Subhas Bose later on in that letter is stated to have written “I am born repented before Nilakantha for his non-inclusion and brought up in the soil of Orissa and to that in the Congress Working Committee. soil, I am passionately devoted”. Subhas who by all means was a firebrand The mutual regard they had for each other nationalist often advocated an uncompromising was also evident in 1936 when Nilakantha Das, and uninterrupted national struggle against British a member of the Assembly moved an adjournment Rule in India. As Congress President in 1938, he motion to remove the restriction imposed by now gave a call for struggle. British rulers to prevent the return of Subhas to India from Europe. The motion was passed with Subhas was a far-sighted leader. His 65-56 votes even though Jinnah and his supporters close observation and study of European politics remained neutral. Over and above, Nilakantha during his European sojourn (1933-1936) made asked a question “relating to the health of Subhas him foresee that in the near future a world war is Chandra Bose”. going to occur where Britain would be entangled in a life and death struggle. Subhas Chandra Bose who during his European sojourn (1933-1936) often criticized In view of this possibility, he now the prevalence of power-politics in the Congress recommended that Congress should prepare itself was called from Europe and made the Congress for the coming struggle against British imperialism President in 1938. when Britain would get entangled. In his view that would be an opportune moment to strike for As Congress President Subhas wanted India’s freedom when Britain would be in difficulty to do something for Orissa where he was born and in a weak position to suppress our struggle and brought up during the formative period of his life having been born and educated at Cuttack. for freedom. At that point or time the Congress By way of his love for Orissa, Subhas nominated under Gandhiji’s leadership was not in favour of Dr. H.K. Mahtab, a youth leader of the time as a a struggle. member of the Congress Working Committee. In view of this divergence of outlook Nobody from Orissa until then had attained that Subhas wanted a second term as Congress 22 August - 2011 Orissa Review President to carry out his strategy and plan of town to rouse public opinion in favour of Subhas action. Bose and his Party’. But Gandhiji, was not in favour of a Nilakantha who was ‘at one with the second term for Subhas.