Roads to Delhi 279
for advancing the cause of India’s freedom.” The mission of the Provi-
sional Government he had set up would be over, once India became
free. The Indian people would then choose their form of government
and decide who should be in charge of that government. He and his
coworkers regarded themselves as servants of the Indian people. Free-
dom of their motherland was the only reward they sought in return for
their suf fering and sac ri fice. “There are many among us,” he went on to
say, “who would like to retire from the po lit i cal field, once India is free.
The remainder will be content to take up any position in Free India,
however humble it may be. The spirit that animates all of us today is
that it is more honorable to be even a sweeper in Free India than to
have the highest position under British rule.”
Bose expressed absolute con fi dence in “our final victory.” By this, he
did not mean the victory of the Axis powers or Japan. “His triumph
would be the expulsion of the British from India,” according to a Brit-
ish intelligence of fi cer who fought against him, “and this he would
share with Mr. Gandhi and the Indian people.” All that he hoped for
from the Japanese was suf fi cient time for him to ensure that the British
could not reassert their authority over their Asian colonies. S. A. Ayer
observed Bose intently in the radio studio as he prepared to deliver the
last line of his address. “Father of our Nation!” he began. His voice
turned hoarse, then quivered, and a solemn look came over his face.
His throat cleared and the words came out clear and strong. “In this
holy war for India’s liberation”—and then came a pause, a lowering of
the pitch, and a tone of supplication—“we ask for your blessings and
good wishes.”^81
On July 10, 1944, the Japanese informed Bose that their military po-
sition had become untenable and they had no option but to order a
withdrawal from Imphal. Netaji and his followers gathered once more
at Bahadur Shah’s tomb on the emperor’s death anniversary, which fell
on July 11. Their solace on this somber occasion—in addition to a Ba-
hadur Shah couplet about a warrior’s faith, composed after the collapse
of the 1857 revolt—was a well- known verse from Lord Byron’s poem
“The Giaour”: “Freedom’s battle once begun, bequeathed from bleed-
ing sire to son, tho’ baffled oft, is e’er won.”^82