You are on page 1of 4


What did Jawaharlal Nehru fear when he continued IB snooping? ­ ET Blogs

Login | Register

Indiatimes The Times of India The Economic Times


Home Blogs Times View 

Campaigns City 

India World Entertainment Tech Sports Lifestyle Environment Science Spirituality Q&A Roots & Wings 



What did Jawaharlal Nehru fear when he continued IB snooping?
April 11, 2015, 5:57 AM IST

MJ Akbar in The Siege Within | India | ET




Subhash Chandra Bose and Jawaharlal Nehru were too similar to cooperate beyond a point, for there was only one place at the

top and Gandhi had reserved it for Nehru.
Both1came from privileged families. Both harvested an excellent education into intellectually stimulating public discourse and
books: While Nehru was descriptive, perceptive and sometimes lyrical, Bose was analytical and strategic. Both could have been
glamorous pillars of the Raj but chose a lifetime of sacrifice and struggle in the cause of freedom. Both leaned to the Left
without toppling into communism. Both were heroes, whose private lives were also a testimony to their extraordinary
charisma. Both were nationalists as well as internationalists.
It is not widely known that when Bose chose to enter the World War-II as an ally of the Axis powers, he told Japan that he had
no desire to replace the British empire with a Japanese one. Both were fiercely independent.
10 took an early, and still unexplained, dislike to Bose. Perhaps the Mahatma saw in Bose the one national hero who could
interfere with his plans for Nehru. When Bose once welcomed Gandhi in Bengal with a parade by volunteers, Gandhi mocked
Bose with uncharacteristic venom.

Gandhi handed over leadership of the mass campaign for the crucial 1937 general elections to Nehru. But within a year Bose
proved that he was not only more popular than Nehru but even Gandhi in the Congress when he was elected party president at
Haripura in 1938, against Gandhi’s expressed wish. He could not of course function without Gandhi’s cooperation; the rift was
complete. Bose started his own party.

The conventional view was that Bose had marginalised himself out of national space by leaving Gandhi, Congress and then the
country by 1941. Two events in 1946 proved that this view was utterly wrong. The revolt in the Indian Navy in February was
evidence that Bose’s influence in the armed forces was beyond the control of the British. And the trial of Bose INA veterans at
the Red Fort for treason led to such mass rage that British rule was no longer tenable. India’s young had spoken. And they had
spoken in the voice of Bose.
British fear of Bose and his family was well-founded. But what did Nehru fear when he continued the Intelligence Bureau
surveillance for as long as he was Prime Minister? Bose death in an air crash was always a mystery trapped in fog. What swirls
the most in any mist? Rumour. But rumour apart there was uncertainty at the highest levels about whether Bose had actually
died or not. One way to establish facts would be to check whether Bose kept any form of contact with Calcutta and his family.
So letters were intercepted, and watch kept on visitors.­did­jawaharlal­nehru­fear­when­he­continued­ib­snooping


All IB chiefs have limited terms. There are still 87 files about Bose that the Government of India will not disclose. I certainly believe that if Bose had been on the political scene. . and that if that fire touches the oxygen of revelation. and managed to reach an unnamed country where he was incarcerated for the rest of his life? Was this imprisonment behind some curtain that was made of such iron that news simply could not filter through? Did Nehru know about this and do nothing for fear of consequences back home? In the absences of answers we can only raise questions. there will be conflagration. Add your comment here Author MJ Akbar MJ Akbar is one of India's most distinguished editors and authors. But we can safely assume that there is some fire smouldering within this smoke.indiatimes. It is interesting to speculate on what impact this might have had on China’s war plans against India. Congress would have been badly dented in the 1957 general elections and certainly defeated in 1962. . Why? Did Mullik know something that gave him what can only be described as blackmail powers over the Congress government? Was he India’s version of FBI chief J Edgar Hoover? Once again. What happened in 1977 could so easily have occurred in 1962. was BN Mullik.4/11/2015 What did Jawaharlal Nehru fear when he continued IB snooping? ­ ET Blogs But surely the more substantive reason was political. He is the. Nehru knew. and indeed­did­jawaharlal­nehru­fear­when­he­continued­ib­snooping more 2/4 . that Bose was the only national leader who could challenge Congress dominance over India and Nehru’s dominance over Congress. He has written several bestselling books on life and politics in modern India. The head of IB during Nehru’s prime ministership. Bose was also the only leader who could have patched together a non-Congress coalition. The official excuse is that this will have an adverse impact on India’s relations with one or more foreign countries. http://blogs. Let me leave you with a thought. better than anyone else. or for that matter Pakistan’s aggression in 1965. we do not know. DISCLAIMER : Views expressed above are the author's own.economictimes. How? Why? If Bose actually died in the air crash why would there be any reason for any adverse impact with any third nation? Does this substantiate a rumour that Bose survived the crash. Mullik was never removed from his chair.

economictimes. Foot-in-mouth ministers are a bigger threat than a matchstick All Today ET Last 7 Days Last 30 Days My Profile Last 365 Days 1 2 3 4 5 FORU LAL Points: 523 Basant Verma Points: 500 Sumitsing Points: 500 Manya Jain Points: 500 Dinesh Kumar Points: 500 Know more about Times Points Popular Tags narendra-modi anna-hazare delhi bollywood aap us pakistan bjp india cricket congress china corruption rahul-gandhi modi mumbai rbi arvind-kejriwal ipl inflation upa supreme-court food manmohan-singh government Recently Joined Authors http://blogs.4/11/2015 What did Jawaharlal Nehru fear when he continued IB snooping? ­ ET Blogs Most Discussed Most Read­did­jawaharlal­nehru­fear­when­he­continued­ib­snooping more » 3/4 . openly brandishes its nuclear weapons 3. Pakistan does a North Korea. Either we pass land bill.indiatimes. Fifty shades of fair: Why colour gets under our skin 5. or brace for the fury of the landless 2. Mainstreaming Muslims: This community lags behind in social indicators and needs reservations 4.

com/thesiegewithin/what­did­jawaharlal­nehru­fear­when­he­continued­ib­snooping 4/4 . Coleman & Co. For reprint rights: Times Syndication Service http://blogs. Ltd. All rights Networking itimes | Dating & Chat | Email Hot on the Web Car Price Used Cars Online Songs Hindi Songs Bollywood Songs  Restaurants in Goa Bike Price India New Cars Events in Goa Services Book print ads | Online shopping | Free SMS | Website design | CRM | Tenders Matrimonial | Ringtones | Astrology | Jobs | Tech Community | Property | Buy car Bikes in India | Deals | Free Classifieds | Send money to India | Used Cars Restaurants in Delhi | Movie Show Timings in Mumbai | Remit to India | Buy Mobiles Listen Songs | News | TimesMobile | Real Estate Developers Trending Topics Yahoo | Photogallery | You Tube | Gold Price | Twitter | Irctc | Renault Duster | Yoga | Aadhar Card | Facebook | Poonam Pandey Photos Copyright © 2014 Bennett.economictimes.4/11/2015 What did Jawaharlal Nehru fear when he continued IB snooping? ­ ET Blogs Like Us Other Times Group news sites The Economic Times इकनॉᦆमक टाइ⁬牵स | ઈકોનોિમક ટાઈㄊ橔સ Mumbai Mirror | Times Now Indiatimes | नवभारत टाइ⁬牵स महारा㭭挴捥汥 टाइ⁬牵स | Go Green Lifehacker | Gizmodo Living and entertainment Timescity | iDiva | Bollywood | Zoom Healthmeup | Luxpresso | Technoholik Guylife | Online Songs | MensXP.