Nehru Was Anglophile, Prime Catalyst for India's Freedom was Bose, Says Major General GD Bakshi

New Delhi: In a bid to honour heroes of Indian National Army (INA), an exhibition on Red Fort premises currently showcases remarkable journey of Subhash Chandra Bose and INA soldiers who paid supreme sacrifice. exhibition is a tribute to monumental legacy of Indian National Army and Netaji’s contributions to Indian freedom struggle movement. 

Aaquil Jameel from Republic Digital, in an exclusive interview with Major General (Retd) GD Bakshi, gained valuable insights as y discussed profound legacy of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. Major General Bakshi stressed that Netaji and Indian National Army (INA) played a pivotal role in dismantling complete loyalty to British Raj.

While commenting on 'distorted and obfuscated' facts by historians on Netaji, Maj Gen Bakshi said, “ declassified ‘transfer of power’ documents revealed that in December 1945, Commander of British India, Field Marshal Lackin Lee wrote to Viceroy Lord Wavell saying if Indian troops as a whole were to be reliable, British troops were not likely to control internal situation."

He ded, "To regain control of situation and to restore essential communication within country, a reorganised campaign will be needed. way Americans flew out of Afghanistan while ir troops were holding perimeter, similarly, British were in such panic that y wanted to fly out of India because y knew if re will be a revolt y couldn’t just hold line." 

Furr commenting on this, Maj Gen ded, “y have drawn evacuation plan called Operation Gondola. That was time when Field Marshal Auckinley h recommended to Viceroy Lord Wavell that unless we announce we are handing over power, I can’t hold.”

On 18 February 1946, re was a revolt in Royal Indian Navy, where out of 80 sailor ships, 79 brought down Union Jack and brought up Tri-Color. And n Secretary of State for India Frederick Pethick was sent to India for negotiations. 

While reiterating distorted version of history, GD Bakshi said, “ pity is, inste of handing over power to INA, Britishers handed over power to an Anglophile who h supported Raj against INA. Jawaharlal Nehru was an Anglophile and refore y distorted whole of history and we only see history, way y presented to us.”

While commenting on purpose of Netaji’s exhibition on Red Fort premises and demand for INA war memorial, GD Bakshi said, “ Indian people have thrown out King George V statue at India Gate as y saw it as an insult from British Raj era. We were very gratified when PM Modi installed a 28-feet tall statue of Netaji weighing 80-tonnes. It has mainstreamed Netaji and INA to correct distorted historical narrative."

He continued, "This is an earnest appeal to Prime Minister Modi and Government of India to complete this historical process under India Gate. re used to be Amar Jawan Jyoti for 50 years where tribute to armed forces were paid and n incumbent government built a National War Memorial. flame was respectfully shifted from re and brought to National War Memorial. Right now at India Gate, place is lying vacant. It is my earnest appeal to PM to complete historical process by building a war memorial for 26,000 matyred of INA.”

Reacting to legacy of INA soldiers who sacrificed ir life for India’s freedom struggle, Bakshi said, “INA h a strength of 60,000, out of which 26,000 laid down ir lives. Do you call such a struggle non-violent? It is an insult to memory of those martyrs. Those martyrs haven’t got ir due even after Independence. Netaji h constructed a war memorial in Singapore for INA during closing stages of WW2. When war was over by August 1945, Lord Mountbatten and Jawaharlal Nehru h visited Singapore. people of Indian origin h requested Nehru to go and wreath war memorial of INA. Nehru agreed to it and n got a call from Lord Mountbatten."

Bakshi ded, "He (Mountbatten) instructed him saying, Jawahar you’ll not go and n former sent Army engineers to wire up that monument and blow it to smireens. Even enemies' monument you don’t blast.”

Commenting on campaign by Army veterans for ir genuine demand for a memorial in name of INA, Bakshi concluded, “In 1995, people from Indian origin in Singapore paid from ir pockets to rebuild monument. Why don’t we have a monument in India even 75 years after Independence? Let’s give peace to those departed souls. My submission is that let us build war memorial for INA under India Gate where Amar Jawan Jyoti used to be."