Robin Bhuyan
Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose is among the most popular freedom fighters of the Indian freedom struggle against the British, and rightly so. He was a man who prioritized the freedom of his nation above anything else. A true hero of the freedom struggle, Bose inspired millions of Indians to fight for their freedom, and to take up arms against the atrocities of the British rulers in India. Although he was part of the Congress, he eventually got frustrated with the policies of Gandhiji, which lead to his resignation. He eventually led the Indian National Army or the Azad Hind Fauz. Despite his struggle, his efforts died with the loss of Japan in the Second World War. However, the Azad Hind Fauj had become the symbol of unity as well as heroism to the people of India. Here, we will look at top five quotes, which can not just inspire us, but also teach us about life in general.
Freedom is not given; it is taken.
Bose didn’t believe in the idea of waiting around for one’s oppressors to grant them freedom. He believed that if an individual or a nation truly wants their freedom, they need to take the proper initiative for it, and take action. In the context of India’s fight against British, Bose was against Gandhiji’s methods of non-violence as he believed that the British would never grant Indians freedom, regardless of the discussions between Gandhi, Congress, and the colonial authorities.
Give me blood and I will give you freedom!
Probably the most famous and popular quote by Subhash Chandra Bose, it suggests that freedom doesn’t come easily, and it requires a lot of sacrifice as well as commitment from the people. Through this quote, we can also see Bose’s advocacy for a more militant approach towards the Indian freedom struggle, as he was frustrated by the ways of Gandhiji and Congress.
The secret of political bargaining is to look stronger than what you really are.
This quote helps us understand Bose as a political strategist. When it comes to war and politics, appearances play a lot of difference. When you are able to project that you are much stronger than you actually are, you gain a big tactical advantage.
One individual may die for an idea, but that idea will, after his death, incarnate itself in a thousand lives.
Throughout history, many movements can be seen to be fuelled by the sacrifice of individuals who laid down their lives for a particular cause or ideology. Even though the person behind the idea may pass away or get martyred, they continue to impact the lives of thousands, if not millions, through their idea and their sacrifice.
The nation will not be satisfied with mere political independence.
This statement by Subhash Chandra Bose suggested that merely gaining political independence from the British was useless, if we didn’t have a desire for holistic development for the nation. Today, we can see that despite gaining freedom, many aspects of our society as well as individual lives are still lingering under British influence. For example- we are still persistently adhering to the education system that was introduced by McAulay and ignoring our rich heritage. Shouldn’t we instead be turning back to our own indigenous gurukul system of education?
