INA Trials

Formation of the INA
The INA was formed in December 1941 after Captain Mohan Singh of the Punjab Regiment surrendered to the Japanese in Malaya during World War II.
Thousands of Indian soldiers taken as POWs were motivated to join an armed struggle for freedom.
Japanese officer Major Fujiwara encouraged Mohan Singh to form an Indian army from these POWs to liberate India from British rule.

Initial Developments
Between March and June 1942, the Indian Independence League (IIL)—a civilian body—was created to oversee the INA’s functioning.
Rashbehari Bose, an exiled revolutionary in Japan, became the League’s president.
By late 1942, the INA had grown to nearly 40,000 soldiers under Mohan Singh.

Entry of Subhas Chandra Bose
In 1943, Subhas Chandra Bose arrived in Southeast Asia and took charge of the INA.
He established the Provisional Government of Free India (Azad Hind Government), recognized by eight countries including Germany and Italy.
Bose became the Supreme Commander of the INA.

INA’s Struggle
In June 1943, Japan handed over the administration of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands to the INA.
Bose renamed the islands Shaheed and Swaraj, envisioning them as the first liberated territory of independent India.

Important Features of the INA Movement
The INA was structured into three main brigades:
Gandhi Brigade, Azad Brigade, and Nehru Brigade.

A landmark formation was the Rani Jhansi Regiment, an all-women combat unit led by Captain Lakshmi Sehgal.

In 1944, INA forces marched with Japanese troops towards India, aiming to capture Imphal and advance into Assam.

Reasons for INA’s Failure
Despite their determination, several factors led to INA’s defeat:
Lack of independent air power and weak logistical support.
Failure of supply lines and poor coordination with Japanese forces.
Heavy monsoon rains affecting mobility.
A strong Allied counteroffensive.
Collapse of command structures and severe shortages of resources.
INA troops briefly set foot on Indian soil in March 1944 but could not retain positions. After the final battle at Mount Popa (Burma) in 1945, more than 20,000 INA soldiers surrendered.

Role of Women in INA
The INA marked a revolutionary moment in women’s participation in India’s armed struggle:
Around 1,500 women joined the Rani Jhansi Regiment.
Initially assigned non-combat tasks, they were later recognized for battlefield roles during the Imphal campaign.
Their involvement transformed women’s contribution from passive resistance to active militancy.

INA Trials (Red Fort Trials)
After INA’s surrender, the British launched trials to punish officers for treason, murder, and waging war against the Crown.
Held at the Red Fort, the trials attracted massive public attention and ignited widespread anger against British rule.

Objectives of the British
To punish ‘disloyalty’ within the armed forces.
To portray INA soldiers as violent rebels.
To shape public sentiment against the INA.
To reinforce British authority over the Indian Army.

Major Trials & Public Response
The first and most famous trial involved:
P.K. Sahgal (Hindu)
G.S. Dhillon (Sikh)
Shah Nawaz Khan (Muslim)
This religious unity turned the accused into national heroes.

Public Reactions
The Congress set up a Defence Committee led by Bhulabhai Desai, Tej Bahadur Sapru, and Jawaharlal Nehru.

Protests erupted across major cities and even remote areas like Coorg, Baluchistan, and Assam.

Government employees, students, workers, and sections of the armed forces joined the agitation.

Massive celebrations, including INA Week and INA Day, expressed nationwide support.

Ultimately, the British were forced to remit the sentences, signalling a victory for popular resistance.

Significance of the INA Struggle
Communal Harmony: INA soldiers fought as Indians, not as separate religious groups.

Women’s Empowerment: The all-women Rani Jhansi Regiment inspired future generations.

Global Support: Overseas Indians contributed funds, manpower, and moral backing.

Impact on British Confidence: The participation of Indian soldiers raised doubts in the British mind about the reliability of the Indian army—the backbone of their rule.

Critical Analysis
The INA showcased extraordinary courage and symbolized India’s will to fight for freedom.

It ignited a strong nationalist wave that cut across provinces, classes, and communities.

However, unity within the INA was sometimes more organizational than emotional.

Congress support, though crucial, was partly influenced by political benefits in the 1946 elections.

Conclusion
The INA’s military campaign may not have succeeded on the battlefield, but it dealt a decisive moral blow to British imperialism.
The INA Trials transformed the freedom struggle, sparked mass mobilisation, and weakened the British hold over the Indian armed forces.
The legacy of Subhas Chandra Bose and the INA remains a powerful symbol of India’s final push towards independence.

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