By OUR STAFF REPORTER
DEHRADUN, 23 Jan: A meeting under the aegis of Sanyukta Nagrik Sangathan along with other social organisations was held at Gandhi Park here, today, to pay homage to Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose. Floral tributes were paid by the members of the organisations that assembled there. These included the Netaji Sangharsh Samiti, The National Association for Parents and Students’ Rights (NAPSR), Swatantrata Senani Evam Uttaradhikari Sangathan, Nirbhaya Organisation, Doon Buddhist Committee, Tibetan Women’s Association and Sikh Welfare Society. Sushil Tyagi conducted the programme.
The programme began with Arvind Gupta throwing light on Netaji’s life. Brig KG Behl (Retd), President, Sanyukta Nagrik Sangathan described in detail important aspects of Bose’s life right from his childhood when he left school to become a sage but came back and apologised. He passed the ICS exam in 1920 to show he was capable of doing it but did not join. He came back and rose to become the President of Congress in 1938, where he made his mark. He was against any confrontation and left Congress on real action and formed his own party called All India Forward Bloc. He left the country in disguise and reached Germany via Afghanistan and then in a submarine and spent 90 days in it to reach Japan, where he raised the Azad Hind Fauj and fought the British with the help of the Japanese and reached Kohima. After the Japanese surrendered, the Japanese Prime Minister called him to Tokyo to take whatever he wished since they were surrendering. It was on the way to Tokyo that he met with an air accident and died. He was remembered for his good deeds and selfless service to the nation. Behl demanded that Netaji’s ashes be brought back from Tokyo.
Dr S Farooq, noted industrialist and Patron, Sanyukta Nagrik Sangathan, spoke about his association with Netaji and his vehicle. He praised Netaji for his actions, especially the statement, “You give me blood and I will get you freedom.”
Others who spoke on the occasion included Dr Mukul Sharma, Arif Khan, Pradeep Kukreti, Dr Mahesh Bhandari, Dr Pooja Sharma, Sardar HS Singh, Sardar JS Jassal, BN Bajaj, Upendra Bijalvan, Arif Warsi, Chandra Pal Singh, Mukesh Narayan Sharma, Mukesh Gupta, Yashveer Arya, Imtiaz Ahmed, Shakeel Ahmed, Ram Lal Khanduri, T Ring Lisding, Tashi T Somo, Karki Dolma, Colonel Nobu and others.
