Bhubaneswar: Declassified papers have confirmed that the British intended to put Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose on trial for treason and hang him as a war criminal at the end of World War II. In fact Winston Churchill had signed an executive order to have Netaji “shot on sight” anywhere within the British Empire following his daring escape from India in 1941.
The files declassified by the British in 2016, reveal that a concerted effort was made to try and execute Netaji—potentially in Malaya, Singapore, or another location outside mainland India—to avoid sparking nationwide revolts.
According to declassified “Netaji Files”, Field Marshal Viscount Wavell discussed trying and executing Netaji outside of India, specifically in Singapore or Malaya. They knew bringing him back to Indian soil would trigger massive public outrage. They had realised that executing or hanging Netaji would destroy the British Empire’s remaining grip on India.
The British could never capture him, but they did put his three INA generals (Shah Nawaz Khan, Prem Sahgal, and Gurbaksh Singh Dhillon) on trial at the Red Fort in late 1945. They were sentenced to death, but this had then triggered massive nationwide protests. The public outrage was so intense that the British were forced to commute their sentences.
Cut to 2026. The statue of Netaji in the precinct of the Bhubaneswar Court Complex was removed and kept in one corner along with a scrapped station wagon a few years ago. This was done with the intention that it would be re-installed in front of the new court complex once it was completed. The statue had been damaged during the relocation, and has been lying forgotten for years.
The new court building was inaugurated by the President in December 2024, with the Governor and the Chief justice of the High Court in attendance. The statue of Netaji, however, was forgotten and lay forlorn in one corner of the complex, by the side of the main road to Puri. Our enquiries at the complex revealed that the matter had been raised by the lawyers on several occasions, in fact during one of the pre-inspection visits of the Law Minister, the statue had been shown to him.
In February 2024, the Odisha Chapter of the International Human Rights Commission (IHRC) had even filed a complaint at Capital police station in this matter. Many media channels had carried the news and even met the authorities in this regard, but to no avail.
Today, the Netaji sits on his crippled steed with a broken neck, broken hands and a bewildered expression. The surrounding is full of garbage, empty booze bottles and trash. Ironically, it is just opposite the Odisha State Museum, in one corner of the new Judicial Complex, on the boundary of the Old Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation building. Hundreds of lawyers, judges, students, government officials and even ministers pass the place which is on the main Bhubaneswar- Puri highway and see the shameful spectacle every day. The Britishers could not hang the titan of India’s Independence, but the present ruling dispensation have broken his neck, and left him hanging. It is a national shame, more so for Odisha, the birthplace of this great martyr.
On Thursday, the Veterans Club of Odisha visited the place and draped the statue in a cloth. Bidyadhar Nayak, the President of the Veterans, and his team have given an ultimatum to the government, seeking action for this disgraceful neglect.
As the Convener of Intach’s Bhubaneswar Chapter, I have also written to the authorities, requesting them to repair the statue and restore it to its former glory after which it can be placed at any appropriate site. The state government should take responsibility for this disgraceful neglect and take action forthwith. The same set of politicians, who make tall talk on Netaji’s birthday, are oblivious to the disrespect being shown to his statue.
(Views expressed by the columnist are personal and does not reflect the opinion or policy of the news portal)
