In its desperation to misappropriate icons of India’s freedom struggle, the BJP is now seeking to hijack Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose as their idol.
It is well-established that the RSS and its political arms had no role to play in the Indian people’s epic struggle for freedom from the British rule. On the contrary, many of their activities complemented the British efforts. In their effort to erase that ignominious role, they have sought to misappropriate Sardar Patel and now Subhas Chandra Bose. It was the Sardar who banned the RSS after Mahatma Gandhi’s assassination and it was Subhas Chandra Bose, as President of the Indian National Congress, who banned the dual membership of Congress and (what he described as) the communal organisations like the Hindu Mahasabha and the Muslim League. Both Sardar Patel and Subhas Chandra Bose played an important role in mobilizing Indian people to reject communal politics.
The RSS-BJP’s effort to now misappropriate some icons of India’s freedom struggle will be rejected by the Indian people with contempt.