In the wake of the tsunami of suffering and deaths Omicron was supposed to unleash on India being replaced by a relatively mild third wave, the usual suspects have been looking for a new issue to be disgruntled about. With the farmers' protest' finally buried and the Central Vista project showing no signs of stopping, they've chosen to make Netaji's statue at India gate the hill they want to die on.

They appear to be testing the waters by choosing words such as "dalliance with fascism", to describe Netaji's talks with Nazi Germany but they underestimate the ripe tide that is the love of the people that Netaji enjoys. Driven by what one can only hope is the yoke of their colonial masters, these journalists have ventured out to cancel one of India's most beloved heroes. Coming at a time when the conversation over decolonisation and re-claiming our civilisational ethos, heats up with our 76th Independence Day, they couldn't have picked a worse time to rake up the issue.

Let’s be open and honest, Subash Chandra Bose did indeed have talks with Nazi Germany, to aid the Azad Hind Fauj in overthrowing the British Empire in India. That, however, is the extent of Netaji's engagement with them. There is no evidence that he supported their ideology. If anything, his words and actions showed otherwise. He was compelled by circumstances, to go the “my enemy's enemy is my friend” route.

Netaji must have struck terror in hearts of the British when he dared mount a military struggle almost two centuries after the British thought they were done with expensive and bloody military campaigns in the sub-continent. Coming as it did in the middle of the second world war, they would be even more wary of what a military struggle would mean for their Empire not just in India but across the world. To that end one could say that Netaji’s actions only expedited the British exit from India. Despite his profound influence and work in India’s freedom struggle, Netaji has been a sadly neglected figure in post-Independence India. His statue at India Gate would only be the first step in honouring one of India’s foremost freedom fighters.

On the other hand, from being called the father of the Nation to MG roads across the country and having his face plastered on every currency note, a disproportionate amount of credit has been given to one Mr. M. K. Gandhi. This despite appearing on the scene only two decades prior to independence and when popular discontent and the fight for independence was at its peak. This has relegated all other freedom fighters, and especially those who disagreed with the Gandhian policy of non-violence to the back panels of our history and undeservedly so. Our children learn little to nothing about the nationwide struggle and come away with the false belief that the British-Raj was brought to its knees by a single man when it couldn't be further from the truth.

As we celebrate 75 years as an independent nation and Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav, installing Netaji's statue at India gate is the first step in righting this wrong. In this vein, I request Modi ji to undertake the task of establishing an independence memorial in every single city, town and village across the country to house the stories of valour and bravery of the local heroes in the fight for independence. Such a memorial will serve various purposes, primarily one of preserving the history of one of the largest grassroots movements for freedom in the world. The second, and equally important, purpose of educating our children about our local histories. Of instilling in them the belief that every single person's act against tyranny counts.

Most importantly, the presence of a memorial dedicated to independence across the country will also act as a unifying factor. A reminder of the struggle that we have undertaken together to create our nation. A river of unity that runs throughout the nation, with each tributary bringing its own unique history and struggle to a common cause of a strong and independent India.

India’s independence wasn’t the result of the efforts of just one man but of the continued efforts of millions of men, women and children across the country spread over two centuries. Acknowledging this and the contributions of millions of Indians who fought through two centuries of British rule would be the most fitting way to celebrate the Mahotsav of this Azadi that we all so cherish.

Image source: DD Direct News