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A hero remembers
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L.C. Chopra, an 89-year-old former INA member, on Bose — The Forgotten Hero
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I headed a team of 1,300 soldiers in the INA L.C. CHOPRA
"Watching this film, I had a feeling of adventure, patriotism, sacrifice, confusion and discrepancy. I was in Netaji's Indian National Army and saw him from close quarters. Since I was among the few educated men I had maximum interaction with him. I used to be sent to talk to him as the most preferred man at INA.
"Though Benegal's effort is commendable, he should have included certain things this generation needs to know. In 1939, he quit as President of the Congress Committee as he wanted to use "force against force" to beat the British, for which Nehru promised to side with him, but under Gandhiji's pressure backtracked. The film shows Netaji hale and hearty, carrying two big bags. But he was very ill after his house arrest, just before fleeing to Germany.
"Unlike in the film, he never wanted to go to Moscow. Only in 1935, impressed with Hitler's highly disciplined force, he decided to go to Germany to mould the INA on that pattern. But Hitler didn't know Bose and delayed meeting him, saying sarcastically, "What a nation are you! A nation that is a slave for almost 200 years, can a man from such a nation do something in life?"But Netaji's determination impressed him and he said, "The enemy's enemy is my friend," and got ready to introduce him to the POWs.
"I was disheartened to see the film leaves out how the INA slogan `Jai Hind' was coined. It came about because we were coaxed by Germany to have one common mode of greeting as the POWs included Indians from different religions. We used to greet each by namaskar, assalam-o-alaekum or sat shri akal. So Netaji formed a `voluntary legion' with me, Abid Hasan, Gurubachan Singh Makad and Gurumukh Singh. Since `Jai' meant victory and `Hind' meant Hindustan, we all zeroed in on this slogan.
HISTORY REVISITED Though Benegal's effort is commendable, he should have included certain things this generation needs to know, feels the old soldier
"Netaji couldn't bring INA on rails so quickly as shown. Hitler's propagandist Dr. Goebbels scrutinised the POWs before Netaji was brought to them. He thought of him as a propagandist. Netaji lectured the POWs on the need to form an army for India's freedom. Then, Goebel allowed him to meet POWs regularly. I headed a team of 1,300 soldiers in the INA.
"The film does not show the British declared Netaji dead during the year he was actually working for the INA! So his address to the nation on the radio brought cheer among Indians. There are discrepancies in locations also (perhaps unavoidable for reasons of shooting and security in the present-day circumstances). Benegal shows him in Kazakhstan instead of Kabul.
"Even so, I am indebted to Benegal for remembering Netaji 60 years after he disappeared. This film is a treasure of Indian cinema, raising a nation from its slumber. It makes us realise how ungrateful a nation are we. Kudos to Benegal, and Sachin Khedekar, who made me see Bose in him!"
RANA SIDDIQUI
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