Explained in depth: Bose and Gandhi.
Saswata Guha
Associate II | PwC AC Kolkata | Operate | PMOaaS | Project Portfolio Management Generalist
The Bose-Gandhi rivalry is frequently understood as the biggest dichotomy of the Indian nationalist movement, however a deeper introspection is required.
In August 1942, when Mahatma Gandhi launched the Quit India movement, Subhas Chandra Bose was in Berlin. It is recorded that reading this news in Berlin, Subhas Chandra Bose told his close associate CN Nambiar that he needed to "be with Gandhiji". It was around the same time that Subhas Chandra Bose was in the process of formation of Azad Hind Fauj to launch attacks on the British.
In his Azad Hind Radio message from Berlin, Subhas Chandra Bose had called the Quit India Movement of Mahatma Gandhi, the "non-violent guerilla warfare". It was no coincidence that Subhas Chandra Bose had named two of the Azad Hind Fauj brigades after Gandhi and Nehru.
Differences:
Non-Violence versus Militant Approach:
Gandhi was a firm believer in ahimsa and satyagraha while, for Bose Gandhi’s strategy based on non-violence would be inadequate for securing India’s independence.
Means and Ends:
Bose had his eye on the result of the action. He had no moral issue in taking the help of the Nazis, Fascists or later of Imperial Japan. But for Gandhiji one could not just use any means to achieve an end however desirable that end may be
Form of Government:
In early writings Bose expressed the opinion that democracy was the acceptable political system for India. But later, he seemed to have veered towards the idea that, at least in the beginning, a democratic system would not be adequate for the process of nation rebuilding and the eradication of poverty and social inequality, Gandhi’s idealised state, Ramrajya did not need a representative government, a constitution, an army or a police force.?Gandhi was opposed to centralisation.
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Militarism:
Subhas Bose was deeply attracted to military discipline while Gandhiji was against the military on the whole.
Ideas on Economy:
Gandhi’s concept of Swaraj had its own brand of economic vision. He wanted a decentralised economy without state control while Bose was in favour of large industrialisation for India.
Education:
Gandhi was against the English system of education as also against the use of English as a medium of instruction. Subhash Bose was for higher education, especially in the technical and scientific fields, as he wanted an industrial India.
Though the means differed from each other, both Bose and Gandhi showed deep mutual respect for each other. In 1942,?Gandhi called Bose the “Prince among the Patriots”. Bose believed Gandhiji as a symbol of Indian nationalism and called him?“The Father of Our Nation”.