India wouldn’t have been partitioned if Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose was alive: NSA Doval

National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval on Saturday said India would not have been partitioned had Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose been alive.

Delivering the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose memorial lecture organised by industry chamber ASSOCHAM in New Delhi, Doval said, “The idea that came to his mind was – ‘I will fight the British, I will not beg for freedom. It is my right and I will have to get it.’ India would not have been partitioned if Subhas Chandra Bose was there. Jinnah said I can accept only one leader and that is Subhas Bose.”

Doval applauded Bose’s audacity and tenacity in his commitment for the country. He highlighted how Bose fearlessly challenged British authorities, confronting a British principal during his college days, to resigning from the Indian National Congress at a young age, defying even Mahatma Gandhi. At the same time, he said Bose had great respect for Gandhi.

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‘Had audacity like no other’

“Bose possessed audacity like no other. He had the courage to challenge the prevailing powers, regardless of the consequences. His audacity was evident throughout his life, from his journey to London for the ICS to his escape from India during detention. He displayed unparalleled bravery and determination,” he said.

Highlighting the legacy of Bose, Doval spoke about Netaji’s ability to unite people from diverse backgrounds and how he envisioned a unified and strong India. “Bose’s leadership was exceptional. He recognised India as a reality, transcending divisions of caste, religion, and ethnicity. His vision of a united India, encapsulated in his famous slogan Kadam Kadam Badhaye Ja. It resonated with people across all walks of life. He inspired them to fight for their country, united in their pursuit of freedom,” Doval said.

The NSA said Bose was a secular person and that he was deeply religious. “Bose’s efforts were monumental, fuelled by his romantic ideals of patriotism and his unwavering hope for a great India. History may have been unkind to him, but his impact and nationalism continued even after his passing. He left an indelible mark on the hearts and minds of countless Indians who were inspired by his extraordinary journey,” he said.

Ajit Doval new ‘distorian’: Cong

Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh strongly reacted to Doval’s statement that India would not have been partitioned had Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose been alive.

Ramesh said there is no way one can definitely say this as by 1940 Netaji had formed the Forward Bloc. “You can have opinions on this but it is a contrafactual question,” Ramesh said calling the NSA a new entry in the club of distorians — a moniker that he earlier used for Union minister Kiren Rijiju.

Twitter link: Jairam Ramesh hits out at Doval

“Would Partition not have happened if Netaji was alive then? Who can say because by 1940 Netaji had formed the Forward Bloc. You can have opinions on this but it is a contrafactual question,” he tweeted. “One thing Mr Doval did not say. The man who championed Partition of Bengal was Shyama Prasad Mukherjee in the face of strong opposition from Sarat Chandra Bose, Netaji’s elder brother,” he stated further in his tweet.

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‘Focus on emerging technologies’

Doval called on India Inc to focus on bringing in critical and emerging technologies and make its workforce globally competitive to take forward the country’s development trajectory. He underlined India’s increasingly crucial role in providing workforce globally and said the country could achieve much more if its human resources are adequately skilled.

“Our biggest strength is our human resource — a highly motivated and committed workforce. We need to develop their skills to make them globally competitive,” the NSA said. He also conveyed to industry leaders that there is a need to focus on critical and emerging technologies.

“We should bring in critical and emerging technologies, diverse technologies. You have to be globally competitive, you have to be innovative, you have to be cost effective and if you have to do it, you have to invest in them,” he said.

(With agency inputs)