What would have you done if such a claim was made before you? As far as I'm concerned, if not the PMO I would have at least called up the local administration and the nearest hospital that look here is a man who is calling himself Subhash Chandra Bose and he is dying. The man representing a news organization in the area would have figured much later. But in this case the reverse happened and the local administration came to know about it only when the story had made it to the front pages the next day. And much before the police could take the statement of Ghasiram, who on expected lines retracted from what he had said before the media, Lalji Maharaj was already Subhash Chandra Bose.
The story rested on the following facts:
Three newspaper articles on Netaji that had appeared after the year 2000.
Buddhist literature that was found in Lalji Maharaj's room
Portraits of Swami Vivekananda, Mahatma Gandhi, Nehru and Netaji that donned the walls of Lalji Maharaj's room.
And finally the assumption that Lalji Maharaj was more than 100 years old on the day he breathed his last
So the man who dared to take on the British Empire could have lived the life of an ascetic? But why? Also he would have lived without newspapers in independent India? I doubt. And would not have reacted after Gandhiji's murder, would have chosen to keep mum when Indira Gandhi and Rajeev Gandhi were assassinated and also not uttered a word after the Indo-China and Indo-Pak wars but chose to reveal his identity seconds before his death and that too before Ghasiram.
So this brings us face to face with the question as to what could be the motives behind the claims made. Ideally they should have been looked into but somehow everyone seems to have forgotten the story now.
Serving Netaji for over 30 years could have brought some name and some donations to Ghasiram but it would tantamount to trivializing the whole issue. So who is it that wants Netaji to live forever, physically? Such claims about Netaji would stop only after another 20 years, said an irritated police officer who recorded the statement of Ghasiram.
A film, something like 'lage raho munna bhai' could perhaps be a better option to keep Netaji alive. He also played his part in driving the British out of the country whatever the interpretations of history may be.
About the AuthorHemender Sharma A chance reporter, reporting for CNN-IBN from Bhopal. Has reported for the Sun Magazine, Delhi MidDay, Hindustan Times, Asian Age and Sahara Samay in ...Read Morefirst published:November 01, 2006, 18:51 ISTlast updated:November 01, 2006, 18:51 IST
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For those of us born in free India the role played by the Indian National Army in influencing the British to leave the country depends upon the history books we read. But even before the interpretations made by historians could make any influence, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose was a hero for me. For being someone, who could dare to think of taking on the mighty British Army. Heroes do become immortal through their deeds and actions but still a day comes when they meet their physical end. The fact that we don't know how Netaji met his end is saddening but what is worse is a deliberate attempt to keep his death a mystery forever. How else could one explain claims of Netaji living an ascetic's life in some remote corner popping up time and again and the media lapping it up, every time? The latest claim comes from Seji village in Ashok Nagar district of Madhya Pradesh where one Lalji Maharaj, minutes before he died told one villager named Ghasiram that he was Subhash Chandra Bose?
What would have you done if such a claim was made before you? As far as I'm concerned, if not the PMO I would have at least called up the local administration and the nearest hospital that look here is a man who is calling himself Subhash Chandra Bose and he is dying. The man representing a news organization in the area would have figured much later. But in this case the reverse happened and the local administration came to know about it only when the story had made it to the front pages the next day. And much before the police could take the statement of Ghasiram, who on expected lines retracted from what he had said before the media, Lalji Maharaj was already Subhash Chandra Bose.
The story rested on the following facts:
Three newspaper articles on Netaji that had appeared after the year 2000.
Buddhist literature that was found in Lalji Maharaj's room
Portraits of Swami Vivekananda, Mahatma Gandhi, Nehru and Netaji that donned the walls of Lalji Maharaj's room.
And finally the assumption that Lalji Maharaj was more than 100 years old on the day he breathed his last
So the man who dared to take on the British Empire could have lived the life of an ascetic? But why? Also he would have lived without newspapers in independent India? I doubt. And would not have reacted after Gandhiji's murder, would have chosen to keep mum when Indira Gandhi and Rajeev Gandhi were assassinated and also not uttered a word after the Indo-China and Indo-Pak wars but chose to reveal his identity seconds before his death and that too before Ghasiram.
So this brings us face to face with the question as to what could be the motives behind the claims made. Ideally they should have been looked into but somehow everyone seems to have forgotten the story now.
Serving Netaji for over 30 years could have brought some name and some donations to Ghasiram but it would tantamount to trivializing the whole issue. So who is it that wants Netaji to live forever, physically? Such claims about Netaji would stop only after another 20 years, said an irritated police officer who recorded the statement of Ghasiram.
A film, something like 'lage raho munna bhai' could perhaps be a better option to keep Netaji alive. He also played his part in driving the British out of the country whatever the interpretations of history may be.
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