No partition if Netaji had been alive, says NSA Doval
NEW DELHI: Had Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose been alive, India would never have got partitioned, remarked National Security Advisor Ajit Doval on Saturday. Delivering a speech at the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Memorial Lecture organised by ASSOCHAM here, Doval, who was recently hailed an “international treasure” by a US diplomat, said that Netaji was determined to challenge the tyranny of British rule in India. “And India would not have been partitioned, had he been alive at that time,” he said. Doval commented that Netaji had said he “will not compromise for anything less than full independence and freedom”.
Hailing Netaji’s nationalism as a prime example of patriotic pride, Doval said that he wanted to free India from political subjugation. “He wanted the political, social and cultural mindsets of people to change and wanted them to feel like free birds in the sky,” Doval claimed.
Dwelling upon various facets of the freedom fighter’s life, Doval said that Bose even had the audacity to challenge Mahatma Gandhi, even as he had a deep respect for him. The idea that drove Netaji was, “I will fight the British, I will not beg for freedom. Freedom is our right and we will have to get it”, said Doval. Even Mohammed Ali Jinnah had said that he can accept only one leader and that was Subhas Chandra Bose, the NSA maintained.
Doval further said that Netaji possessed audacity like no other had. “Bose had the courage to challenge the prevailing powers, mindless of the consequences. His audacity was evident throughout his life, from his journey to London for the ICS to his escape from India during detention. He displayed unparalleled bravery and determination,” Doval said.
He also hailed Bose’s innate ability to unite people from diverse backgrounds and said that this ability was exhibited during the freedom struggle. Doval said that Bose always recognised and defined India as a reality transcending divisions of caste, religion and ethnicity. “Bose’s vision of a united India can be well understood from his famous slogan ‘Kadam Kadam Badhaye Ja’,” Doval said, adding that Netaji was a secular person with a deeply religious heart.
Doval said that history may have been unkind to Netaji, but the impact of his legacy still continues. “He left an indelible mark on the hearts and minds of countless Indians, who were inspired by his extraordinary journey,” Doval said. He said that India’s biggest strength is its human resource. “Netaji had great faith in the capabilities of people. Even today our priority should be to empower our citizens and make them competitive,” he said.