Difference in the approach of Subhas Chandra Bose and Gandhi.

Mahatma Gandhi and Subhash Chandra Bose were two of the most influential leaders of the Indian freedom struggle. Although they both shared the common goal of Purna Swaraj (Complete Independence), they differed fundamentally in their ideologies, methods, and visions for post-independence India.

1. Means and Methods: Non-Violence vs. Armed Struggle

This was the most significant point of disagreement between the two leaders:

• Gandhi: He believed in Ahimsa (Non-violence) and Satyagraha. For him, the purity of means was as important as the end. He believed that freedom won through violence would lead to a violent society.
• Bose: He was a pragmatist who believed that "ends justify the means." He felt that non-violence alone would not be enough to expel the British. He advocated for an armed revolution and formed the Indian National Army (INA) to fight for freedom.

2. Approach Towards World War II

Their strategies during the Second World War highlighted their different political outlooks:

• Gandhi: He initially felt sympathy for Britain in its fight against Fascism and did not want to take undue advantage of their crisis (though he later launched the Quit India Movement).
• Bose: He saw the war as a golden opportunity. His policy was "Britain's difficulty is India's opportunity." He sought help from Axis Powers (Germany and Japan) to strike at the heart of the British Empire.

3. Idea of Post-Independence India

Their visions for modern India were also quite different:

• Gandhi: He dreamt of Gram Swaraj (Village Republics). He was critical of large-scale industrialization and wanted a decentralized economy based on handicrafts and self-sufficient villages.
• Bose: He was a supporter of Socialism and Modernization. He believed that after independence, India needed a planned economy and heavy industries to become a powerful modern nation.

4. Personal Relationship

Despite their ideological differences, they held each other in the highest regard. It was Bose who first called Gandhi the "Father of the Nation" in a radio broadcast from Singapore, and Gandhi often referred to Bose as the "Patriot of Patriots."

Conclusion

In conclusion, the approaches of Gandhi and Bose were complementary rather than contradictory. While Gandhi’s mass mobilization weakened the moral foundation of British rule, Bose’s military challenge and the INA trials created a revolt-like situation within the British Indian Army, eventually making Independence inevitable in 1947.