Nehru & Bhose Parallel Lives - Rudrangshu Mukherjee

Nehru & Bhose  Parallel Lives by Rudrangshu Mukherjee; is not a biography of the two great men narrating their rich lives; but their relationship, it traces the contours of a friendship that did not quite blossom as political ideologies diverged and delineates the shadow that fell between them. They made and unmade their relationship. 

Their lives moved, less than ten years separated them chronologically; both were born to relative affluence; both went to Cambridge, both gave up what could have been lucrative careers and joined the Indian National movement under the leadership of Gandhi, both were aware of what was happening in Europe and in Asia, and their exposure to these developments radicalized their own ideas; both saw themselves as men of the left and were attracted to socialism. Both were in favor of purna swaraj. These background attracted them. Their disagreement grew from their differing understanding of the course of the national movement, their atitudes towards Gandhi, their views on fascism and from the very diffferent mental landscape they inhabited. Their relationship was not smooth by a poignant one. 

The book is divided into seven chapters: Growing Up, Baptism in Politics, Immersion in the congress, Two Women and Two Books, Party Presidents, The End of The Friendship and Friendship regained?  Titles by themselves speak volumes. 'Nobody has done more harm to me ...than Jawaharlal Nehru' wrote Subhas Chandra Bose in 1938, but he named one of his regiments of the INA after Jawaharlal ?

Gandhi saw Nehru as his chosen heir and Bose as Prodigal son. For Nehru Gandhi was distant, starry-eyed reverence, gift of divine providence. Subhas wanted a leader whom he could steadfastly but not blindly follow, but Gandhi according to him lacked clarity of vision. He believed that by the middle of 1930s the Gandhian phase of the national movement was over, it was time to hand over the struggle to new forms and more dynamic leaders. For Subhas, Gandhi was always Mahatmaji, while for Nehru he was Bapu. C.R. Das became father figure for Subhas and later he called Mussolini - the big boss. 

Both had their initial education in suburbs of India, then went to England for higher education and finally returned to India and had a deep dive into politics. They were together for the first time in 1921 during a Congress meeting, but there was nothing that foretold, they would be providing a new ideological thrust to the congress. Both wanted complete Independence with economic equality and were against dominion constitution but embraced on 26th Jan 1930.  Both were JB's i.e. Jailed by the British several times. Both had two women and two books by the time they were 40. Books by Subash were 'The Indian struggle' and 'An Indian Pilgrim' ; and that of Nehru was Autobiography and The discovery of India.  Their first drift was in 1929 when Nehru was made the party president. Nehru accommodated the differences in the party, while Subhas rejected them.  He called Motilal 'the last intellectual stalwart of the congress' who could influence Gandhi.; and later he saw that in J. Nehru.He was with Nehru at the time of Kamla's death; may be the experience of falling in love with Emilie at that time made him sympathies Nehru for his loss.  At times they felt that they should not quarrel over petty issues, and stand together for larger ideal. When Nehru was president, Subhas was outside India, and when Subhas was president , Nehru was the chairman of National Planning Committee  which was inaugurated on 17th December 1938. For Nehru Socialism was philosophy of life, a vital creed that he held with all his head and heart. Subhas was an extremist and his principle was - all or none. He believed that free India would not be a land of capitalists, landlords and castes, but a Samyavadi Sangh (The Party of Equality). He took the Nazi ideology at it's face value, and was astounded when Nehru wanted to welcome Jewish refugees to India. Soon after his resignation as congress president, he constituted 'forward block' a forum within congress where all radical elements could come together. At a point in time - both considered each other to be a facist. The die was cast for the second time, and their lives came to a fork - Subhas choosing the road less travelled. World war two was for him an opportunity to join hands with the Germany and fight against British, while Congress did not want to participate in it unless they were given freedom. Nehru believed that it was their war, and British was on the other side. Subhas created a draft, and requested Hitler to declare India's Independence. Hitler agreed but kept postponing and waged a war against Soviet Russia. So Subhas plan looked gloom and Indian's supported Soviet. Hitler then advised him to sort help from Japanese, and that he was fighting the war as a soldier and not as a politician. So he left empty handed in February 1943.His vision was India's freedom which was noble and miopic, he could not see anything else.  He was encouraged by the Japanese premier's assurance regarding 'India for the Indians'. 

In July 1943, he 'Began work', as he noted in South East Asia; landing in Singapore from Germany, reviving the Indian National Army and mobilizing two million Indians. He believed this would bring about revolution. He demonstrated his capability in 1943-44. He named his regiments as Rani of Jhansi, Gandhi, Nehru and Azad. Before the battle for Imphal on 6 July 1944; Subhas spoke directly to Gandhi over the radio, and addressed him as the 'Father of our Nation' asking for his blessings and good wishes. He need this and the support of Congress and its million followers, once INA entered Indian soil. He eradicated all religious and cast division in the force; all were freedom fighters and equals. So was his vision of Azad hind. He shifted the head quarters of the provisional government from Singapore to Rangoon on 7th Jan 1944 in preparation for the thrust into India. The Japanese wanted to prevent the British reconquest of Burma while the INA aimed at inciting a civil uprising within India. INA forces were lead by Shaukat Ali Malik and Japanese commander was Mutaguchi. Mutaguchi acted contrary to Subha's advice to cut of retreat from Imphal, who fought back under General William Slim on 10th July 1944 and Subhas announced this on 21 August 1944. By May 1945 Germany and then Japan had surrendered, Subhas was left without allies, but his spirit was indomitable. Allied troops began operation in South East Asia, and to escape he took a flight in the middle of August from Bangkok to Saigon and then to Tokyo via Taipei. Taking off from Taipei the plane crashed and he died from severe burns trying to get off from the burning aircraft. (As Subhas earlier escaped the house arrest, and went to Germany, my personal thought, is did he really die, or lived thereafter in disguise in Germany or elsewhere?  May be some year with his daughter 'Anita Bose Pfaff' and his Austrian wife Emilie Schenkl )

Quiet India movement was announced on 8th August 1942 and al congress leaders were imprisoned on the morning of 9th August. Nehru was in prison from 9 August 1942 to 15 June 1945 for 1040 days. The most exciting period of Subhas's life was dullest in Nehru's. Jawaharlal wept at the passing of a colleague and a friend with who he had once shared the struggle to make India free. Later differences could not diminish the sense of loss nor eradicate the memories of comradeship. He decided to defend the INA prisoners. 

According to Subhas world would end not in a Bang but in a whimper. Subhas would have been a great contender for being the PM of India if he would have been alive, and would have fashioned India under different lines. To Nehru Hitler and japan represented the reactionary forces and their victory meant the victory of reactionary forces, and Subhas joining them was taking a different ideological and political position. Though once friends, they drifted further apart as years went by, as Nehru strongly felt, that it is a bad thing psychologically for the Indian masses to think in terms of being liberated by outside agency. He was against imperialist and facist power, but never had any doubts of Subhas's motives and intentions. 

Speaking on Subhas birthday in 1946, Nehru paid him tribute, and spoke about their relationship. He had also stated 'I do not want for a moment nor do I expect any outside country to help us'. At one point Nehru was even willing to give up non violence but was against fascism or taking outside support. Gandhi, in his turn , thought of Subhas as a son he had unfortunately lost, as an individual who had chosen to sail on a different boat. There was a rebel in Subhas that was evident even in his youth: witness his getting out of Calcutta college, rejecting ICS against all parental and societal expectations, resigning and joining congress a couple of times, this spirit also informed his attitude and dealings with Gandhi. The personal was secondary to Subhas, the political was paramount. So he could not understand Jawaharlal's personal devotion to Gandhi. Subhas had belived that he and Nehru could make history together, and this was the limiting point. In the crevasse of this rivalry of aims fell the tension-fraught and passing friendship of Subhas and Jawaharlal. Their lives could have no tryst.