New Delhi:Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose's great-granddaughter Rajshree Chaudhary Bosewelcomed the unveiling of Netaji statue at India Gate though it might have taken 75 years. Yet, it is a fitting tribute. India should document life and contributions of Netaji in the Indian freedom struggle, she told ETV Bharat. Excerpts from the interview.
Q:The statue of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose is unveiled at the 'Kartavya Path' in Delhi today. How does it feel?
A: It has taken 75 years for the Indian government to install a statue of the person who gave the clarion call for Independence and embarked on 'Delhi Chalo' march. Yet, this government has offered Netaji a fitting tribute by installing his statue where once the statue of British King George V was present. By this gesture, the Government has proved today that Subhash Chandra Bose is a national hero and it deserves an appreciation for this.
Q:Do you have a complaint with the previous governments for not giving Netaji his due credit in Indian history, which he rightfully deserved?
A: There are complaints. At the moment, our demand is that all documents related to Netaji's life across the world should be collected and his contribution to India's independence should be included in the curriculum of the school syllabus. His valor should get its rightful space in history. For this, countries like Russia, Japan, Vietnam, America, Mozambique, England, Germany, France, Italy, Mongolia, Taiwan, and Bangladesh need to be approached to share information and documents related to Netaji and it should be brought here by the government.
Q:Some political parties say that the government is exploiting 'Bengali sentiments' by installing Netaji's statue.
A: Netaji was the President of 'Akhand Bharat'. People had tried to 'limit' him by referring to him as a 'Bengali', this is wrong. Gandhi ji is not just a Gujarati, but also the father of the nation. Gujarat was his birthplace, that is all. Can't Netaji be a 'National hero' and he was not even born in Bengal. He was born in Cuttack, Orissa. Yes, his mother tongue was Bengali. Linking his statue to just 'Bengali sentiments' is a petty thing.
Q: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said she will not attend the ceremony as her invitation was extended by an undersecretary from the central government, which is against the protocol.
A: See, there is nothing like sending an invite to Mamata Banerjee because she herself is a member of the Celebration Committee under which this program is being organised. She keeps looking for an 'excuse' for opposing anything that is good from this government as she never does anything good. When Netaji's statue is being unveiled, she should brush aside insignificant issues and acknowledge the efforts of the government. Also Netaji's statue will be installed where once the statue of 'King George V' stood and it symbolically establishes weaning away of the Colonial remnants. It is the statue of our beloved Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. It's a big deal.
Q: You worshiped Nathuram Godse a few years back and courted controversy...
A:Yes I did, because our ancestors didn't want partition but it did happen with Gandhi supporting it. Gandhi offered whatever Pakistan demanded, he pressured the Indian government. The atrocities against the women of Bengal and Punjab never reached Gandhi. Enraged by this, Godse shot him. No one took Gandhi to the hospital and Gods's bullets never killed him.
My allegation is that someone shot him (Gandhi) from behind and the third bullet did not come from Godse's revolver. (Jawaharlal) Nehru government should have pored over the evidence and should have identified the shooter who fired the third bullet and responsible for Gandhi's death.
