Fight For Independence

Indian National Army
Subhash Chandra Bose, popularly called Netaji, has played a very important role in the freedom struggle. He did not agree with Gandhiji on several points. When the British declared India a party to the war, it was he who opposed this and said that the British should first seek the Congress’s permission. He took out processions in Calcutta against the British decision, so he was arrested and put in jail. He underwent a 7-daylong hunger strike, after which he was released from jail, but was put under house arrest.

From this arrest, he escaped on 16 January, 1941. He travelled by car to Bihar, from where he took a train to Peshawar, and from there, he walked all the way to Kabul. From there, he first went to Russia, and then to Germany. He wanted Germany’s help for India’s freedom. Germany sent him to Japan.

Japan helped him. At Singapore, he organised a large army called the Indian National Army. Bose gave the slogans : ‘Jai Hind’ and ‘Dilli Chalo’. He formed the Provisional Government of Independent India at Singapore. He led the army and attacked Burma (now Myanmar) border. In the beginning, he advanced. Unfortunately, Japan was facing defeat at this time, so it did not permit him to fight further. It is said that Bose died in a plane crash in 1945, but nothing can be said with certainty.