Subhash Chandra Bose and Azad Hind Fauj

Subhash Chandra Bose reached Germany on April 3, 1941. He founded the “Free India Centre” with the help of the German government after 6 months. German ruler Adolf Hitler approved it and permitted S.C. Bose to organize an army for independence war in late 1941. S.C. Bose raised an army with 10,000 prisoners of General Irwin Rommel battle in North Africa. This is known as “The Free Indian Legion.”

The Rani of Jhansi Regiment was the Women’s Regiment of the Indian National Army (INA) during the Second World War. It was named after Rani Laxmi Bai of Jhansi, a revolutionary heroine. The regiment was formed in 1943 under Subhas Chandra Bose, along with other Indian nationalist forces aiming to overthrow the British Empire in colonial India, with assistance from Imperial Japan. The Indian National Army had other battalions namely- Subash brigade, Nehru Brigade, Azad Brigade, and Gandhi Brigade.

The Rani of Jhansi Regiment was the Women’s Regiment of the Indian National Army (INA) during the Second World War. It was named after Rani Laxmi Bai of Jhansi, a revolutionary heroine. The regiment was formed in 1943 under Subhas Chandra Bose, along with other Indian nationalist forces aiming to overthrow the British Empire in colonial India, with assistance from Imperial Japan. The Indian National Army had other battalions namely- Subash brigade, Nehru Brigade, Azad Brigade, and Gandhi Brigade.

Rabindranath Tagore bestowed Subhash Chandra Bose with the title of ‘Desh Nayak’ or ‘National Leader’ in 1938 at Shantiniketan, after Subhash Chandra Bose became the President of INC. Mahatma Gandhi called him ‘Patriot of Patriots.’

After liberating the Andaman and Nicobar Islands from the British Empire with the Azad Hind Fauj, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose hoisted his flag there and named the Andaman Island as ‘Shaheed’ and Nicobar as ‘Swaraj’ Island.

In the year 1945, Rashid Ali, Colonel Gurbaksh Singh Dhillon, Colonel Prem Kumar Sehgal, and General Shahnawaz Khan were arrested by the British Forces and sent to Red Fort at Delhi for court-martial. After the end of the war, Colonel Gurbaksh Singh Dhillon, Colonel Prem Kumar Sehgal, and General Shahnawaz Khan were put to trial in Delhi for waging war against the British Emperor. Rashid Ali was sentenced to seven-year imprisonment while other prisoners faced the death penalty punishment. The defence of the INA prisoners was taken up by the Congress, including Bhulabhai Desai, Tej Bahadur Sapru, K.N. Katju, Jawaharlal Nehru, and Asaf Ali. They appeared in court at the historic Red Fort trials.

The officer of the INA, Mohan Singh, did not face the famous Red Fort trials in 1945. The officers of the INA were taken to court-martial at the Red Fort of Delhi in November 1945. The joint court-martial of Colonel Prem Sehgal, Colonel Gurbaksh Singh Dhillon, and Major General Shahnawaz Khan, who had been prisoners of war in Singapore, was conducted. They were charged with waging war against the King as well as murder and attempt to murder. The Congress formed a Defence Committee, which included Bhulabhai Desai, Tej Bahadur Sapru, K.N. Katju, J.L. Nehru, and Asaf Ali. Bhulabhai was the leading counsel for the defence. The Muslim League also joined in this all-India agitation.

Indian National Army soldiers Shahnawaz Khan, Gurbaksh Singh Dhillon, and Prem Kumar Sehgal were accused of treason during World War II. Bhulabhai Desai, Tej Bahadur Sapru, Kailash Nath Katju, and Jawaharlal Nehru were part of the defence team. The trial began in November 1945 at Red Fort in Delhi. Bhulabhai Desai headed the group of advocates to argue the case on behalf of the Indian National Army.