Skip to main content

Rewiring history? Bose, not Gandhi, was real Father of Nation: British PM Attlee 'cited'

By Rajiv Shah
Yet another attempt is underway by circles close to the Narendra Modi government for “rewriting” the history of India’s freedom struggle, and this time the target is Mahatma Gandhi. The question has already been posed: Who brought independence, Mahatma Gandhi or Subhas Chandra Bose?
A new, yet-to-be published book, “Bose: An Indian Samurai” by a “Netaji scholar and military historian”, General GD Bakshi, has been cited to point towards why Bose, and not Gandhi, was the real Father of the Nation.
Bakshi reportedly quotes former British prime minister Clement Attlee to say that Bose’s Indian National Army (INA) played a more critical role than Gandhi for the Britishers “granting” independence to India, even as dismissing Gandhi’s non-violent movement as having had a “minimal effect.”
To prove the point Bakshi reportedly cites a conversation, which purportedly took place between Attlee and West Bengal governor Justice PB Chakraborty some time in 1956. It centred round circumstances in which Attlee, as British Prime Minister, signed the decision to grant India Independence.
The “documentary” evidence cited is Chakraborty’s letter to the publishers of RC Majumdar's book, “A History of Bengal”, in which he wrote: "When I was acting governor, Lord Attlee, who had given us Independence by withdrawing British rule from India, spent two days in the governor's palace at Calcutta during his tour of India.”
Pointing towards “a prolonged discussion” regarding “the real factors that had led the British to quit India", Chakroborty’s letter said, "My direct question to Attlee was that since Gandhi's Quit India Movement had tapered off quite some time ago and in 1947 no such new compelling situation had arisen that would necessitate a hasty British departure, why did they had to leave?"
"In his reply Attlee cited several reasons, the main among them being the erosion of loyalty to the British crown among the Indian Army and Navy personnel as a result of the military activities of Netaji," Chakraborty is quoted as saying in the letter.
The letter further goes on: "Toward the end of our discussion I asked Attlee what was the extent of Gandhi's influence upon the British decision to leave India. Hearing this question, Attlee's lips became twisted in a sarcastic smile as he slowly chewed out the word, 'm-i-n-i-m-a-l'."
Attlee
 Then Chakroborty reportedly points towards the “significance of Attlee's assertion”, going back to 1945. The Second World War had ended. The allied powers, led by Britain and the US, had won. Already, there was erosion of loyalty to the British crown among the Indian Army and Navy personnel as a result of the military activities of Netaji.
Further: The Axis powers led by Hitler's Germany had been vanquished. The victors wanted to impose justice on the defeated armies. In India, officers of Netaji Bose's INA were put on trial for treason, torture, murder. This series of court martials, came to be known as the Red Fort Trials.
As a result, Indians serving in the British armed forces were “inflamed”. In February 1946, almost 20,000 sailors of the Royal Indian Navy serving on 78 ships mutinied against the Empire. They went around Mumbai with portraits of Netaji and forced the British to shout Jai Hind and other INA slogans.
Things did not stop here. The rebels brought down the Union Jack on their ships and refused to obey their British masters. This mutiny was followed by similar rebellions in the Royal Indian Air Force and also in the British Indian Army units in Jabalpur. The British were terrified.
Based these facts, circles close to the Modi government insist, school textbooks, “dominated” by the non-violent movement, but “dismissive” of the INA in a few cursory paragraphs, should be “revisited”, and the “immense role" of Netaji in helping India win freedom should be “acknowledged.”

Comments

Anonymous said…
Who the hell was Atlee to say so, when it was Netaji himself who addressed Gandhi with that title!
Anonymous said…
Bcz netaji was so inspired by Gandhi ji and he netaji treated gaandhiji as his father.
So being a son, he addressed Gandhi ji with that title.
I agree without Gandhiji our freedom fighters even couldn't see the dreams of independence.
But the role of Netaji was supreme.
Anonymous said…
How the hell that title has anything to do with impact of Gandhi on Britishers??? Attlee was in charge of the British govt & he knew very well what make them exit India and who had the stronger force behind it Netaji or Gandhi.. So we must take his point of view seriously afterall all procedure of Transfer of power happened under his leadership
Anonymous said…
The first guy didn't even read the article or even the headline fully. People just want to bash anything anywhere.

Attlee nowhere mentioned Bose to be father of nation.
zoso said…
This article uses loaded words like purported to describe the conversation between Chakraborty and Atlee. Why? Why is it so dismissive of the ramifications that Netaji's efforts had on the British departure? Modi's coterie might be a bunch of motivated demagogues but that is no reason to discredit Netaji. As for the title of Father of Nation, since that was conferred by Netaji, why don't we just let it stay rather than scouting anew for new candidates in accordance with political and ideological allegiances?
Unknown said…
If one reads the article carefully one will read that the basic reason was the court marshalling of the INA personals that lead to disgruntment of the Indian Navy and Airforce. If there was no court marshalling then there would be no disgruntment and no rebelling.
Hmmm
Anonymous said…
Fact Check: https://satyagrahis.stck.me/post/36820/Did-Atlee-said-Gandhi-had-minimal-role-in-Independence-FactCheck

TRENDING

Reducing emission? India among top nations whose coal as energy source going up

By NS Venkataraman*  The State of the Global Climate report by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) confirmed that the year 2023 was the warmest year on record, with the global temperature of 1.4 degree celsius above pre-industrial 1850-1900 base line.

Lockdown 'total failure' of science more than of politics: Open letter on 4th anniversary

Counterview Desk  In an open letter to fellow academicians, scientists and medical practitioners in India, marking the fourth anniversary of India's lockdown (25 March 2024), the Managing Committee* of the Universal Health Organisation (UHO) has insisted on the need to "repair two years of immense damage to science".

Insider plot to kill Deendayal Upadhyay? What RSS pracharak Balraj Madhok said

By Shamsul Islam*  Balraj Madhok's died on May 2, 2016 ending an era of old guards of Hindutva politics. A senior RSS pracharak till his death was paid handsome tributes by the RSS leaders including PM Modi, himself a senior pracharak, for being a "stalwart leader of Jan Sangh. Balraj Madhok ji's ideological commitment was strong and clarity of thought immense. He was selflessly devoted to the nation and society. I had the good fortune of interacting with Balraj Madhok ji on many occasions". The RSS also issued a formal condolence message signed by the Supremo Mohan Bhagwat on behalf of all swayamsevaks, referring to his contribution of commitment to nation and society. He was a leading RSS pracharak on whom his organization relied for initiating prominent Hindutva projects. But today nobody in the RSS-BJP top hierarchy remembers/talks about Madhok as he was an insider chronicler of the immense degeneration which was spreading as an epidemic in the high echelons of th

Magnetic, stunning, Protima Bedi 'exposed' malice of sexual repression in society

By Harsh Thakor*  Protima Bedi was born to a baniya businessman and a Bengali mother as Protima Gupta in Delhi in 1949. Her father was a small-time trader, who was thrown out of his family for marrying a dark Bengali women. The theme of her early life was to rebel against traditional bondage. It was extraordinary how Protima underwent a metamorphosis from a conventional convent-educated girl into a freak. On October 12th was her 75th birthday; earlier this year, on August 18th it was her 25th death anniversary.

Savarkar 'criminally betrayed' Netaji and his INA by siding with the British rulers

By Shamsul Islam* RSS-BJP rulers of India have been trying to show off as great fans of Netaji. But Indians must know what role ideological parents of today's RSS/BJP played against Netaji and Indian National Army (INA). The Hindu Mahasabha and RSS which always had prominent lawyers on their rolls made no attempt to defend the INA accused at Red Fort trials.

'Flawed' argument: Gandhi had minimal role, naval mutinies alone led to Independence

Counterview Desk Reacting to a Counterview  story , "Rewiring history? Bose, not Gandhi, was real Father of Nation: British PM Attlee 'cited'" (January 26, 2016), an avid reader has forwarded  reaction  in the form of a  link , which carries the article "Did Atlee say Gandhi had minimal role in Independence? #FactCheck", published in the site satyagrahis.in. The satyagraha.in article seeks to debunk the view, reported in the Counterview story, taken by retired army officer GD Bakshi in his book, “Bose: An Indian Samurai”, which claims that Gandhiji had a minimal role to play in India's freedom struggle, and that it was Netaji who played the crucial role. We reproduce the satyagraha.in article here. Text: Nowadays it is said by many MK Gandhi critics that Clement Atlee made a statement in which he said Gandhi has ‘minimal’ role in India's independence and gave credit to naval mutinies and with this statement, they concluded the whole freedom struggle.

A Hindu alternative to Valentine's Day? 'Shiv-Parvati was first love marriage in Universe'

By Rajiv Shah*   The other day, I was searching on Google a quote on Maha Shivratri which I wanted to send to someone, a confirmed Shiv Bhakt, quite close to me -- with an underlying message to act positively instead of being negative. On top of the search, I chanced upon an article in, imagine!, a Nashik Corporation site which offered me something very unusual. 

'Wrong direction': Paris NGO regrets MNC ArcelorMittal still using coal-based steel

By Rajiv Shah  A new report by Paris-based non-governmental research and campaigning organization, Reclaim Finance, has blamed the MNC ArcelorMittal – formed in 2006 following the takeover and merger of the western European steel maker Arcelor (Spain, France, and Luxembourg) by Indian-owned Mittal Steel – for using use “climate destructive” metallurgical coal for its projects in India.

Attack on foreign students: Gujarat varsity's reputation, ranking at stake, say academics

Counterview Desk  Expressing anguish over the attack on international students in Gujarat University hostels, a letter claimed to have been signed by 122 current and former academics has asked the Gujarat Vice Chancellor, Dr Neerja Gupta, to provide emotional support to the attacked students and to ensure their physical safety.  

Poor private sector engagement 'impacting' carbon pricing policy in Global South

Counterview Desk  The joint report by Environmental Defense Fund and Observer Research Fund, "Navigating Carbon Pricing: The G20 Experience and Global South Prospects", delves into the complex landscape of carbon pricing, examining its application within the G20 nations and the potential implications for emerging economies in the Global South.  The report claims to provide insights and recommendations for effective carbon pricing strategies in diverse economies.  A note: The Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) and Observer Research Foundation (ORF) have launched the Navigating Carbon Pricing: The G20 Experience and Global South Prospects” report. The report delves into the complex landscape of carbon pricing, examining its application within the G20 nations and the potential implications for emerging economies in the Global South. The report offers a comprehensive analysis of various carbon pricing instruments currently in existence, providing valuable i