Netaji's Struggle Against the British from Abroad

Sumanapal Bhikkhu

 

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 Japan and South East Asia, 1943-1945:

It was Rashbehari Bose who, long before the arrival of Subhas Bose in Japan, had prepared the ground for India's independence. He initiated this task of uniting all Asian revolutionaries with the aim to fight the exploitation in eastern countries by the British. He requested the Japanese Govt to initiate an action plan to fight against the British. As a result, a conference was arranged in Bangkok in June 1942 and was participated by a large number of revolutionaries from India. Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose sent a message to the conference. There he said, “The emancipation of India must be the work that of the Indian themselves”, but in the same message he also said, "And we also feel that since the British Empire is seeking help all over the world and is trying to flood India with foreign soldiers and foreign war materials, it is the right and duty of the Indian nationalists to accept help that may be offered to them."

Rash Behari Bose wanted Netaji to lead the movement and in order to gain recognition for this, he summoned a meeting of the Indian independence League. In this meeting in which many representatives from the East Asian countries participated, Rashbehari Bose announced that he was going to be succeeded as the president of the organization by Subhas Chandra Bose, who was going to arrive shortly. In this way, Rashbehari Bose paved the way for the emergence of Netaji Subhas Bose as the leader of Indian Independence League.

This change in leadership of the Indian Independence League was welcomed by the Japanese Government because they too were of the opinion that Bose was a truly capable leader and a great personality.

Netaji's first meeting with Tojo, the Japanese Prime Minister made a favourable impression on the latter's mind and he became Bose's staunch supporter. He agreed to support the freedom struggle for India led by Bose in every possible way.

The Japanese Prime Minister paid great honour to Bose by inviting him to Japan 's National Diet where in a very categorical manner he declared his country's determination to, "extend every possible assistance to the cause of India's independence."

In response to this declaration, Netaji announced that he would act as an ally to Japan. He was very satisfied to find that Tojo or the Japanese ruling group was not a dictator like Hitler or Mussolini.

On June 19 1943, a press conference was organized in Tokyo in which Bose appeared in his own name for the first time. The Conference was attended by sixty newspapers correspondents and diplomatic missions. In his statement in the Press Conference Bose said, “Indians view the present World War as a struggle between two ideologies. It is a struggle between those who want the status quo to continue and those who are determined to tear the old rag to pieces."

In a series of broadcasts over radio he told the people of India about Tojo's assurance of all possible assistance of all possible assistance to the freedom struggle and also Tojo's personal anxiousness to see India free from British dominion at an early date.

Netaji left Tokyo for Singapore, Malaya and other South East Asian countries after staying there for forty days. Before that he had requested the Japanese Government to allow him to establish a Provisional Government of free India for the time being, with its headquarters at Singapore and received a positive response. Before his departure from Tokyo a message came to him from Burma in which Dr Ba Maw, the Prime Minister of Burma expressed his goodwill for Netaji and assured him of his help. On June 27, Netaji made a radio broadcast for the people of Japan.

From Tokyo Netaji departed for Singapore with Rash Behari Bose, Abid Hasan, Mr Senda, the expert on India and the interpreter Kazunori Kanizulka. The party was welcomed by a large crowd in the airport and was given a guard of honour. In an informal discussion he met the leaders of Independence League and the officers of the INA at an informal discussion.

On July 4, 1943 Rash Behari Bose convened the General Assembly of the Indian Independence League and announced his resignation and the name of Subhas Chandra Bose as the new leader.

Immediately after Rashbehari's speech, Netaji rose to speak and said that India was ready for a revolution and this must be expediated by an armed struggle endorsed by and organized in countries outside India. He also informed the delegates about Tojo's sincere support to the cause of Indian independence. Bose met Ba Maw, the Prime Minister of Burma for the first time on 5 July, 1943. Bose made a friendly relationship with Ba Maw as he was going to play a crucial role in the freedom struggle of India.

On the same day, Subhas appeared before an audience of 13000 people and in his speech he said, “Soldiers of India's Army of Liberation! Today is the proudest day of my life. Today it has pleased Providence to give me the unique privilege and honour of announcing to the whole world that India's army of liberation has come into being."

The speech of Netaji had an overwhelming effect on the men present in the rally. They saw in Netaji a real and ideal leader.

Subhas Bose met Tojo in Singapore in an effective discussion the Japanese Prime Minister approved Netaji's plan of establishing the Provincial Government of India. He also agreed to provide more arms to the INA.

By July 6, 1943 Netaji had taken all the necessary steps that were deemed essential for his work. Within the next few days. he completed the task of reorganizing the League. According to Hugh Toye, Netaji had decided to make Burma and Thailand as the source of man and material for the INA. For the convenience in administrator the work of the Indian Independence League was divided into 13 departments. They were (1) General Affairs (2) Publicity and Propaganda (3) Finance (4) Education (5) Social Welfare (6) Housing and Transport (7) Women's department (8) Supplies (9) Recruitment (10) Training (11) Intelligence (12) Reconstruction (13) One department specially for Ceylon.

After beginning his campaign with a mass in Singapore, Netaji started touring Thailand, Indo-China, Burma and to all parts of Malay. In this his purpose was to generate support for the INA, mobilizing public opinion,  establishing new branches of the Indian Independence League and strengthening the old ones opening new centres for recruitment in the army, arranging for the training of men inspiring civilians to join the army, collecting funds, enrolling voluntary workers, picking up talented people for the Provisional Government and concurrently thinking of the reorganization of the army and planning to set up the Government.

Then in a meeting with Indians arranged in Singapore, Netaji told Indian men and women that he needed their unprecedented sacrifice both of life and wealth. In this regard Netaji received spontaneous and whole hearted support from Indians living in Bangkok, Saigon, Penang, Kualalampur.

On August 4, 1943 Netaji met the Prime Minister of Thailand in Bangkok and obtained his silent permission to move his troops throughout the country.

On August 9, 1943 Subhas Chandra went to Saigon to assess the situation there because he intended to use it as a halting for reinforcement of troops to Singapore as it was situated at a very strategic position between Tokyo and Singapore. He was very satisfied to find that the necessary permission was in full swing.

On August 1943 Netaji assumed complete command over the Azad Hind Fauj, and in a special order on this day he said, "In the interest of the Indian Independence Movement and the Azad Hind Fauj, I have taken direct command of our army from this day. Subhas Chandra Bose showed great innovative power by assigning a very important role to women in INA. He inspired many women to fight side by side of men. The lady who played the most important role in this regard was Captain Lakshmi who was a private medical practitioner by profession. The women regiment was so enthusiastic that some of them even promised to work as the members of the suicide squad of the Azad Hind Fauj. Some of them were devoted to the Azad Hind Fauj Hospitals where they rendered valuable and memorable services to the patients. The women regiment was named Rani of Jhansi Regiment. In September 1943, the women recruits presented guard of honour to Netaji, with rifles in their hands. On October 1943, a training camp was inaugurated by Netaji for the women soldiers of the regiment. Some soldiers of the women regiment prepared to sacrifice their lives by acting as suicide squads of the Azad Hind Fauj and some of them devoted their lives in working in the hospitals of the Azad Hind Fauj. 

The Indian Independence League on Netaji's proposal, approved the establishment of the Provincial Government of Free India on October 21, 1943 and elected him as the Chief Executive of the Government. Then Netaji read out the following statement, “As a student of history of revolutions in the world throughout twenty-two years of my political career, I have always felt that India lacks two vital requirements for independence They are a national army and a national Government”.

The Government of his dream was not merely a peace time Government, but a fighting Government whose main object was to launch and conduct the last war against the British and their allies in India. The Provisional Government would maintain close connection with the entire community in East Asia and mobilize all their resources for the war against the British Raj.

The Provisional Government of Free India was based in Free India Singapore and consisted of five members, eight representatives from the INA and eight civilian advisors representing the Indians of the South East and East Asia. Netaji was the Head of State, Prime Minister of War and Foreign Affairs. The four other members were Captain Lakshmi Swaminathan (Women's Organization). S. A. Ayer (Publicity and Propaganda), Lt Col A.C. Chatterjee (Finance), and A.M Sahay with ministerial rank.

The Provincial Government of Azad Hind Fauj was recognized by Japan, Other countries like Germany, Croatia, China (Nanking), Manchukuo, Philippines, Burma, Italy and Siam.

After two days of its establishment, the Provincial Government boldly declared war against England and America. The declaration against England and America greatly excited the public.

At this juncture Netaji faced his greatest single problem i.e., money. Apart from Japan, he expected financial help from wealthy Indian merchants residing in South East Asia. He told the merchants that when India was in a state of war wealth, possession, lives and properties did not belong to anybody's own, they belonged to India and India alone. He believed that the Indian merchants would realize this simple truth.

Then Netaji went to Tokyo and attended the Greater East Asia Conference that was held on 5th and 6th November 1943. Dr Ba Maw extended full support and sympathy to the Indian Freedom Struggle and his resolution was passed unanimously. Netaji delivered his speech and in his speech, he thanked Greater Asia Peace Conference for adopting charter in favour of the suppressed nations of the World. Consent was given by Tojo in favour of returning Andaman and Nicobar islands to the Provisional Government of India.

The Japanese Government agreed to return Andaman and Nicobar Islands to the Provisional Government of Free India. At that time those two islands were under Japanese domination. The Japanese Government agreed to treat INA as its equal partner in the Imphal campaign. It was also decided that Japan would finance the formation of a second division of the INA and the planning and training of the cadets of the third one.

In January 1944, the Japanese finally undertook the decision to attack Burma. In the Imphal offensive campaign the INA was to play the part of an ally of Japan.

Netaji's Struggle Against the British, But in the beginning of the Imphal campaign the Japanese were reluctant to deploy the INA soldiers. But Subhas Chandra pressurized them to do so. Netaji wanted the INA soldiers to shed the first drop of blood on Indian soil. Netaji encouraged the INA soldiers by saying that they were no less than their Japanese counterparts. The Nehru Regiment of the INA under the leadership of Shah Nawaz Khan successfully reached Kohima on Indian soil.

Meanwhile the British army struck very hard and the combined forces were compelled to acknowledge defeat.

In the end under the pressure of the Japanese Government unwillingly accepted the Japanese order of retreat. Then he returned from Rangoon to Tokyo.

Finally, on August 18 at 2:30 p.m. Netaji took off in a plane from Taipei and as it left the ground barely 30 metres up it crashed and broke into two large parts. Netaji was supposed to be on the plane but it was doubtful. What was certain was that Netaji was never seen in the action after that.

Subhas Chandra Bose Relation with East and South East Asian Buddhist Countries:

Long before the arrival of Subhas Chandra Bose a ground of revolution for India's independence. was prepared by Rash Behari Bose.  Rashbehari Bose aimed to get Japan's full cooperation in the armed struggle to liberate India from the bondage of the British rule. When Netaji arrived in Japan from Germany, the leadership of the national army was handed over to him by Rashbehari Bose. Subhas Chandra met Tojo, the Japanese Prime Minister, who was "determined to extend every assistance to the cause of Indian independence." On July 6, 1943 Subhas Bose met Tojo at Singapore where the Japanese Prime Minister approved Netaji's plan of establishing the Provisional Government of India.

Another country which helped Netaji in his mission of liberating India from British rule was Burma. The Prime Minister of Burma Dr Ba Maw sent a message to Netaji in which he expressed his goodwill and promised all possible help to the freedom struggle of India. On July 5, 1943 Subhas Chandra met the Burmese Prime Minister and they developed a very cordial relationship. Thus, we can see that many east and south east Asian countries and their head of states played a very important role in India's freedom struggle under Netaji.

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Chinese Accounts:

Bengal had a close contact with China. In the ancient period travellers like Fa-xien, Xuan Zang, and I-Tsing were the most notable pilgrims who came to India from China.

Fa-xien was the first Chinese traveller to come to India. His travel accounts have come down to us. He visited India during the reign of the imperial Guptas Towards the end of his 14 years stay in India he came to Tamluk with the intention of going to another Buddhist country Sri Lanka by the sea route. But before doing there he lived in Tamralipti for two years, copied Buddhist sacred texts and drew picture of Buddhist images. Fa-xien did not give us any detailed description about Tamluk but merely informed that there were four monasteries and many monks at Tamralipti.

Then from the accounts of Xuan Zang we come to know that Tamralipti or Tan- mo- li-ti was 900 li or so to the west from Samatata. According to him, the land was low and rich, regularly cultivated and produces were abundant. The temperature was hot. The manners of the people were hot and hasty. The people were enduring and brave. He found both Buddhists and non-Buddhists living side by side. There were about ten sangharams with about 1000 priests. Brahmanical temple were fifty in number.

In about 672 A.D. Chinese pilgrim I- Tsing visited Bengal. He resided at Tamralipti for three years and studied Sanskrit. Ancient A few Chinese travellers - who were Buddhist pilgrims - visited Bengal between the 5th and 7th centuries AD. They were in India to visit sacred places and search for authentic Buddhist religious texts. Their accounts of Bengal are however usually of a meager nature.

Fa-Xien The first Chinese pilgrim-traveller to visit India whose records have come down to us was Fa-Xien. He visited India in the beginning of the 5th century AD when he Imperial Guptas were ruling in India, including parts of Bengal. He left China in 399 AD and after an absence of 14 years returned to China. Towards the end of his travels he entered Bengal through the bordering kingdom of Champa, his destination being Tamralipti (Tamluk, in modern Midnapore district, West Bengal), the famous international port of the time, from where he ultimately intended to go to Sri Lanka, the other Buddhist land, by the sea-route. However, before doing that he lived in Tamralipti for long two years, copying Buddhist sacred books and drawing pictures of Buddhist images. Fa-Xien does not record any details but only informs us that there were twenty-four Buddhist monasteries and a large number of monks at Tamralipti.

Tamralipti ancient settlement mentioned in early Indian literature, Ceylonese texts, and in accounts of Greek geographers and Chinese pilgrims. These texts indicate that Tamralipti was located on the eastern coast near the confluence of the Bay of Bengal and River Ganga. The texts also indicate that Tamralipti was related to trade routes and frequented by traders, travellers and pilgrims. Going by the texts, the chronology of this settlement, will be roughly between fourth-third century BC to eighth century AD. The Dudhpani rock inscription of Udaymana of eighth century AD contains the last record of Tamralipti as a port of ancient South Asia. In the map of the Greek geographer Ptolemy, Tamralipti appears as Tamalities. Chinese pilgrim Xuan zang calls the town Tan-mo-lih-ti (te).

These textual references have led scholars to identify Tamralipti as one of the most important centres of trade and commerce of early historic India. It has also led to the belief that Tamralipti had emerged as a thriving urban settlement in this period and had multidirectional links with different geographical regions of South Asia.

I-tsing in about 672 AD another Chinese pilgrim I-tsing visited Bengal. He resided at Tamralipti for three years and learned Sanskrit. I-tsing saw the ruins of an establishment, with only its foundations remaining, called the China Temple which should fall somewhere in the north Bengal region (Varendra) following the direction and distance from the Mahabodhi temple as given by him. I-tsing heard the tradition that some 500 years ago from the time of his visit a Maharaja called Shri Gupta built the temple for the use of Chinese priests. About twenty Chinese priests came at that time for pilgrimage and Shri Gupta was moved by the priests to give them the land and the revenues of about twenty-four villages as an endowment. This Shri Gupta may have been, according to some historians, the same as the Shri Gupta who founded the imperial Gupta dynasty.

I-tsing has also left an account of fifty-six priests who visited India and the neighborhood from China during the latter half of the seventh century AD. Of them the following are known to have visited Bengal. Ta ch'eng-teng He resided at Tamralipti for twelve years and perfected his knowledge of Sanskrit. He then proceeded to Nalanda and Bodh Gaya and other Buddhist holy places. Tao-lin His Sanskrit name was Shilaprabha. He also visited Tamralipti and stayed for three years to learn Sanskrit. Tan-kuong He visited Bengal and died here. Hiuen-ta He lived in Tamralipti for more than one year.

Bahiri village is very ancient, you can see ruins of four stupa or tope (Paltikri, Saptikri, Dhantikri, Godhantikri). most probably these are the ruins of Buddhist Stupa (may be one of the Buddha Viharas). The name Bahiri is perversion of Bihar(Vihara) . There are many ancient villages in and around Bahiri (Daulbar, Dihi-Bahiri, Paik-Bari and Bidhu-Bahiri). I Tsing Resided Tamralipti in Baraha Vihara, may be at present Baraha name to become Bahiri. All these villages are full of ancient and archeological items.