This is Subhas Chandra Bose speaking to you over the “Azad Hind Radio†in reply to the historic declaration of the Prime Minister of Japan.
His Excellency the Prime Minister of Japan, General Tojo, has, after the fall of Singapore and of Rangoon, made two historic pronouncements on the Indian problem. These declarations are of such great significance that it is necessary for India to speak in reply what her attitude is. On behalf of all freedom-loving Indians in India and abroad, I offer my sincere thanks to the Japanese Prime Minister for his outspoken sympathy for Indian independence. The slogan he has uttered, “India for the Indiansâ€, will go down in history as the prophetic utterance of a far-seeing statesman. Ever since the Russo-Japanese war of 1904-1905, the Indian people have looked upon the awakening in Japan with admiration. It was through Japan that Asia first asserted her self-respect and honour. A strong Japan, therefore, is in the best interests of Asia.
I welcome most heartily the statement of His Excellency the Prime Minister that Japan is determined to destroy completely the influence of Anglo-American imperialism in the East. Until this is done, Asia will be under a perpetual danger. Asia, and particularly India, will be for ever grateful to the Tripartite Powers if they can dispose of this menace once for all. The present war which the Tripartite Powers are waging against Britain and America, is of vital interest to India, and the Indian people are, therefore, following with joy and satisfaction the continued defeats of the Anglo-American forces.
It will be wrong for me to ignore the fact that there is a certain section among the Indian people that is, for some reason or other, on the side of Britain. This is but natural in a country that has been so long under a foreign yoke. But I may say without the slightest exaggeration that the vast majority of the Indian people are burning with the desire to break their shackles of bondage. For them this war is a God-sent opportunity for realising their long-cherished aspirations and achieve independence.
The people of India remember quite clearly how they were deceived and betrayed by British politicians during the last World War. They have no desire to repeat that experience. They know that British rule in India has been one long record of broken pledges and unredeemed promises. They have, therefore, resolved to liquidate once for all the British regime in India, which was born of robbery and corruption and which has thrived on injustice and oppression.
I can assure His Excellency the Prime Minister that India will not miss this golden opportunity, which is indeed rare in the lifetime of a nation. The Indian people are today fully conscious of the two factors that are primarily responsible for her servitude and her isolation from the rest of the world and her internal disunity. This lesson, which they have learnt from bitter and painful experience, they will never forget. As in the old days, when India was a free, proud and progressive nation, so also in future will the Indian people live In the closest friendship with all the other nations of the world, and In particular with the Tripartite Powers, and thereby contribute to the common culture and civilisation of humanity, and it will be an honour and privilege for India to cooperate intimately with Japan in the noble task of creating a great Asia that will be free, happy and prosperous.
Inquilab Zindabad! Azad Hind Zindabad!