12. A Trial in the Red Fort

Tür:

Kitap Bölümü

Yayın yılı:

2008

Yayıncı:

ISEAS Publishing

THE VICTORS DISPOSE After the war INA officers and men in Southeast Asia were repatriated to India. An organization called the British Combined Services Detailed Interrogation Centre interrogated the returned prisoners in the Red Fort. The fort had an illustrious history. It had been the seat of Mogul rule and the focal point of fighting toward the end of the Indian Mutiny in 1857. It became during the war the goal of Netaji and the independence movement. Now a new drama unfolded there as thousands of Indian freedom fighters arrived as prisoners. Fifteen hundred had been captured at Imphal. In September seven thousand surrendered in Malaya and Bangkok. Over ten thousand INA soldiers were returned from Rangoon between May and October 1945. Not until March 1946 were all repatriated. Thousands were interrogated within the walls of the historical Red Fort. Some were simply returned to their regiments. Others were sent to “rehabilitation centres” before being returned to the Army. Still others were held in custody, adjudged too “indoctrinated” to be safe within the Army again. On all sides arose popular support for the returned heroes. Sympathy for the patriots spread to the Army and Navy. Nehru spoke of the men on 20 August: Now a very large number of officers and soldiers of the I.N.A. … are prisoners and some of them at least have been executed. At any time it would have been wrong to treat them too harshly, but at this time—when it is said big changes are impending in India…

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