Haripura Congress: Subhash Chandra Bose Elected as President
In 1938, the All India Congress Committee met and elected Subhash Chandra Bose as the President of the Congress Conference to be held in Haripura, Gujarat. Notably, it was the 51st session of the Congress, and the fact that it was to be held in a rural setting stirred significant enthusiasm. The election of a Bengali after Deshbandhu Chittaranjandas in 1922 brought great joy to the Bengali community.
Subhash Bose, accompanied by his mother Prabhavathi Devi, brother Sarat Chandra Bose, wife Vibhavati, and Deshbandhu's widow Vasantima, boarded the Mumbai Mail. They were met with floral garlands and adulation at every station en route.
Upon arrival, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and Darbara Gopaldas welcomed him at Udana Railway Station near Haripura with huge garlands. His arrival was grand—he was taken in a cart drawn by 51 white bullocks, flanked by Pandit Nehru, Rajendra Prasad, Maulana Azad, Barrister Nariman, Govind Ballabh Pant, and Acharya Kripalani. Despite the gathering of over two lakh people, the event remained orderly. After the parade and flag salutation, Subhash paid homage to Vithalbhai Patel's portrait, which was officially garlanded by Nehru, marking the formal handover of the presidency.
Presidential Speech: A Call for National Awakening
In his inaugural speech, Bose declared emotionally that no power on earth could keep India enslaved any longer. While his statement inspired the audience, some British officers viewed it with cynicism. One officer remarked bitterly, "It's fun to see a priest of non-violence celebrated this way."
Bose's presidential address was memorable. He expressed his gratitude and humility, calling it a tribute to youth power and honoring the legacy of past Congress Presidents. He warned that, just as empires rose quickly and fell, the British Empire would soon collapse. He criticized the British for their divide-and-rule policy, referencing the plight of Ireland and Palestine.
Clash of Ideologies: Subhash vs Gandhi
Gandhiji was visibly disturbed by Bose's fiery rhetoric, particularly his implied acceptance of possible partition. However, the public did not perceive any fault in Bose's logic, as the political climate seemed to validate his warnings. Bose emphasized the need to uplift minorities and pushed for the creation of a Planning Commission and the promotion of cottage industries for economic development. This led to the formal launch of the Planning Commission in Mumbai in December 1938, under Jawaharlal Nehru's chairmanship.
Bose's Re-election Bid and the Split
Later, Subhash announced his intent to contest for a second term as Congress President. This met stiff resistance from the Congress's right wing. Despite his explanation that he needed continuity to complete vital work, the opposition propped up Pattabhi Sitaramaiah, backed by Mahatma Gandhi. In the ensuing election, Subhash triumphed with 1,580 votes over Sitaramaiah's 1,375—a result Gandhi famously referred to as his defeat.
Efforts at reconciliation followed. Nehru and Rabindranath Tagore encouraged a meeting between Bose and Gandhi. The encounter, however, failed to bridge the widening ideological rift.
Illness and Isolation: The Tripura Congress Session
As Bose prepared for the Tripura Congress session, he fell gravely ill. Despite a 105-degree fever, he insisted on attending. At the session, held near the Narmada River, he was carried in on a mattress, unable to mount the ceremonial elephant. His health shocked even Nehru and Patel. Yet, his spirit remained unbroken.
With assistance from Sarat Chandra Bose and Narendra Senani, his speech was translated and read aloud. He reiterated his call for Satyagraha, Savinaya Avagya Andolan, and complete Swaraj if the British refused to yield. Gandhiji, however, remained absent.
Resignation and the Birth of the Forward Bloc
Unable to reconcile with Congress leadership, Bose resigned in April 1939. But resignation did not mark retreat. Instead, he mobilized progressive and reformist factions within the Congress under the banner of the Forward Bloc. By May 1939, the Forward Bloc began its ideological campaign, challenging the Congress High Command's policies. In July, a demand for internal democracy within the party stirred tensions. Congress President Rajendra Prasad opposed the move, warning Bose not to persist. Bose refused to comply and was subsequently expelled from Congress and barred from holding office for three years. Yet, this did not diminish his public stature. Even Gandhi admitted that Bose's popularity had only grown after his resignation.
World War II and Bose's Defiant Stand
In September 1939, as World War II broke out, Bose—speaking at a massive rally at Marina Beach—called it a golden opportunity for India to secure independence. In contrast, the British Viceroy Linlithgow imposed sweeping restrictions without consulting Indian leaders. Gandhiji, while criticizing British autocracy, offered support in Britain's moment of crisis. Bose, however, condemned the war as an imperialist conflict and urged the people not to support it, reflecting two sharply divergent visions of Indian nationalism.
Final Meeting with Gandhi and the Unyielding Spirit
Bose received a wire from Gandhi inviting him to the Vardha Congress executive meeting. Their final conversation was emotionally charged. Bose confronted Gandhi about his expulsion, calling it an injury masked in non-violence. Gandhi's reply—“The punishment I gave you was mild”—drew a sharp rebuke from Bose. Yet, behind the harsh words, both men revealed their mutual respect and emotional anguish.
The meeting led to a resolution offering conditional wartime cooperation, which the British dismissed with vague promises of future self-governance. The Congress decided on ministerial resignations and a non-cooperation movement—neither of which were followed through. Bose was deeply disappointed.
Mobilizing the Nation from Outside the Congress
Disillusioned, Bose organized anti-imperialist conferences in Nagpur (October 1939) and Ramgarh (March 1940). In August 1939, he launched the Forward Bloc weekly, which led to government crackdowns and arrests.
As the European war intensified, Bose held a Second Forward Bloc Conference in June 1940, urging "all power in the hands of Indians." On his way back, he visited Gandhi—unaware that it would be their final meeting.
Legacy and Departure
Subhash appealed to Gandhi one last time to lead the national struggle. Gandhi, citing the violent international atmosphere, declined. Bose declared that if he could not ignite revolution from within India, he would do so from abroad. With a heavy heart and unwavering resolve, he bid farewell—"Slavery is intolerable to me."
This marked the beginning of his next chapter—his quest to lead the Indian freedom struggle from outside the nation, which would eventually lead to the formation of the Azad Hind Fauj (Indian National Army).