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A vivid account of INA brigades that fought in Taiping, Malaya

May 27, 2025, 12:41 am

Netaji Subash Chandra Bose, despite having distinct ideology and approach, had held Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru and Maulana Abul Kalam Azad in such a high esteem that he had named three regiments or brigades of the first division of the Indian National Army after them.

Another INA guerrilla regiment was formed drawing on some of the finest soldiers of the three brigades and it was called Subhas Brigade despite being forbidden by Netaji to do so. Gandhi-Nehru-Azad were strong votaries of nonviolent resistance and moral persuasion, while Subash Bose believed in armed struggle and revolutionary action. This divergence in their strategies and philosophies was a significant point of difference between them but INA chief thought it fit to name his brigades after them

In “My Memories of INA and its Netaji [Roli Books 2025], the new edition of Major General Shahnawaz Khan’s account of Subash Bose and INA gives a vivid account of these brigades in the battles that were fought in Taiping, Malaya, from September 1943 onwards and its advance to Burma (present-day Myanmar) in late November 1943. The original work of Major General Shahnawaz Khan who served as a MP and minister in the Indira Gandhi cabinet, was first published in 1946.

A foreword by Professor Sugata Bose Gardiner Professor of History, Harvard University, USA in the new edition is packed with loads of information and anecdotes. Prof Bose quotes General Shahnawaz Khan how he was hypnotized by Subash Bose’s personality and his speeches. In 1943 when Shahnawaz had met Bose, the INA leader had placed a map of India. “… and for the first time in my life I saw India through the eyes of an Indian.” General Shahnawaz recalls that transformative moment as all along, he had been interested only in soldiering and sport. Many in Khan’s clan of Janjua Rajputs from Rawalpindi in Punjab had served in the British Indian Army. “Netaji challenged him to choose whether to owe allegiance to ‘the King or the country’. ‘I decided to be loyal to my country,’ Shahnawaz testified at his court-martial [ in famous 1945 INA trial held at the Red Fort, Delhi] and I gave my word of honour to my Netaji that I would sacrifice myself for her sake” reproduces Sugata Bose whose own work , “His Majesty’s Opponent: Subhas Chandra Bose and India’s Struggle against Empire (The Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, 2011, 2022) is considered as an authentic account of Subash Bose.

For taking the anti Raj instance, Shahnawaz was put on trial along with Prem Kumar Sahgal and Gurbaksh Singh Dhillon on the charge of waging war against the King-Emperor. During the trial in November and December 1945, the story of the saga of Netaji and his Indian National Army, recalled Prof Bose, had reached every corner of India. “The Indian people expressed themselves forcefully on the side of Netaji’s soldiers. The slogan ‘Lal Qile se aayee awaz, Sahgal, Dhillon, Shahnawaz’ reverberated across the length and breadth of the country. On 31 December 1945 at the Red Fort, the three were found guilty and sentenced to deportation for life, the same punishment that had been handed to Bahadur Shah Zafar in 1858.”

However, as Prof Bose documents in his foreword, within three days, on 3 January 1946, the then British Commander-in-Chief Claude Auchinleck was forced to release Sahgal, Dhillon, and Shahnawaz to a heroes’ welcome from the Indian public. Netaji and his I.N.A. had successfully undermined the loyalty of Indian soldiers to their British colonial masters and replaced it with a new devotion to the cause of free India even when the Union Jack was flying high at all seats of power in India.

In “My Memories of I.N.A. and its Netaji” Shahnawaz Khan says he noticed ‘a strange influence’ that his leader exercised over everyone who had met Subash Bose. “His was a personality which captivated everyone who met him, even foreigners. It was he and he alone who welded all Indians in East Asia into one unit and created a feeling of friendship and harmony among the nations of the East and its people. He was greatly loved and esteemed not as a sacred deity but as a man, as a hero, as a friend, and as a comrade.’

In addition to military facts, Prof Bose observes in his foreword how Shahnawaz supplied fine insights into the forging of national unity by Netaji and his INA. Interestingly, the most ardent supporters and admirers of Netaji were found among Muslims. As a leader, Netaji respected every man for what he was worth’ and not based on his religious or provincial identity. The Nagas, as Shahnawaz Khan records, ‘were most helpful to our troops.’ They bitterly recalled the humiliation heaped by the British on their queen. ‘All that we would like to have,’ they assured Shahnawaz, ‘is our own Raja, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose.’ Describing a battle of the Gandhi Brigade against the Seaforth Highlanders on the outskirts of Imphal, Prof Bose quotes Shahnawaz as saying that that most of the INA troops taking part in that action were ‘raw Tamil recruits from Malaya’ who ‘acquitted themselves most creditably and smashed the British theory of martialand non-martial classes.’

After the INA’s march towards Delhi was halted in Imphal and Kohima, Sh a h n awa z r e c o u nt s the remarkable fortitude shown by INA soldiers and their leader during battles in Burma until the spring of 1945. Perhaps most moving is his telling of the breakout from being trapped in Meiktila towards Pyinmina on 26 February 1945:

Everyone looked cheerful. One thing was certain; the enemy would never capture us alive. When we entered the car and started off, Netaji was sitting with a loaded Tommy gun in his lap. Raju had two hand grenades ready. The Japanese officer was holding on to another Tommy gun and I had a loaded Bren gun in my hand. We were all ready to open fire instantaneously.

On reaching Pyinmina, Netaji expressed his desire to ‘fight his last battle against the British there’. Shahnawaz was eventually captured by the British near Pegu on 18 May 1945, after Netaji had made his epic retreat from Burma to Thailand on foot with some of his officers, soldiers, and women of the Rani of Jhansi Regiment. The Red Fort trial would turn their military defeat into a spectacular political victory.

Prof Bose writes how he had the privilege of meeting Shahnawaz Khan in the 1960s and early ’70s during his visits to Netaji Bhawan in Kolkata. At that time, General Shahnawaz Khan was working with Prof Bose’s father Dr. Sisir Kumar Bose to ensure the welfare of surviving veterans of the Indian National Army and grant them due recognition for their sterling contribution to India’s freedom. Shahnawaz Khan used to tell Prof Bose poignantly: ‘In those streams of blood of the soldiers of the Indian National Army, the blood of Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs and Christians intermingled and flowed freely for one cause – a great, free and united India.’

CIA’s Hidden Bases in India and JFK’s Assassination: A Web of Dark Secrets | TDG Explainer

March 20, 2025, 9:03 pm

For more than six decades, the official story of the 35th president of the United States John F. Kennedy’s assassination (JFK’s Assassination) has been constant: Lee Harvey Oswald, a single gunman, had acted alone. But exclusive declassified documents recently released paint a different picture—a picture of worldwide intelligence cover-ups, hidden CIA (Central Intelligence Agency) bases, and a conspiracy extending far beyond America’s shores.

From secret missions in India and South Asia to stifled forewarnings of a looming assassination, these disclosures unveil a chilling truth, that is ‘JFK’s assassination wasn’t merely an assassination—it was a coup’. As more documents are revealed, the world is compelled to wonder: How much longer will the entire truth be buried?

This angle shows the shooter without a shadow of doubt was the driver making the killing blow head shot of John. F Kennedy #jfkfiles #JFKassassination #JFKRecords #JFK暗殺関連文書 #JFK暗殺 #JFK

https://t.co/t3uroBj2rt

— The Crypto Elf (@TheCryptoElf) March 19, 2025

The CIA’s Secret Bases in India and South Asia

Recently declassified records show the CIA had underground bases in New Delhi and Kolkata. After the 1962 loss of war against China, Odisha’s then-Chief Minister Biju Patnaik persuaded Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru to cooperate with U.S. intelligence. So, a covert facility was established in Odisha, subsequently relocated to Uttarakhand, where elite troops such as the Special Frontier Force (SFF) and the Aviation Research Centre (ARC) were trained.

CIA ‘secret bases’ worldwide exposed by JFK Files

But following the 1965 India-Pakistan war, America cut off intelligence links with India, disenchanted over India’s role in international conflicts.

More files show CIA activity in Rawalpindi (Pakistan), Tehran (Iran), Colombo (Sri Lanka), Seoul (South Korea), and Tokyo (Japan), substantiating the agency’s extensive reach throughout South Asia.

A Bounty on JFK’s Head—Before JFK’s Assassination

One year before the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, there was a macabre threat at the United States Embassy in Canberra, Australia. The threat alleged that “Iron Curtain nations” had offered $100,000 for the life of JFK.

A year before JFK’s assassination, the U.S. Embassy in Canberra got a call that ‘put a $100,000 bounty on Kennedy’s head.’

The day after the assassination, there was a second call blaming the Soviet Union. Though the CIA disregarded these calls as hoaxes, Australia’s security agency, ASIO, urged them to maintain the information on a secret level.

CIA and ASIO Hold Files Secret

Five years down the track, ASIO (Australian Security Intelligence Organisation) Director Sir Charles Spry penned an urgent letter to the CIA to keep the file secret. CIA Director Richard Helms concurred, citing that there was “EVERY REASON” they should keep it under wraps.

These files, such as Warren Commission Document CD-971, were later released in 1976, though much of its content was redacted heavily.

John Garrett Underhill Jr.: A Man Who Knew Too Much

John Garrett Underhill Jr., an intelligence insider at the Pentagon, left Washington in a panic the day following JFK’s assassination. He made astounding allegations to his friends:

“A small clique within the CIA” assassinated Kennedy.
“I might have to leave the country.”

Six months later, he was dead under suspicious circumstances.

Underhill was linked to Interarmco, a CIA-funded arms trader connected to the same store where suspected assassin Lee Harvey Oswald bought his rifle. This casts tremendous suspicion on the official version of JFK’s assassination.

Oswald Was Being Tracked for Months

Even though he is described as a “lone gunman,” declassified documents confirm that Oswald was being tracked by the CIA and FBI for months before the assassination:

The CIA intercepted Oswald’s dialogue with KGB officers in Mexico City.

The FBI was aware that nightclub owner Jack Ruby would assassinate Oswald—but did not take any steps to stop it.

Hours after Oswald was murdered, FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover penned a memo. Rather than concentrating on the discovery of truth, his concern was to make the public think Oswald acted alone.

The Warren Commission’s Role in the Cover-Up

The Warren Commission chartered to cover up JFK’s assassination, never looked for the truth. The intelligence agencies covered up Oswald’s association with the KGB, Damaged Secret Service records, and Submerged a 25-minute-prior tip received about the upcoming assassination.

The document showed the covered-up by Warren Commission.

A warning was provided to British intelligence 25 minutes before the Kennedy assassination. That indicates a person overseas ‘KEPT IN CONTACT’ with what would occur. Nonetheless, the Warren Commission didn’t follow up on this key piece of information.

The CIA, FBI, and a Full-Scale Coup

For years, to ask questions about the official story was to be called a conspiracy theorist. But now, the declassified documents confirm:

The CIA monitored Oswald’s movements.
The FBI had advance notice that Ruby would silence Oswald.
The Warren Commission was a cover-up meant to shore up a preconceived conclusion.

These declassified document confirmed that the JFK’s assassination was not a murder but it was a coup.

It’s intriguing that the next President to challenge the Deep State, Donald Trump, also came close to being assassinated in plain sight.

????? ????????????? ???????:

8 bullets fired at President Trump, killing one bystander, and leaving Trump with an injury to his face.

The former President could be seen ducking as the crowd screamed as a shooter fired from a rooftop at the rally in… pic.twitter.com/DpcTwLmNl7

— Oli London (@OliLondonTV) July 14, 2024

The Trump Administration Declassifies 80,000 More Pages

On March 18, 2025, the Trump administration declassified approximately 80,000 pages about JFK’s assassination, as a campaign promise. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard described the action as a step toward “maximum transparency,” rekindling debates surrounding one of America’s longest-running mysteries.

The documents provide additional information regarding Cold War-era CIA activities, especially in India.

Nehru Gave CIA Airbase in India in 1962

India has a record of cooperation with the CIA during the Cold War era. Declassified records attest that that time Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru allowed the U.S. to make use of the Charbatia airbase, Odisha to refuel the U-2 spy planes, which flew over Chinese territories for reconnaissance missions.

As per a 2013 report by the independent National Security Archive (NSA), using newly declassified CIA documents, Nehru sanctioned U-2 flights along India’s frontier areas with China on November 11, 1962.

The CIA is also reported to have facilitated the Dalai Lama’s escape to India in 1959.

The Bigger Picture: The Deep State’s Role

JFK had cautioned against a “monolithic and ruthless conspiracy” that dictated world events. He wanted to destroy the backroom power bases in the U.S. government. For this, he was murdered on national television.

The declassification of these documents has shattered decades-old myths, compelling the world to face an uncomfortable reality, what the the JFK assassination was not a lone act of violence but a well-planned operation with extensive consequences. It revealed the clandestine influence of intelligence agencies, their capacity to control governments, and the level to which they could control history from the shadows.

But even with tens of thousands of pages now open to the public, there remain many unanswered questions. What are the other still-classified papers that hold the secrets to interpreting this dark time in history? How many names, previously suspected of being relegated to the bench, directly influenced the direction of world politics?

One thing is clear that the fight for the entire truth is just afoot. For as long as intelligence agencies enjoy the power of redacting, withholding, and falsifying, citizens must never let their guards down. The assassination of JFK was a precursor, those challenging entrenched powers run the risk of losing everything.

Sixty years later, the cover-up is finally crumbling, but will the world ever see complete justice? Or will history repeat itself, and new conspiracies in the shadows emerge?

When Mehmood wanted to cast Rajiv Gandhi

August 20, 2024, 5:46 am

Rajiv Gandhi’s birth had drawn Jawaharlal Nehru’s attention towards the need for a “competent” pandit to draw his grandson’s horoscope.

Rajiv was born on August 20, 1944 at Bombay (now Mumbai). His grandfather Jawaharlal Nehru was in Ahmadnagar Jail busy finishing The Discovery of India manuscript. Nehru had reportedly been mulling over Rajiv’s name for a few months. He even wrote to his sister Krishna Hatheesing to get a proper horoscope to be drawn up by a “competent” person for the baby. By mid September 1944, Nehru wrote to sister Vijay Lakshmi Pandit that if the family did not decide soon, “we shall have to call [him],,,the Nameless or the one with innumerable names.” Finally he was named as Rajiv after his grandmother, as Kamala and Rajiv were both names of the lotus flower.

Indira had moved to Bombay in March to live with her aunt Krishna as her husband Feroze and father were in prison. Dr V N Shirodkar of Cumballa Hill Hospital was a well known gynaecologist who had helped with the delivery. At about 5 am on August 20, 1944, Indira developed labour pain. Krishna Hatheesing wrote in a book titled, “Dear to Behold -An Intimate Portrait of Indira Gandhi”, how her niece was nervous and afraid.

When Nehru got the news of grandson, he wrote, “…The Birth of a new member of the family always makes one feel reminiscent and remember one’s childhood days and other births…. Nature goes on repeating itself, there is no end of its infinite variety and every spring is a resurrection, every new birth a new beginning, especially when that new born is intimately connected with us, it becomes a revival of ourselves and our old hopes centre round it.”

Nehru finally got to see his grandson in May 1945 when Germany had surrendered to the Allies forces on May 7 and in India, all political prisoners, including Nehru were released. This was the time Indira had devoted herself fully to look after Rajiv while Feroze Gandhi had started selling insurance. In November 1946, Feroze Gandhi joined the National Herald Newspaper in Lucknow, as managing editor.

Indira was a tender mother. Perhaps she was mindful of her own loneliness as a child, she supervised Rajiv-Sanjay’s meals, played with her and took them to a film if it was suitable for children. She also utilized services of a Danish governess Anna who had been secretary to scientist Jagdish Chandra Bose. Anna was a strict disciplinarian who believed in giving Rajiv and Sanjay cold showers, sunbathing, exercises and a diet essentially of vegetables and yogurt.

When Rajiv was two year old, he met Amitabh Bachchan who was barely four at Allahabad. In an interview, Amitabh had called his first meeting with Rajiv, “There was this fancy dress party on Bank Road (the Bachchans’ residence in Allahabad). Rajiv Gandhi was two years old and had been dressed up as a freedom fighter. Ma says he messed up his pants. We were all such tiny kids then, absorbed in our little games, that it didn’t seem such a big deal that Pandit Nehru’s grandson was in our midst.’

In another biography, Amitabh had traced the Gandhi-Bachchan family ties and said: ‘Rajiv and Sanjay studied in Doon School, Ajitabh and I were in Nainital… But our holidays fell around the same months. We’d hang out and swim every day at the pool of Rashtrapati Bhawan. The friendship continued. After schooling, Rajiv went off to Cambridge. Whenever he would be back home, we’d get together and exchange notes… When he started flying, I’d go with him to provide ballast at the Flying Club of Delhi. I’d glide there for hours… Panditji died. Mrs Gandhi became PM and the family moved to 1 Safdarjung Road, which was close to our home at 13 Willingdon Crescent. Rajiv, Sanjay, Ajitabh and I formed a closely knit group of friends.’

By Amitabh’s own admission, it was Rajiv and Sanjay who exposed him to avant-garde cinema at a young age through the European films that were specially screened for the Gandhi family at Rashtrapati Bhawan. ‘Rajiv and Sanjay Gandhi and I would attend screenings of The Cranes Are Flying and Czech, Polish and Russian films, which often packed in an anti-war message,’ Amitabh recalled.

When Amitabh was struggling to get a foothold in the Hindi film industry, comedy king Mehmood was his patron and there were many lighter moments. Mehmood’s brother, Anwar Ali, shared a flat with Amitabh and his sister, Zubaida, was also a close friend of the budding actor. In Mehmood: A Man of Many Moods, author Hanif Zaveri has reminisced, ‘Just before the release of Bombay to Goa, Amitabh had brought a very fair young friend to Mumbai. The friend had accompanied him from Delhi. Mehmood was on a high after taking Calmpose tablets, a drug to which he was addicted. Anwar introduced the young man to Mehmood, but in his state, he was unable to understand what was said. Mehmood took out five thousand rupees and handed it over to Anwar to give to Amitabh’s friend. A puzzled Anwar asked what the money was for. Mehmood said the young fellow was fairer and smarter than Amitabh. He could become an international star. The money was the signing amount for taking the young man in Mehmood’s next project.’

Anwar then had to reintroduce Amitabh’s friend to Mehmood, stressing that he was Rajiv, son of the prime minister, Indira Gandhi. Mehmood quietly took the money back. Both Amitabh and Rajiv had a good laugh. Many years later, when Rajiv became prime minister, Amitabh acknowledged Mehmood’s good judgement, saying that Rajiv was indeed an international star, but in the political arena, not on the silver screen.

Nirmala Sitharaman To Break Morarji Desai’s Record With Seventh Union Budget

July 22, 2024, 2:15 pm

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is set to make history by presenting her seventh Union Budget in Parliament, surpassing the previous record held by former finance minister Morarji Desai, who presented six budgets. Desai served as finance minister under Prime Ministers Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi before becoming Prime Minister himself in 1977.

The tradition of the Union Budget began with then finance minister RK Shanmugam Chetty, who presented independent India’s first budget on November 26, 1947, amounting to ₹197.1 crore. This figure has grown exponentially, reaching ₹47.65 lakh crore in the last financial year.

Historically, the budget was presented at 5 pm, a practice changed by finance minister Yashwant Sinha in 1999 to the current 11 am slot.

Data from the Lok Sabha secretariat reveals that there have been instances where the Prime Minister, rather than the finance minister, presented the budget. Jawaharlal Nehru presented the 1958-59 budget while temporarily handling the finance portfolio. Similarly, Indira Gandhi tabled the 1969-70 budget following the resignation of finance minister Morarji Desai. In 2019, due to the ill health of then finance minister Arun Jaitley, Piyush Goyal presented the budget.

Until 2017, the Railways had a separate budget, which was later merged with the general budget.

After the budget is presented in the Lok Sabha, it is also tabled in the Rajya Sabha. However, the Upper House does not have the authority to approve or disapprove the budget. Budget discussions are followed by debates on ministry-specific allocations or Demands for Grants, which are ultimately passed together through a process known as Guillotine.

Though the Rajya Sabha debates the budget, it does not have the power to alter or reject it. The budget is referred back to the Lok Sabha for final approval.

Historic Event: Indira Gandhi’s Expulsion from Congress: Unveiling the Party’s Internal Divide

June 27, 2024, 2:58 pm

After Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru’s death, Lal Bahadur Shastri assumed the role of Prime Minister, but his tenure was cut short to about eighteen months due to his untimely passing in Tashkent. Following this, the Congress party transferred the Prime Ministerial responsibilities to Nehru’s daughter, Indira Gandhi, who, at the time, faced challenges due to her relative youth and inexperience, leading senior Congress leaders to dominate decision-making over her.

On November 12, Indira Gandhi was expelled from the Congress party, marking a significant turning point. In 1966, she had ascended to Prime Minister while K. Kamaraj served as Congress President, succeeded the next year by S. Nijalingappa. Despite winning the 1967 general elections, Gandhi struggled to consolidate control over both the government and the party, facing opposition from senior leaders who considered removing her from office, including Nijalingappa.

Amidst these internal tensions, the sudden death of President Dr. Zakir Husain prompted Congress leaders to nominate Neelam Sanjiva Reddy for the presidency without consulting Indira Gandhi. In response, she aligned with V.V. Giri in the presidential race. Despite her efforts, Giri won the election, further straining relations between Gandhi and the Congress leadership.

The culmination came on November 12, 1969, when Indira Gandhi was ousted from the Congress party, leading her to form a new faction known as Congress (O). This division split the Congress party into two significant factions. Gandhi garnered significant support from members of parliament, solidifying her influence over both the government and the organization.

In subsequent years, Indira Gandhi continued to assert her leadership, serving as Prime Minister until 1977 and again from 1980 until her assassination in 1984.

Watch: India’s Longest Serving Prime Ministers Since Independence

June 5, 2024, 6:11 pm

With the NDA securing 293 seats, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set for a historic third term, joining the ranks of India’s longest-serving prime ministers. Modi is now one of the few leaders to serve over a decade.

Here’s a closer look at India’s longest tenures in office:

Jawaharlal Nehru

Party: Congress
Tenure: 1947-1964
Duration: 16 years, 286 days Nehru, India’s first prime minister, led the nation from independence until his death. He initiated major developmental projects and maintained a non-aligned foreign policy during the Cold War, shaping India’s secular and socialist path.

Indira Gandhi

Party: Congress
Tenure: 1966-1977, 1980-1984
Duration: 15 years, 350 days India’s first female PM, Indira Gandhi, made bold and often divisive decisions, including the Green Revolution, Emergency, and nationalization of banks. Her leadership during the 1971 war led to the creation of Bangladesh. Her tenure ended tragically with her assassination in 1984.

Narendra Modi

Party: BJP
Tenure: 2014-Present
Duration: 10 years, 19 days (and counting) Modi has implemented ambitious projects like digitalization and economic reforms. His leadership has been marked by a strong emphasis on national pride and Hindu nationalism. Despite needing alliance support, his recent victory marks a rare third term.

Manmohan Singh

Party: Congress
Tenure: 2004-2014
Duration: 10 years, four days A renowned economist, Singh is credited with significant economic reforms and infrastructure development. His cool-headed leadership style, though later criticized for policy stagnation, left a lasting impact on India’s growth.

Atal Bihari Vajpayee

Party: BJP
Tenure: 1996, 1998-2004
Duration: Six years, 80 days Vajpayee’s tenure is noted for the Pokharan nuclear tests and major infrastructure projects like the Golden Quadrilateral. His balanced approach combined social initiatives with economic success, and he worked towards improving relations with Pakistan.

Lok Sabha Elections 2024 The recent election, held amid intense heat, saw over 66% voter turnout. Despite pre-poll predictions, the BJP-led NDA required alliance support to secure a majority. Modi’s victory speech emphasized continued commitment to fulfilling the aspirations of the people. His third term will rely on strong alliances with leaders like N. Chandrababu Naidu and Nitish Kumar.

As Modi prepares for another term, his leadership style and policies will continue to shape India’s political and economic landscape, cementing his place among India’s longest-serving and most influential prime ministers.

Congress Leaders Honor Jawaharlal Nehru on 60th Death Anniversary

May 27, 2024, 8:28 am

On Monday, Congress leaders paid tribute to former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru on his 60th death anniversary at his memorial, Shanti Van, in New Delhi. Congress National President Mallikarjun Kharge, party’s Parliamentary Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, and Rajya Sabha MP Ajay Maken were among those who honored Nehru’s memory.

In a post on social media platform X, Kharge praised Nehru as the “Jewel of India,” acknowledging his significant contributions to the nation. Kharge highlighted Nehru’s role as a key architect of modern India, emphasizing his efforts in advancing the country in scientific, economic, and industrial domains, and his dedication to democracy. He quoted Nehru, underscoring the importance of national defense, progress, unity, and equal opportunities for all citizens, irrespective of their religion, state, or language. Kharge affirmed that the Congress Party continues to pursue the path of justice championed by Nehru.

Jawaharlal Nehru, a prominent freedom fighter and a pivotal figure in India’s independence movement, became the first Prime Minister of independent India in 1947. He held this position for over 16 years until his death from a heart attack on May 27, 1964. His tenure was succeeded by Lal Bahadur Shastri, the second Prime Minister of India. Nehru is also recognized as a founder of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM). Known affectionately as ‘Chacha Nehru’ for his affection towards children, his birth anniversary on November 14 is celebrated as Children’s Day in India.

Current political class needs to draw lessons from Gandhi, Nehru

May 27, 2024, 3:22 am

Both Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru believed in writing and airing their differences out in the open often in rather acrimonious ways.

Nehru, twenty years younger and a self-confessed disciple of Gandhi, had serious differences with Gandhi’s approach towards village economy, non-violence, religion and economic thinking. In 1945 when the freedom of the country was in sight, Gandhi wrote to him saying, “I believe that if India is to attain true freedom…then sooner or later we will have to live in villages in huts, not in palaces…the essence of what I say is that the things required for human life must be individually controlled by every person; the individual can not be saved without this control” (page 14 in Tendulkar D G’s Mahatma, Vol VII, Times of India Press, Bombay).

As if speaking from a position of strength in anticipation of becoming prime minister of independent India, Nehru was quick to retort in some strong language, “It is many years ago that I read Hind Swaraj and I have only a vague picture in my mind. But even when I read it 20 or more years ago, it seemed to me completely unreal…it has been 38 years since Hind Swaraj was written. The World has completely changed since then, possibly in the wrong direction…A village, normally speaking, is backward intellectually and culturally and no progress can be made from a backward environment. Narrow minded people are much more likely to be untruthful and violent” (page 516 An Autobiography by Jawaharlal Nehru Oxford University Press)

More barbs followed as Nehru went on to say, “….It seems inevitable that modern means of transport as well as many other modern developments must continue and he developed. There is no way out except to have them. If this is so, inevitably a measure of heavy industries exists. How far will that fit in with a purely village society?” Nehru asked, reminding his mentor, “As you know, the Congress has never considered that (Hind Swaraj) picture, much less adopted it. You yourself have never asked to adopt it except for some relatively minor aspects.” It may be noted that throughout his political life, Gandhi did not hold any formal position in the Congress organisation.

For Gandhi, non-violence was a weapon of the strong and a non-negotiable political expression that had to be practised under all circumstances. “Liberty and democracy become unholy when their hands are dyed red with innocent blood.” (page 70, New Directions Publishing) But his political heir had a different take. Nehru wrote, “Violence is the very lifeblood of the modern state and social system. Without the coercive apparatus of the state, taxes would not be realized, landlords would not get their rents and property would disappear” ( page 540 An Autobiography by Jawaharlal Nehru Oxford University Press). Nehru also had no qualms in telling Gandhi how “Democracy indeed means the coercion of the minority by the majority” [the expression majority and minority was in the context of numerical strength than religious identity of communities]

Gandhi wrote to Agatha Harrison on April 30, 1936 stating, “But Jawaharlal’s way is not my way. I accept his ideas about land etc. But I do not accept practically any of his methods” (cited in Jawaharlal Nehru’s A Bunch of Old letters, Asia Publication House). Gandhi did not approve of Nehruvian thrust on socialism or planning for the growth of a backward economy. Barely hiding his disapproval, Gandhi wrote, “In my opinion, his planning is a waste of effort. But he can not be satisfied with anything that is not big.”

When Nehru wrote two letters explaining his aggressive pro-socialist leanings, Gandhi sent him a sharp rejoinder of sorts that read, “The differences between you and me are so vast and radical that there seems to be no meeting ground between us. I can not conceal from you my grief that I should lose a comrade so valiant, so faithful, so able and so honest as you have always been; but in serving a cause, comrade ships have to be sacrificed. ((page 57 in Jawaharlal Nehru’s A Bunch of Old letters, Asia Publication House)

At a time when the nation is collectively celebrating Amritkal of the country’s independence from the British Raj, the current political class needs to draw some lessons from Gandhi and Nehru in candidly articulating their differences. Tendulkar has quoted Gandhi on Nehru as saying, “He says he does not understand my language, that he speaks language foreign to me. This may or may not be true. But language is no bar to union of hearts. And I know this –that when I am gone he will speak my language.” [page 43; Tendulkar D G’s Mahatma, Vol VII, Times of India Press, Bombay).

Airing differences without being acrimonious

May 7, 2024, 3:53 am

Both Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru believed in writing and airing their differences out in the open often in rather acrimonious ways.

For Gandhi, non violence was a weapon of the strong and a non-negotiable political expression that had to be practised under all circumstances. “Liberty and democracy become unholy when their hands are dyed red with innocent blood.” (page 70, New Directions Publishing) But his political heir had a different take. Nehru wrote, “Violence is the very lifeblood of the modern state and social system. Without the coercive apparatus of the state, taxes would not be realized, landlords would not get their rents and property would disappear” ( page 540 An Autobiography by Jawaharlal Nehru Oxford University Press). Nehru also had no qualms in telling Gandhi how “Democracy indeed means the coercion of the minority by the majority” [the expression majority and minority was in the context of numerical strength than religious identity of communities]

When Nehru wrote two letters explaining his aggressive pro-socialist leanings, Gandhi sent him a sharp rejoinder of sorts that read, “The differences between you and me are so vast and radical that there seems to be no meeting ground between us. I can not conceal from you my grief that I should lose a comrade so valiant, so faithful, so able and so honest as you have always been; but in serving a cause, comradeships have to be sacrificed. ((page 57 in Jawaharlal Nehru’s A Bunch of Old letters, Asia Publication House)

Leaders wish former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on his 91st birthday

September 26, 2023, 10:28 am

On Tuesday, former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh celebrated his 91st birthday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and a number of other world leaders sent him their best wishes.

PM Modi took to X and said “Birthday wishes to former PM Dr Manmohan Singh Ji. I pray for his long life and good health.”
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh also wished the party’s veteran leader and said “Today Dr. Manmohan Singh turns 91. He has always been an outstanding symbol of erudition and learning. But much more than that he has always epitomised grace, sobriety, humility and dignity in whichever position he has held. These are extremely rare qualities in our public life, even more so now.”

“I have heard Presidents and Prime Ministers refer to him as a guru. He does not need self-advertisement. On a personal note, I still recall the time in Sep-Oct 1986 when as Deputy Chairman he inducted Arvind Virmani, Rakesh Mohan and myself into the Planning Commission which was a tremendous learning experience,” Jairam Ramesh said on X.

On September 26, 1932, Manmohan Singh was born. Manmohan Singh held the position of governor of the Reserve Bank of India from 1982 to 1985 in addition to being an economist. He served as India’s 13th prime minister from 2004 to 2014, making him the third-longest-serving leader after Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi. Singh, who was India’s finance minister under PV Narsimha Rao, is credited with bringing about the nation’s economic liberalization in that year. The reforms increased FDI and decreased government control by opening up the Indian economy to foreign investors.

It had a significant impact on the nation’s economic development. The liberalization of the Indian economy in 1991 is credited with enabling the forces of creative destruction and unleashing competitive markets, which have led to advantages still visible today.

Special session of Parliament: PM Modi recalls words of Vajpayee, Nehru

September 18, 2023, 3:16 pm

In his opening remarks to the extraordinary session of Parliament on Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi quoted former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee as saying that while governments and political parties may come and go, the nation should remain.

He additionally highlighted the well-known address given to the Constituent Assembly in 1947 under the title “Tryst with Destiny” by former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru.

In his speech, PM Modi said, “The echoes of Pandit Nehru’s “At the Stroke of Midnight” will continue to inspire us in this House. “Sarkarein aayegi-jaayegi, partiyan banegi-bigdegi, lekin ye desh rehna chahiye,” Atal ji had remarked in this very House. Even now, this still reverberates.

The Prime Minister mentioned Pandit Nehru, Lal Bahadur Shastri, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, and Manmohan Singh as leaders who gave the country a new direction and added that this was the right time to celebrate their accomplishments.

He also mentioned Ram Manohar Lohia, Chandra Shekhar, Lal Krishna Advani, and other figures who have enhanced House debates and strengthened the voice of ordinary citizens.

The PM also recalled his feelings when he first entered the Parliament in 2014 as an MP. He said he knelt to worship the temple of democracy and could never have dreamed that a young person from a low-income home would be able to do so.
The Prime Minister stated that the Parliament building is connected to many happy and sad memories.

Nehru offered Oppenheimer Indian citizenship in 1954, reveals American author Kai Bird

July 24, 2023, 12:25 pm

According to Kai Bird, the co-author of the book that inspired Christopher Nolan’s film on the American quantum physicist Julius Robert Oppenheimer, the-then Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru offered the father of the atomic bomb, Indian citizenship after the latter was humiliated in 1954 over statements against nuclear weapons.

“After he [Oppenheimer] was humiliated in 1954…Nehru offered him to come to India and become a citizen…But I do not think Oppenheimer considered it [the offer] seriously because he was a deeply patriotic American,” Kai Bird, the co-author of the book American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J Robert Oppenheimer, revealed earlier in an interview.

Oppenheimer was brought down in “a terrible kangaroo court” and stripped of his security clearance in a virtual security hearing, according to Bird, nine years after being lauded as America’s greatest scientist.

“He became the chief victim of the McCarthy witch-hunts,” he said, referring to Republican Senator Joseph R McCarthy’s practice of publicly accusing government employees of disloyalty and using dubious methods of prosecuting them when the US government was combating communism.

Oppenheimer, according to Bird, was concerned about the rise of Fascism. “He had Jewish ancestors but was not a practicing Jew.” He donated money to aid in the rescue of Jewish refugees from Germany. He believed that German physicists would give Hitler an atomic weapon, allowing Hitler to win the [Second World] War, which would be a horrific ending, a victory for fascism all across the world. As a result, he believed that this [the atomic bomb] was required.”

Oppenheimer had conflicting feelings about the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945, according to Bird.

“By the spring of 1945, Germany was defeated. And that spring, some of the physicists and scientists…held an impromptu meeting to discuss the future of the gadget, and to ask why are we working so hard to build this terrible weapon of mass destruction when we know the Germans are defeated and Hitler is dead, and the Japanese can’t possibly have a bomb project?”

Bird said Oppenheimer reminded them the war was not over. “The Japanese still fight on. And he [Oppenheimer] said ‘I am reminded of the one question that Niels Bohr, the great Danish physicist asked me [Oppenheimer]’… He had asked Robert, ‘Tell me, is it big enough? Is this gadget you are building big enough to end all wars?’

“He was essentially making the argument that if we do not demonstrate the power and destructiveness of this weapon in this war, then the next war is going to be fought by two or three adversaries, all of whom will be armed with nuclear weapons.”

Ruckus created at Hyderabad University

January 26, 2023, 5:48 pm

After Jawaharlal Nehru University and Jamia Millia Islamia, a ruckus has been created at Hyderabad University Campus over the screening of BBC Documentary and Kashmir Files. Earlier on Wednesday 13 students were detained for creating ruckus outside the university campus.

Monuments in India associated with freedom struggle

November 23, 2022, 6:39 pm

India celebrated its 76th Independence Day on 15 August 2022 and marked its 75 years of freedom. Throughout the country from Champaran to Dandi and Chennai, there are many monuments associated with the freedom struggle. Let’s take a trip to the five monuments in India that are associated with the freedom struggle and pay homage to the ones who died to give us freedom.

Red Fort, Delhi

Since the time Red Fort is built, it is the symbol of Indian power. Red Fort is built by the Mughal emperor, Shah Jahan which is built with red sandstone and stood many onslaughts since the British came to India. After the Mughal ruler Britishers took this fort and turned it into their army headquarters. But on 15 August 1947 India’s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, hoisted the national flag and since then the tradition has been made and every year Prime Minister of India hoists the flag.

Cellular Jail, Andaman & Nicobar Islands

Based on Jeremy Bentham’s idea of the Panopticon the jail was constructed between 1896 and 1906. Since 1857 British used the island as a prison and many freedom fighters like Vinayak Damodar Savarkar were prisoned now this island is a freedom landmark.

Jallianwala Bagh, Amritsar

Jallianwala Bagh Massacre which happened on 13 April 1919 still boils every Indian’s blood. In the incident, more than 1000 men, women, and children were killed on the order of Brigadier-General Reginald Dyer. After the death of 1000 people the whole nation woke up and spearheaded many movements. Now the garden is a memorial and is visited by thousands of people every year.

Sabarmati/Gandhi Ashram, Ahmedabad

Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi devoted his life to the country and fighting against the Britishers. After returning from South Africa in 1915 Gandhi made his ashram on the same principles in Ahmedabad. Sabarmati/Gandhi Ashram saw many movements and the Gandhi Salt March of 1930 was one. Meanwhile, now memories of M.K. Gandhi are preserved in the ashram.

Netaji Bhawan in Kolkata

Netaji Bhawan or house museum is made at Bose’s brother’s residence from where Subhas Chandra Bose made his great escape from house arrest in January 1941. The house museum celebrated the life and the vision of the independence struggle which is associated with Subash Chandra Bose.

‘Rahul stood with people who tried to divide India in JNU’, says Anurag Thakur

November 18, 2022, 2:49 pm

Union Minister Anurag Thakur slammed Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and said with ‘tukde tukde gang’ the Congress leader is doing Bharat Jodo Yatra.

“Rahul Gandhi doing Bharat Jodo Yatra with ‘tukde tukde gang’. He spoke about Hindu terror, stood with people who tried to divide India in JNU, and now he’s raising questions on Veer Savarkar. It’s Congres’ mentality, they don’t see anything beyond one family,” Anurag Thakur said.

Earlier on Thursday Rahul Gandhi lashed Veer Savarkar for betraying leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, and Sardar Patel by signing an apology letter to the British.

Meanwhile, Union Minister Thakur also talked about the Gujarat model and said, “Gujarat model is the number 1 model and development model. Congress did politics only on basis of divide and rule. They’ve asked for votes on basis of caste, community, and religion. BJP works on basis of good governance, development, and honesty.”

Talking about Prime Minister Narendra Modi Thakur said, “If Gujarat is riot-free today then it’s because of BJP and PM Modi. The more Gujarat progresses, the more India will progress. If Gujarat wins, then India will progress.”

Moreover, BJP leader Hardik Patel also lashed Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s ongoing “Bharat Jodo Yatra” and said, “Congress should first do Congress Jodo instead of the Bharat Jodo Yatra. The question is whether Rahul Gandhi will come after the elections or before the elections. The people of Gujarat do not want to entertain Congress.”

“I have been in the Congress and I know that the Congress has always insulted the Gujaratis and raised questions on the identity and pride of Gujarat. The people of Gujarat have never accepted Congress and will never do also. There is no comparison or fight between BJP with the Congress. Our motive is to take our model of development further.” Patel said.

However, in the assembly elections, Hardik Patel is fighting from Gujarat’s Viramgam.

‘Savarkar helped the British’, says Rahul Gandhi of betraying leaders MK Gandhi, Nehru

November 17, 2022, 5:07 pm

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi again lashed Veer Savarkar for betraying leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, and Sardar Patel by signing an apology letter to the British.

During the Bharat Jodo Yatra, Rahul Gandhi addressed the media and said, “Veer Savarkar, in a letter written to the British, said “Sir, I beg to remain your most obedient servant” and signed on it. Savarkar helped the British. He betrayed leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, and Sardar Patel by signing the letter out of fear.”

Meanwhile, the Congress leader also hit out at the BJP and said the government failed to give jobs to the youth of the country.

“I see two big problems- youths don’t have the assurance of getting jobs and farmers don’t get support from anywhere. The third is interlinked- people are paying for education and health as govt schools, colleges and hospitals are shutting, so where is the money going?” Rahul Gandhi said.

On the occasion of Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas during the Bharat Jodo Yatra Rahul Gandhi attended Tribal Convention on Tuesday and said, “In Andaman jail, Savarkar wrote a letter and told the British to forgive him and release him from jail. Veer Savarkar took a pension from the British, he worked against Congress. After coming out of jail he accepted the British proposal and joined their force. The difference between Savarkar and Birsa Munda is, he fought against the British when he was 24 years old.

Moreover, the grandson of Vinayak Damodar Savarkar Ranjit Savarkar said he will be filing a complaint against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi at Shivaji Park Police Station in Mumbai for insulting Savarkar.

Talking to the media Savarkar said, “It is not the first time Rahul Gandhi and Congress have insulted Savarkar. In the past too, they have insulted Savarkar, so I have decided to file a complaint against Rahul Gandhi at Shivaji Park police station.”

“I will file a complaint for insulting our leader freedom fighter. Rahul Gandhi is a serial offender in this regard. In the past in 2017 also did the same thing,” Ranjit Sarvarkar also added, “Congress is trying to play vote bank politics and uses the same agenda of insulting Veer Savarkar,” Savarkar concluded.

Nowadays, Congress leaders are on Bharat Jodo Yatra, which began on 7 September from Kanyakumari to Kashmir.

Currently, Bharat Jodo Yatra is in Maharashtra which has already covered Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana.

Meanwhile, from various political parties, the Yatra is getting support, and day by day the response is also increasing.

During the Yatra NCP and Shiv Sena (Thackeray faction) showed their support for Yatra.

Moreover, Rahul Gandhi along with all the party MPs, leaders, and workers are staying in containers in which ACs, toilets, and sleeping beds are also installed. Keeping in view the intense heat and humidity with the change of places the container has been made.

However, in some past polls, Congress suffered a debacle and this Yatra is to increase the party rank for the upcoming electoral battles.

PM Modi pays tribute to Jawaharlal Nehru; recalled his contribution

November 14, 2022, 12:30 pm

On the birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tribute on Monday.

Taking to Twitter PM Modi tweeted, “On his birth anniversary, tributes to our former PM Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Ji. We also recall his contribution to our nation.”

Every year Children’s Day is celebrated on 14 November to mark respect to the first Prime Minister of independent India.

The first Prime Minister of India Jawaharlal Nehru was known for emphasizing the importance and giving love to children. Nehru was also known as ‘Chacha Nehru’.

Meanwhile, on 14 November 1889 Nehru was born in Uttar Pradesh’s Prayagraj and on 27 May 1964, he died. After his death, it was decided to celebrate this day as Children’s Day or Bal Diwas.

Following an active role in the freedom struggle of the country on 15 August 1947 Nehru became the prime minister of India.

Moreover, for students in schools, nationwide various programs and activities are organized such as games, competitions, and government bodies pay tributes on this day.

However, the United Nations also declared 20 November as Universal Children’s Day in 1964.