Translated into English by Saravanan Karmegam
***
Chapter 25: Netaji
It was third day since he had
brought the bundle of letters from Vilasini. It was early morning. The army car
that was carrying Pandian strode through pavements and short cuts and reached the
entrance of Gathe bungalow.
The room door had been kept
opened. With a peculiar Napoleonic gait, Colonel Kalik Usman was busy walking
across the room holding his hands back.
Pandian entered the room and greeted the colonel.
“Netaji has come. We have to meet
him. Come with me”
He went out. Pandian followed
him.
They went upstairs and walked on.
They kept walking mumbling the code words to the soldiers who stopped them on
their way, and reached the room.
Colonel sent out his card in.
Next moment they got the call to go in.
They entered the room and stood
after greeting. The eyes were hurt in the glaring light.
“Kalik Usman. You may have a seat”
Colonel sat down.
“You may proceed”
“I gave Lieutenant Pandian the task
of tracing out the letters. We couldn’t trace out Aungsan’s letter. We got
other letters instead”
He took out a long, green cover
from his shirt pocket and kept it on the table.
Netaji opened the cover and read
each letter- letters he wrote from Rangoon about the ongoing war, private
communications received from the president of Philippines Jose Laurel, and
letters written by the prime minister of Siam…..
“Aungsan’s letter?”
“Lieutenant Pandian…you can
explain it now” he turned to Pandian.
“Sir, that letter could have
fallen into the hands of Japanese army Major Sadavo Yamasakki. He is not
present in Singapore now. Perhaps he may be living in Sabang region in Sumathra”
“Sabang? How sure are you about
it?”
“I guessed it from the words of
the woman who had all these letters in her custody”
“Who’s that woman?”
“She is a whore. Sister of Barrister
Sankunni Menon”
Netaji’s facial expression
changed suddenly. Pandian couldn’t assess if it was it due to an unexpected
shock or just a plain anger at him for his impudent talk.
“How come these letters reached
her hands?”
“General Shivnath Rai”
“How did Aungsan’s letter fall
into Japanese army hands?”
“Vilasini”
Netaji leaned back on his chair
and deeply trying to read Pandian’s face.
“Lieutenant, are you the one from
‘Jarang’ camp?”
“Yes sir”
“I could recollect your face”
A dead silence followed for
seconds. Netaji’s eyes were closed. The colonel was sitting on the edge of his
chair blinking at the table spread. Pandian was standing like an iron statue.
Netaji opened his eyes, looked at
Pandian and told, “Yamasakki might have gone to Sumathra. A meeting of Japanese
Army officials has been scheduled at Sabang. I am not aware of the date. The general
Yoshinaka is going to attend that meeting…will you be able to bring that
letter?”
“I believe I can, Sir”
“Are you aware of Japanese army’s
conduct rules?”
“Yes, Sir”
“You get into this task solely on
the basis of your individual skills. If you are caught, I will be left
helpless. The Japanese Army is an independent organization. Even Terauchi
(Field Marshal Hisaichi Terauchi. He was the Southern Zonal chief of the Japanese
army) doesn’t have authority over them. Now you can understand. Do you?”
“Yes, Sir”
“Since a dangerous task is being
given to you, you would better be aware of the reasons behind it. The defeat of
the Japanese Army is imminent. All I want is to save my people without inviting
any troubles. If that letter reaches the higher authorities in the Japanese
Army, they would get angry with me and torment our men. Do you understand it
now?”
“Yes, sir”
“Just because it is a dangerous
task, we can’t afford neglecting that task. Someone has to assume that responsibility
and complete it anyway”
“Yes, Sir”
“Have you ever been to Sumathra?”
“Before the war started, I was
there”
“Oh!...you were born there. Weren’t
you?”
“I was born in Tamil Nadu, Sir”
“What were you doing in Sumathra?”
“I was working in a shop in Medan
city, Sir”
Those tiny sharp eyes seen behind
the thick frames of spectacles sitting on the handsome yellowish face were
piercing the heart through the eyes standing in the front.
“Good. The order would be passed
to equip you with sufficient cash you need. No matter how much it is. No help
other than this is possible now. You consult this matter with Colonel Kalik
Usman and settle it yourself.”
“Order, Sir”
“I believe in your skills”
“I am humbled, Sir”
“You may leave now, Kalik Usman”
“Sir” Colonel’s body stiffened.
Pandian paid his regards and went
out.
Sooner they returned to Security
Services Office, they were deeply examining the issues of Yamasakki- retrieval
of letter.
“In the given situation, it is
not probable that Yamasakki would go to Sabang by air. He would first go to
Medan by ship and then leave for Sabang from there by car. So, it is advisable to go to Medan first and then to
Sabang. We can’t execute any plan other than killing him to retrieve that
letter”
It was decided that Pandian had
to leave for Medan along with Sub Officer Natarajan (Son of Kirunkakottai Mangaibagan
Asari) and Havidar Karuppaiya (Younger brother of Nattarkulam Posalan alias Poi
Sollaan (the one never tells lies)) and was authorized to take
independent decisions on the execution of the most viable plan according to the
prevailing situation on ground.
A special travel permit with fake
names and distinct insignia that could be altered as and when needed and with a
signature was obtained from the Japanese General telling him that these three
men were going to Sumathra to garner intensive support for Indian Independence
Association. The permit read:
“After due consideration of
prevailing situations, all emergency travel requirements ought be extended to
these three men whenever they want to go anywhere in the Malaya- Sumathra
regions for a period of three months from today”
***End of Chapter
25 Netaji***
