Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, commonly known as just Netaji among his followers, had played a critical role during the freedom struggle in India. Despite clearing the Indian Civil Services (ICS) exams, Netaji had decided to serve the country and had joined India's freedom movement. Initially, he had joined the Indian National Congress (INC) for this, but later led the Azad Hind Fauj after escaping from house arrest in Kolkata in 1941.
Thus, the birth anniversary of Netaji Bose, who was born on January 23, 1897, is observed as 'Parakram Diwas' every year in India. This year, India will be observing the 128th birth anniversary of Netaji Bose and the day will provide us an opportunity to pay tribute to the legendary Indian freedom fighter and reflect on to his revolutionary spirit.
The mystery surrounding Netaji Bose's death
Officially, it is stated that Netaji Bose died on August 18, 1945, when the plane in which he was travelling crashed shortly after takeoff in Taihoku in Japanese-occupied Taiwan. However, many of Netaji Bose's followers have refused the believe the plane crash theory and often claim that it was a ploy to mislead the Allied forces, so that the legendary freedom fighter can continue his fight against the British.
Many have often linked him to Gumnami Baba or Bhagwanji of Faizabad, Uttar Pradesh. Several books have also been written on this such as 'India's Biggest Cover-up' (2012) written by Anuj Dhar, and 'Conundrum: Subhas Bose's Life After Death' (2019) written by Chandrachur Ghose and Dhar. Interestingly, the two are the founders of Mission Netaji, and they have refused to accept that Netaji Bose died in a plane crash, linking him to Gumnami Baba.
Who was Gumnami Baba?
Gumnami Baba or Bhagwanji was a monk who used to live at Ram Bhawan in Uttar Pradesh's Faizabad near Ayodhya. It is claimed that Gumnami Baba would talk to people only when he was hiding behind a curtain. He reportedly passed away on September 16, 1985. Two days later on September 18, he was cremated at Ayodhya's Guptar Ghat in presence of his 13 followers.
Many have claimed that he was indeed Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. This includes Gumnami Baba's landlord Gurubasant Singh, his son Shakti Singh and his neighbour Hira, who had indicated that Bhagwanji was Netaji Bose.
Links with Netaji Bose
Several authors and journalists have tried to find the links between Bose and Gumnami Baba. This includes journalist Ashok Tandon who said that Lalita Bose, one of the relatives of Netaji, had confirmed to him that a book found Gumnami Baba's place had her mother's hand-written note. In addition to this, a letter found at Baba's place was of Basanti Devi, who was the wife of Deshbandhu Chittaranjan Das. It is said that Devi considered Bose as her own son.
Apart from Tandon, Ghose and Dhar in their book 'Conundrum: Subhas Bose's Life After Death' have claimed that several other letters found at Gumnami Baba's place were of Netaji Bose. The book also claimed that Baba was in regular touch with Azad Hind Fauj's ex-intelligence officer Pabitra Mohan Roy. Handwriting expert Carl Baggett had also examined the letters of Netaji Bose and Gumnami Baba, claiming that they were the same person, the book claimed.
What Bose's family said on Gumnami Baba?
Bose family, however, has said that linking Netaji with Gumnami Baba is an 'insult'. They have claimed that there are no conclusive proofs to link Baba with Netaji. Although they believe that his disappearance remains unresolved. They had also welcomed the Mukherjee Commission's rejection of the Taihoku plane crash theory.
"Linking Netaji with some Gumnami Baba is actually disrespect shown to a person who has devoted his entire life to the country. The people should go through files relating to him declassified till date before making such comments," Sugata Bose, Netaji Bose's grandson and an author, told news agency PTI in 2016.
"So far 99.9 per cent of the files related to Netaji are available and people must read them before linking him to someone like Gumnami Baba and stop insulting the country's great hero," he added.
