Saturday, June 6, 2015

Armed revolution by Subhas Bose (contd- 3)- Kabul to Berlin

(In Berlin April 1941)
Subhas Bose had to stay at Kabul from 31st January to 17 March 1941 ( 46 days, both inclusive) to complete his formalities for going to Moscow . He was moving from Calcutta in disguise several times.
This journey is divided in two parts;
1. Kabul to Moscow, and
2. Moscow to Berlin.
" The Russians", said Bose to Uttam Chand, "and the Germans have just concluded a non-aggression pact  (23rd Aug  1939) .
When Subhas Bose left Calcutta on 17th January, 1941 at 1 a.m. WWII had already set in after the attack Poland by Germany on 1 Sept. 1939 and  Britain and France declared War against Germany on 3rd Sept. 1939.   Russia was an enemy of Britain and signed a Non-aggression Treaty ( 23rd Aug 1939) with German. This is the time to go to Moscow and do propaganda for Indian freedom." " Today" said Bose, " Russia is the only country which can help to liberate India. No other country will help us. This is why I do not want to go anywhere else but to Moscow."
But Bose could not get permission from the Russian embassy in Kabul to go to Moscow. Then Bose, finding no other way,  contacted the German Legation.
Bose under the disguise of Mohd. Ziauddin , with the help of his nephew and niece ( Ila, Dwijen, Sisir, Asoke, Aurobindo ), Gomoh station by a car numbering BLA 7169. driven by Sisir Bose

On february 6, 1941, Bose went alone to the German Legation and met a Minister, Herr Pilger, who directed the former to try through Herr Thomas, a representative of Siemens in Kabul. On the 23rd, Herr Thomas, directed Bose to meet the Italian Minister. Alberto Quaroni in Kabul, Bhagat Ram arranged the vmeeting in March at the Italian
Consulate., between Bose and Quaroni which "lasted a whole night"Bose revealed to him the future programme of the freedom struggle , to form thww " Government of Free India" to organise the Indian Liberation Army out of the Indian prisoners of war in Germany and Italy and to install a wireless radio station to carry on propaganda for India's Independence. All these meetings were a strictly guarded secret.
It was during his stay in Kabul that Bose wrote his thesis " Forward Bloc - Its justification." 
Finally, the three governments of the USSR, Germany, and Italy were in unanimity that Bose would travel across Russia on an Italian diplomatic Pass Port impersonating a clerk at the Italian Legation in Kabul, Orlando Mazetta, on a  'courier visa' issued by the Afghan government . Bose's photo was snapped for the original passport and his clothing was ready. Bose's  suitcase was collected by the Italian on 16th March. Bose himself was shifted to Crescini's residence (of the Italian Legation) next day. He handed over some documents , including the thesis, "Forward Bloc - its justification," and a letter to Sarat Bose to Bhagat Ram, to carry them back to India, and to hand over to Sarat Bose.
At dawn , on 18th March, Bose left Kabul by car  for the Soviet frontier accompanied by a German Engineer of the Todt organisation and two others. The party travelled through the  passes of the Hindu Kush, the Afghan steppes and crossed the Oxus at the Afghan frontier post at Pata Kisar and reached Samarkand then he went by rail for Moscow. Bose was very eager to go to Moscow "My absolute preference " , he said to Uttam Chand in Kabul, "is for Moscow".
The party flew on the  28th  from Moscow to Berlin and arrived there on 3rd April.
On 31 March , 1941, in the evening , Bhagat Ram handed over the documents to Sarat Bose to my country men." in Calcutta, including even the messages dated 22 March , 1941.
The news of the escape was deliberately broadcast to the world on 26th January, since his case was coming up for hearing the next day and also to get a head start over British police. There was an uproar by his own people and a frantic hunt.
Bose's journey from Calcutta to Berlin  ( two months and eleven days)  from 17th January to 3rd April, 1941.

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