The INA and the IIl played a major role in India gaining freedom from British rule, write SS Roy and Dk Budakoti
In the late 1970s, former members of the Indian Independence league and the Indian National Army, living in Malaysia and Singapore, felt that the spirit of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose should be passed on to the next generation of Malaysian Indians, to remind them of the contribution of the INA under his leadership. In this endeavour, the Netaji Centre was established as a non-profit charitable organisation in Kuala lumpur, Malaysia, in 1977.
Netaji went to Germany with a hope to devise a plan, to garner German help, to create a military force to drive out Britishers from India. Netaji wrote, “Throughout my life, it was my ambition to equip a military force that will capture freedom from the enemy.” He felt that the only language the British understood was force and only force could drive them away from India.
Netaji proposed to raise his Army from the prisoners of war, captured by the axis in north Africa. He hoped to retrain them with German assistance to form three infantry battalions. It was planned that as the Germans attacked east Europe; Netaji would be assisted in knocking the British Indian defences in North-West India.
However, with the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour and their taking over of the Philippines, India-China, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore in Asia, the East Asia Pacific theatre became more significant in Bose's new strategy. The bigger asset was the three million Indians in east Asia, particularly in Malaysia. Netaji Bose was informed of the surrender of the British Army in Singapore and the developments that led to the formation of the Indian National Army and its liaison with the Indian Independence league formed by Indian political activists in Southeast Asia.
A young Japanese officer, Major Iwaichi Fujiwara had already done the spadework and made recommendations to the Imperial Japanese Army Command to invite Subhas Bose to leave Germany. Just like the escape of Netaji Bose from India to Germany, his later safe and secret passage from Germany to Japan is an interesting story in itself!
The idea that Indians living in Asian countries could be mobilised, trained and armed to join the forces with the Japanese Army and liberate India, was put into action by Rash Behari Bose — a revolutionary who was in exile in Japan. He visited the Southeast Asian countries and convinced the Indians there that freedom could be obtained only if those living overseas could organise, train and arm themselves and fight for independence.
Indians in Malaysia and Singapore responded positively and branches of the Indian Independence league were set in Malaysia and Singapore. The British Indian Army personnel captured by the Japanese were released and recruited to join the INA. The Indian community in Southeast Asia found a ray of hope in Netaji's call and the Indian Independence movement became a rallying point. N Veeriah, an INA veteran wrote, “The Independence league was conceived in desperation, founded on aspiration, and sustained by the inspiration of Indians living overseas, whose dedication gave perspiration to the British.”
Netaji's last message, “When the history of Indian independence movement is finally written, Indians in Malaya will have a glorious place in that history. The contributions of Malayan Indians to India's struggle for freedom, by way of men, money and materials, has been great and India will remain grateful for the same. In particular, Malaya have contributed a large number of men who have fought bravely and died for India's freedom, and Malaya has made the largest contribution to the ranks of the Rani of Jhansi Regiment. It was from Malaya that the call for total mobilisation first went out.”
The Indians in Malaysia who were active in the Indian Independence league and in the INA were instrumental in the formation of the Malaysian Indian Congress in 1946, to represent Indians at the political level. Many of the INA officers and men were also active in the Malaysian trade union movement.
One of the authors was honoured to meet N Sunderam, of the Indian National Army, healthy and strong in his 1990's. On the call of Netaji Bose, he went to enroll as a soldier like many others in Malaysia and Singapore, but was found suitable to be an officer. He was with the 9 Guerrilla Regiment and recollects the names of Major Soma Sunderam, Col Negi, Major Bishan Singh, Capt Amar Bahadur, Capt Bhandari, Hukum Singh as ex-Army trainers, and l Krishan at the Officers Training School, where he had six months training in 1944. His grandfather came to Malaysia in 1869, as a contractor and they always had and still have their connections in India. As a chief guest on many occasions, he still inspires the children and youth of the Indian community in Malaysia.
SP Narayanasamy, secretary of the Netaji Centre, was 10 years old, when he joined the INA's Balak Sena in 1943. His father was with the Indian International league, while his brother was an officer in the INA and his sister enrolled in the Rani Jhansi Regiment; were at the Burma Front.
The authors wish to thank the secretary, Mr Narayanasamy for the information on the centre and for introducing the book, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, AMalaysian Perspective, published by the Netaji Centre in 1992. The book highlights the role of the INA and Indian Independence league and experiences of former INA members.