The episode of Bose’s presence at Chesezu during WW II 1944 evoked the memories of elderly people who had witnessed the event. Many people still alive are narrating the story and some of them even encountered with Netaji and his INA who sojourned to this village during the war. They recognize Netaji when they see posters which was exactly what they have seen in real life. There are lots of people having perplexity about the march of Netaji to Naga Hills and very less has been written about the whole events in the annals of history. Most of the information fed to us by Anglo-American bearing mostly one side story written by victors in their own light. While vast treasures of Japanese memoirs remain locked out of view of international scholars because they have not been translated into English and reluctant of Japanese themselves to recount the events. We the Nagas in those days have no written records and only few local narrative traditionally forming the oral history. Eventually, the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Memorial Society Nagaland under the initiative of Er. Vekho Swüro ( the Author) wrote the book titled “Discovery of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Delhi Chalo last camp in Nagaland” says Netaji was based in the state during the battle of Kohima. The book was widely published in 2005 and officials from Netaji Memorial Trust of India visited the site in 2011. Netaji relatives also came and visited in 2012. Thus, enlightened about the forgotten heroic and enthuse the aged people to recollect more memories of those days and divulged the scene. The CONHAT, a local commitee then took initiative of further research work and bring out documentary film, titled,”Imprint of a Patriot” which declassify the footprint of the freedom fighter in this native Village during 1944. In this regard the site is declared as Netaji Heritage and a tourist destination. Though the department is yet to inaugurate, tourist from far and near are visiting throughout the years.
Further evidences comes from the old aged people who encountered with during the WW II. Late Puracho (Naga Hikari Kikan) while in his life time tell about his associates with INA and Netaji during WW II, in his own word he pronounced that, “Chesezu Camp was to my best knowledge the Last Camp of Netaji and INA in Nagaland”. He further says “when Japanese came to our Village they said, ‘we are brothers by blood and of the same race’ - Mongolians”. When N.Theyo, Former Minister in his rejoinder given on 21 Oct. 2017, clarify that WW II on May 1944, 2 Japanese came to Thenyizu village and were begging for food items unauthorized, there were instructions written in red ink pasted on the Village gate issued by commander Netaji Subhash Bose who was staying at Chesezu Camp hidden under bamboo grooves. The behaviour of the two soldiers were reported to Netaji by the Thenyizu Village GB Pukropa Resu. On receiving the report, Netaji came rushing with his war horse which was big, brown and beautiful. As soon as he encountered the two soldiers near the Village gate, he slapped them one by one. The two soldiers without showing any anger stood up and said ‘Hii’ which means ‘yes’ in Japanese. Though he(N.Theyo) witnessed the event during his childhood, the memories still remain clear and fresh to him about the action of Netaji. Hundreds of Villagers witnessed the event and some of them are still alive. One of the anecdote is about Netaji’s reaction on being told that “Japanese soldiers were collecting taxes from the Villagers, he(Netaji) scribbed something in Japanese on a paper and stuck it on the main gate, they did not harass us after that”, recalls Rev. Poswunyi, a resident of Chesezu. Shri N.Theyo even went to Netaji Bhawan, Calcutta in 1994 and met his maternal uncle Dr. C.C Bose and saw the photographs which were exactly like he saw Netaji in real life. Mr.Vezo Swuro a retired teacher at Chesezu Village who associated Netaji in his camp during April 1944. In his youth, Mr Vezo with some of his friends they did some minor work for Netaji from the camp. Gooseberry is a favourite fruit of Bose. A Villager (Mr. Swuzo) testified that when he went to the camp Netaji gave him two tablet of medicine for his illness and he was relieved. Mr Vezo is still alive with fresh memories and narrated the stories about Netaji and his camp at Chesezu. It is interesting to note that the camp was located just below the Village and under a thick bamboo grooves surrounded by some bunkers and a well near it (British bombared difficult to locate). Above the camp about one furlong in distance was I. B. Dak Bungalow where the INA soldiers stayed while below the camp about one furlong in distance was (a place called Zunyi khuduku) stationed by Japaneses soldiers where their war horses were gathered and the rations collected from the Villages were stocked there for distribution. The hill peak called Netaji Peak is where Netaji monitored his war activities and watching Kohima battle from binocular everyday. From this hill peak the Kohima and beyond are clearly visible. Netaji also sometime enter to the village and sit on a stone and address the people and promises developments when he win the war. Rev. Zhowhuyi who is at his 80s had said, he had heard the name of Subhash Bose and had seen the great leader who is very handsome. Mr. Muleyi VCC who is at his 70s also said, during those years of 1960s and 70s he had heard the people talking about Bose who came to the Village. Today about 20 Villagers still alive and narrating the memories of the events.
In recent papers, some learned writers who denies the presence of Bose in Naga hills and elaborates the references of books they read. Ofcourse it is an eye opener to one and all to go for further research. Their insistent inquisition of hard facts and proof of evidences itself is their limitation and history should not be concerted into politically motivated. The accounts of eyewitness is important and should not be undermined as well.`
On the pretext of the war, Netaji was the enemy of the Allied forces and it is a top secret of his movement to the region. He couldn’t be loitering around at Burma or Manipur fringes all throughout the war for 2 months 4 days battle of Kohima because his destiny is India and his mission was to liberate India from the foreign rule. He manoeuvre his INA as Subhash Brigade to drive British rule with the help of Japanese aid and landed to India. It was not necessary to refer to all the book knowledges, however we likes to quote few words mentioned by V.S Patil and others, ‘Netaji urged the Indian liberated areas on 4th April 1944 and says, the provisional government of free India is the only lawful government in India’. “Rally round your own government and thereby help to preserve and saveguard your own liberty”. From the book of S.C.Bose and the Indian National movement written by Hari Hara (p-152) stated, at this point of time Japan gave aeroplane to Netaji who advanced to the front, shifting a part of his government (to Maymyo, a town by the Chin riverside) on 5th. April 1944. The general operation plan envisaged the INA unit pushing to Kohima and Imphal with Japanese forces and the target to besiege the Imphal and Kohima was to advance to the plain and finally forward to Delhi to oust the British empire in India. But the operation of these region are one of the fierced battle against the Allied forces by his lieutenant generals like Lt, Gen. Kotuku Sato commander of 31st Division who advanced from Humalin to aim at Kohima, north of Imphal. Lt.Gen. Renga Mutaguchi commander of the 15th Division deployed to attack Imphal to which the INA Division was attached. The 33rd Division commanded by Lt. Gen. Kawabe from Burma to aim at Imphal by crossing Chindween river. Two battalion under Col. Shah Nawaz Khan were deployed to relieve Japan forces guarding the line of communication over the Chin Hills near Haka and Falam. Netaji inspected and encouraged all troops pushing through Rangoon to the front. In Imphal operation Bose says, “ Our blood and more so with our sweat”. The march to Delhi was halted when the Azad Hind Fauj was defeated at Kohima and the Imphal operation cancelled. Netaji had to recede from here as the Indo-Japanese forces were compelled to retreat.(V.S. Patil in his book, S.C.Bose and his contribution to Indian Nationalism(p-272) it stated, “ no set back.. this glorious sacrifice can never go in vain” says Bose. From the book of S.C.Bose His Dream of free India written by R.K.Pruthi (p-178-179) it says, Netaji maintain close contact with his troops and there were occasion when he himself ran the risk of being encircle or killed in action. The scholars believe that while the operation took place over the region, Britishers were alert to the intelligence danger posed by the INA, Bose knows very well how he would be the centre of target if the Allied got wind of his presence, thus might have keep his presence as covert as possible in his march while in Naga Hills to avoid his presence from the Allied forces-(Gordon Grahan in his book, ‘Trees are all young Garrisson hills), it stated that Netaji himself was reported to have few miles away from the Kohima battle but the place was not mentioned in the book.
In the course of the intensity of war, Nagas were dragged into the war unknowingly and individually involved with both side of the camps.Those Nagas living in proximity with the administrative centre of British government had drawn more influence with the Britishers, while distant places specially remote Villages had more interfers with the Japanese bonhomous and shared with them whatever food item they have at home when the World war II came to our native land.
Vetacho Neinu, Chairman
Committee on Netaji Heritage at Tsüswüzu (Chesezu)
