Bose's Vision,strategy and Congress Party
Extract from book 1942 When British Empire In India Was Threatened
Bose had been elected president of the Congress party twice. First in 1938, when Gandhi was looking for a steady hand on the tiller, and second in 1939, when Gandhiji opposed him and put up his nominee against Bose. Bose, in 1938, had proved his mettle by organizing and asking the Congress Chief Ministers to work on planning to resurrect the Indian economy.
‘Congress ministers in the different provinces should, while they are in office, introduce schemes of reconstruction in the spheres of education, health, prohibition, prison reforms, irrigation, industry, land reform, workers welfare, etc.’[i]
His vision of warfare in 1940 was clear:
‘Today, Britain can hardly call herself ‘the Mistress of the Seas.' Her phenomenal rise in the 18th and 19th centuries was the result of her sea power. Her decline as an Empire in the 20th Century will be the outcome of the emergence of a new factor in world history -the Airforce.’[ii].
He had proved his administrative ability during the short period when he was mayor of Calcutta and chief executive of Calcutta corporation in the 1920s by settling industrial disputes and making organizational changes.
Bose had public differences with Gandhiji on various issues, including the response to freedom fighters, their approach to dealing with the British, and appeasement policies. He had been even prohibited from holding any office in Congress party for three years in 1940 after he formed Forward Block. Gandhi and Nehru often opposed him, but that did not diminish his popularity with the common person.
Bose had proved his ability to work without any religious preferences. He was thus able to work with both sides of the religious aisle. Indian National Army had Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Anglo -Indians, Sikhs, and Parsees, with virtually all religions of India represented therein.
His philosophy for seeking independence is what put him in direct conflict with Gandhiji. However, he remained in Congress, which at this time had people who were fighting for freedom though they followed different ideologies.
Bose's strategy, determined in 1921, which he would follow for the rest of his life, was to use all means to fight for freedom.
[i] Bose, Crossroads P 33
[ii] Planning, Planning PP28-29