'He was a devout Hindu, but could've never killed anyone for religion': Netaji's daughter

Netaji’s daughter Anita Bose Pfaff talked to Zee Media on the occasion of her father’s birth anniversary and talked about India’s communal politics and Netaji’s belief in Hinduism.

New Delhi: India celebrated the 125th birth anniversary of iconic freedom fighter Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose on Sunday. To commemorate the memory of India’s courageous soldier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled a hologram statue of him at India Gate in New Delhi.

Netaji’s daughter Anita Bose Pfaff talked to Zee Media on the occasion of her father’s birth anniversary and talked about Bose’s statue that will be installed at India Gate, India’s communal politics and Netaji’s belief in Hinduism.

Talking to Zee Media about India’s communal divide, which led to a violent genocide during the 1947 partition as well, Bose said Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose was a staunch believer of Hindu principles but would have never killed people based on the religion.

“Neta Ji was a devout Hindu but he couldn't have killed people in the name of religion like something that we have seen since partition,” Bose said. Bose further said that instead of these ceremonial tributes like a statue and tableau, India should adopt and uphold Netaji’s ideologies.

 “What troubles me the most is that Netaji’s values and ideologies are not being upheld in his country. There are communal rivalries that often shapes into militancy that was certainly never in Netaji’s spirit.”

Bose also addressed how the facts about Netaji’s life and freedom struggle are being distorted for political gains, Bose clarified that her father met Germany’s dictator Hitler twice but only for the sake of India’s freedom because he wanted to garner global support against the British rule.

Meanwhile, the hologram sculpture unveiled at India Gate today will be a temporary arrangement in the place of a statue that will be installed at the same venue soon.

Hailed as India’s second-highest statue, the upcoming sculpture will be 28 feet high and 6 feet wide.