Why Didn’t He Return? Subhas Bose’s Incognito – A Factual Analysis

Suppose it’s the early 1950s; India is “independent” and Subhas Bose is planning to return to India. At this moment Pt. Nehru is ruling India without any serious challenge either from within the Congress or from its oppositions – the Communist and the Socialist Parties. While the Communists have nothing but bitter hatred towards Netaji, the Socialists’ reaction is not to be forgotten.

Subhas Bose’s own party Forward Bloc was split into two and was on its way towards further splits. In Bengal, Dr Bidhan Chandra Roy was the Chief Minister, who had already proved himself to be Nehru’s “yes man” as well as anti-Bose in several cases. The main opposition in Bengal was again the Communists.

The former revolutionaries who supported Bose didn’t succeed to create a formidable power-base to challenge the Congress. INA veterans and Bose’s aides were not allowed to regroup in free India. As it stands, there was no strong party to stand Subhas if he did return. Subhas Bose would have been His own man.

“[If] Netaji Subhas was ever to have returned home… he would have given six months of acute trouble to Mr Nehru but no more. If Mr Nehru had been able to physically survive the return of Mr Bose, he would have been on top again after six months, so that Subhas Bose, would either have to go in opposition or to become the second in command. Mr Bose did not possess Mr Nehru’s cunning and refinement.” – Guilty Men of India’s Partition

Write-up by: Rajdeep Saha

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