10 Must Know Facts About Subhas Chandra Bose

Subhas Chandra Bose was born on January 23, 1897. Right from his school days, Subhas Chandra Bose was inspired to do something for the nation. He grew up to be the leader who is remembered for his bravery and valour. Same is the reason he was honoured the title of “Netaji.” While we all know a lot about Netaji but still a lot about him remains under covers. Some aspects of his political career and his death is a widely discussed topic.

Know more about Subhas Chandra Bose:

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1. Role of Chittaranjan Das

When Shri Subhas Chandra Bose passed his Indian Civil Service (ICS) examination from England in 1921, the nationalist struggle was proceeding in a radical direction. As a result, he resigned from the ICS, choosing not to work as a voice of the colonial rulers. He started working in collaboration with Chittaranjan Das, who was a leading nationalist and thus started his political career as a revolutionary.

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2. Objection to Round Table Conference

Subhas Chandra Bose had objected to the offer of the Round Table Conference made by Viceroy Irwin. However ignoring Bose’s warnings against the Dominion Status Jawaharlal Nehru went ahead with it. Bose had also proposed to not pay taxes and observe strikes for the same. But this time even Mahatma Gandhi rejected his resolution and on contrary Gandhiji praised Lord Irwin! The forebodings of Bose were correct. Gandhi-Irwin pact only benefited imperialism.

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3. Meeting with Mussolini

Between early 1933 and March 1936, Bose lived in Europe. He met Mussolini and expressed his admiration for the efficiency of the fascist state (by then it had not shown its imperialist tendencies). His focal point of admiration being the strong state, which he wanted in India as well. He also criticized Hitler openly when the latter made any anti-Indian remarks. Unfortunately, when Bose returned to India in 1936 he was arrested.

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4. Resignation due to clash of ideologies with Gandhi

In 1939, as the presidential candidate of the left forces, Netaji defeated Gandhi backed right-wing candidate Pattavi Sitaramayyah. This victory was by a margin of 1580 votes. Gandhi was disappointed by this loss and considered this as his personal defeat. In Tripura session of Congress, instead of selecting a left wing working Committee, Bose resigned as the Congress President. He resigned as there was a clash between Gandhi and his ideals.

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5. Created the Army of Women

Shri Subhas Chandra Bose was a secular leader and he was the pioneer in conceptualizing the idea of recruiting women to join the army. Credit goes to him because of which we have women in the Indian army today.

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6. Bhaskaran

Shri Subhas Chandra Bose had a Personal Assistant named Bhaskaran. Bhaskaran could write up to 200 words in shorthand style of writing but was often unable to write according to Subhas’s speed of dictating. He is said to have been commendable in thinking and comprehending matters as a leader. He would often joke and poke Bhaskaran to get himself a dicta phone.

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7. Marching with Troops

Most of the time political leaders and freedom fighters enjoyed immunity. They are given bullet proof vehicles and protection by the army. In all cases the leader usually travels in a bullet proof car while the army marches next to the vehicle. However in case of Shri Subhas Chandra Bose, he would never travel in the bullet proof car. Instead he would walk along with the army. His determination to be one amongst them was so strong that Shri Subhas Chandra Bose did not step back even when the troop was bombarded by the Britishers. When the army asked him to get inside the car , Netaji replied “No Bomb has been manufactured to kill me”.

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8. Married to Emilie Schenkel

During one of his tours to Europe, he had met Emilie Schenkel and he married her. Nobody believed this for a long time because after his death he was turned into a cult figure and the cult followers were not ready to accept that their hero had married a non-Indian.

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9. Pioneered The Planning Commission Body

One of Netaji’s achievements as Congress President was to initiate discussions on planned economic development for a free India, based on the experience of the Soviet Five-Year Plans. Ultimately, this resulted in the Planning Commission and the Indian Five Year Plans.

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10. Indian National Army prisoners to be treated as war criminals

During the transfer of power from the British to the Indians in 1945-1946, there were two clauses presented by Mountbatten. The first clause was that no government job should be provided to INA officials and the second clause was that the INA would be treated as war criminals. Bose strongly condemned both the clauses and tried his best to not support them. Unfortunately, his rebels were not paid heed to yet again and the trials took place in the Red Fort and they were charged for treason, murder and torture.

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Subhas Bose was undoubtedly a very brave and fearless warrior who has been forgotten in the pages of history. The Imperialism always paid attention to him as a dangerous man. Clement Atlee, the British Prime Minister from 1945-1951 who presided over the final transfer of power, told a former Bengali judge that Bose’s INA did much more than Gandhi’s Satyagraha to persuade him that it was time for Britain to pull out of India.