Senaka Weeraratna 

Watch “PM Modi unveils statue of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose at India Gate” on

The narrative on WW2 is being rewritten in India. The unveiling of a huge sculptured statue of the Liberator of India, Netaji Subash Chandra Bose by the Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi, is a water shed moment for not only India but for all of Asia that were subject to occupation by the Western powers.

Subash Chandra Bose was an ally of  both Adolf Hitler and Hideki Tojo. Hitler provided the Submarine for Bose to travel from Germany to Japan. It is an epic story that must be taught in  schools.

Had Subash Chandra Bose not crossed from one continent to another in one of the most daring episodes of WW2, the History of India and in turn the History of Asia may have ended differently. 

The support that Japan gave to India in WW2 is still an unsung story. While Gandhi and Nehru embraced the colonial masters and believed their fake promises of granting independence to India, Subash Chandra Bose placed his trust on the Japanese who unflinchingly pledged freedom to all of Asia with the rallying cry ‘Asia for Asians’. 

Once India gives leadership to changing the WW2 narrative attributing due credit to Japan, nothing can prevent the former leaders of Japan like Hideki Tojo and other Japanese Generals, who were convicted in the so called ‘Tokyo Trials’ 

by the Allies meeting out Victor’s Justice, from emerging as Great Heroes.

The outstanding Indian Judge Radhabinod Pal was the star of the show trial that goes as the International Military Trial for the Far East. 

Radhabinod Pal was the only dissenting Judge in a panel of Judges that in the words of a highly reputed American Jurist acted like a high profile ‘ Lynch Mob ‘. 

Today, Narendra Modi is giving a level of leadership that no other Indian leader has done since grant of independence to India in 1947. Moral cowardice stalks leaders of Asia. That is the defining line.

Shame on them. The thought provoking Book ‘ Can Asians Think’ by Kishore Mahbubani hits the nail on the head.

 Hideki Tojo’s catch cry ‘Asia for Asians’ rallied the enslaved people of Asia to fight for freedom from Western colonial domination of Asian territory. The Japanese sponsored Conference of Asian Nations held in Tokyo in November 1943 was a ground breaking event. Netaji Subash Chandra Bose then wearing the mantle of the Head of the Provisional Govt. of India based in Andaman Islands delivered a historic speech at this Conference when he referred to Japan as the ‘ Light of Asia’, and thanked Japan for taking on the challenge of liberating Asia from Western Imperialism. He further said that Asians will never get a chance like this for another one hundred years if fellow Asians do not back Japan to prosecute the war till victory is achieved. 

‘Europe for Europeans’ and ‘Asia for Asians’ made wonderful sense and gave meaning to the freedom struggle 

during WW2 and thereafter.

A new dawn is arising in Asia and the center of gravity of world power is shifting from the West to the East.

Thank you, Narendra Modi, for acting like a catalyst in this unstoppable shift of power. The days of hypocrisy and double standards in the international arena will soon be over. 

Senaka Weeraratna