Netaji's Forward Bloc newspaper released in book

New Delhi, Jan 23 (UNI) ''Forward Bloc'', a compilation and reprint of all the editions of a publication started by Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose in 1939 to build opinion against the British establishment, was released in book form here today on his 111th Birth Anniversary.

In 1939, Netaji had parted ways with the Indian National Congress and formed his own party -- Forward Bloc -- besides starting the newspaper, with the same name.

However, the British rulers banned the publication one year later in 1940.

After the ban, there was no trace of the publication till Forward Bloc general secretary Ashok Ghosh reportedly received a five-kg packet from Italy, where Netaji is said to have gone to meet Benito Mussolini, a year ago.

The packet contained almost every edition of the newspaper that was published for over an year.

Besides hard-hitting editorials written by Netaji himself, the publication carries articles by nationalistic writers such as Nirad C Chaudhury and Niharendu Datta Majumdar.

Majumdar had played an important role in the movement against the regressive Permanent Settlement Act.

A Bengali living in Italy had stored the papers, which were found by his family and dispatched to Mr Ghosh.

All the editions of the newspaper had been compiled and reprinted in two volumes in the book, which was released here by Forward Bloc general secretary Debabrata Biswas in presence of CPI leaders A B Bardhan and D Raja.

The book is priced at Rs 1000.

UNI AG DS KP1813