"We Should Have But One Desire Today, The Desire To Die So That India May Live": Looking At Netaji's Infamous Speech That Stirred The Nation

Bose's most famous quote was "Give me blood, and I shall give you freedom!" is a part of a speech in which he urged people of India to fight against the British.

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New Delhi: Subhash Chandra Bose was the leader of Indian National Army, also known as the Azad Hind Fauj. A radical leader in Congress, he became the President of the party in 1938 but was ousted after differences with Gandhi and the party’s high command. On July 4th 1944, 'Netaji' Subhash Chandra Bose gave a motivational speech to the Indian National Army at a rally of Indians in Burma. Through the speech, he urged the people of India to join him in his fight against the British Raj. His speech was highly evocative. 

In the speech he praised, Indian people who were struggling in the country for freedom. "There is a gigantic movement going on inside India and millions of our countrymen are prepared for maximum suffering and sacrifice in order to achieve liberty"

He continued, "You must continue the mobilization of men, money and materials with greater vigour and energy, in particular, the problem of supplies and transport has to be solved satisfactorily."

Subhash Chandra Bose believed in unity of the Indian people, he knew that only through unity will the country free itself from the British shackles, he said "We require more men and women of all categories for administration and reconstruction in liberated areas. We must be prepared for a situation in which the enemy will ruthlessly apply the scorched earth policy."
He believed that he greatest honour was to give one's life for the country, "It will be a fatal mistake for you to wish to live and see India free simply because victory is now within reach. No one here should have the desire to live to enjoy freedom. A long fight is s till in front of us. We should have but one desire today-the desire to die so that India may live-the desire to face a martyr’s death, so that the path to freedom may be paved with the martyr’s blood." 

Unlike Mahatma Gandhi who took the path of non-violence, Bose was a radical leader, this explains the famous quote from his speech. "It is blood alone that can pay the price of freedom. Give me blood and I promise you freedom!"