Speaking at the inaugural session of the Indian Independence League Conference, held at Singapore on July 4, 1913, Netaji Bose said:
“Friends! The time has now come for freedom-loving Indians to act. Action in a War crisis demands, above all, military discipline, as well as unflinching loyalty to the cause. I, therefore, call upon all my countrymen in East Asia to line up in one solid phalanx for the grim fight that is ahead of us. I am confident that they will do so.
I have publicly declared several times that when I left homeland in 1941, on an important mission, it was in accordance with the will of the vast majority of my countrymen. Since then, despite all the restrictions imposed by the CID, I have remained in constant touch with my countrymen at home.
Patriotic Indians abroad have been working as genuine trustees of the freedom fighters at home. I can assure everybody once again that whatever we have done up till now, or may do in future, has been and will be for the freedom of India, and we shall never do anything that is either against the interests of India or will not be in accordance with the will of our people.
“In order to mobilise all our forces effectively, I intend organising a Provisional Government of Free India…By winning freedom through our own efforts and sacrifice, we shall be acquiring the strength whereby we shall preserve our liberty tor all time. I warn you that though we are absolutely sure of our final victory, we can never afford to underestimate the enemy, and we should even be prepared for temporary setbacks. We have a grim fight ahead of us — for the enemy is at once powerful, unscrupulous and ruthless. In this final march to freedom, you will have to face hunger, thirst, privation, forced marches and death. Only when you pass this test, will freedom be yours. I am confident that you will do so and thereby bring freedom and prosperity to your enslaved and impoverished land.”