(The Indian Intelligence Bureau - IB - did share intelligence with the British MI5, particularly regarding individuals of interest and their movements till 1960s.)
This collaboration stemmed from a close relationship between the two intelligence agencies established after Indian independence, with MI5 officers even stationed in India.
With the launch of Congress in 1885 when the polity was quickly divided into two distinct streams - Extremists and Moderates - Sri Aurobindo Ghosh quickly became a votary of extremists' position. According to Karan Singh, former Congress veteran, Sri Aurobindo also used to attack Congress for following a policy of "petition, prayer and protest" which did not aim directly towards Independence.
Aurobindo also used to say that "the National Congress was not really national" in the sense that it did not represent the mass and neither had it made any attempt to become national.
Congress was merely a representative of new Indian middle class (of the imported type) who was masquerading as a self-appointed national party. This is an example of Sri Aurobindo's masterly use of sarcasm. By the very device of proving Congress as the new, because imported, middle class Sri Aurobindo subtly and forcefully puts across Congress as a representative of a foreign class which arrogantly claimed itself to be National!
The partition of Bengal in 1905 left him angry.
In 1906 he shifted to Calcutta (Kolkata) and he was jailed twice 1907 and 1908. In the meantime, Aurobindo turned to philosophy and spirituality. His politics was transformed into 'spiritual nationalism'. The idea essentially revolved around designating Bharat or India as a Mother figure.
His editorials in Bandematam and Karmayogi became source of inspiration and even Rabindranath Tagore hailed his speeches and writings as the "voice incarnate free of India's soul".
Aurobindo held that Indian nationalism does not depend on 'congress pandals'. Indian nationalism is eternal.
He was the first thinker in India, who had a clear appreciation of the role of the masses, and the role of the proletariat. This was in 1893, long before the Marxist-Leninist revolution in the Soviet Union. According to him the proletariat may appear to be docile and immobile, but whoever succeeds in understanding the proletariat and arousing them will be master of India's destiny.
This was a very important concept, because sometimes the freedom movement has been called "bhadraloka movement" or elitist movement. Among the radical group, Sri Aurobindo was the first person to take the movement out of the drawing room and conference room on to the streets, minds and hearts of the Indian people.
Previously, the moderates would draw up beautifully drafted resolutions requesting the British government to give them dominion status. That is not the way that the radicals saw it. As a radical Sri Aurobindo was the exponent of the ideological concept of the 'poorna swarâjya' theme.
Was Nehru rewarded ?
The Congress Pradesh committees nominated Sardar Patel In 1946. But India was not free yet and was supposed to be a dominion to the British Empire. Obviously British wanted their trusted man at the helm and Gandhi had to intervene to overrule Patel’s election even though he was his most trusted right hand man and anoint Nehru.
When general elections were held in 1951–52 both Patel and Mahatma Gandhi were dead. Any one who was threat to Nehru like B R Ambedkar, Savarkar, SP Mukharjee etc all got sidelined.
Mountbatten stayed on India for almost 10 months after 15 August 1947 and left only on 23rd June 1948 -- that is five months after Gandhi assassination. Britain controlled the Army, Intelligence army even then.
In fact intelligence reported to London even after 1960s. British divided the country decided its borders.
The IB shared information gathered through surveillance, including intercepted communications, with MI5. For example, they shared details about Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose's family, including intercepted messages, with MI5.
The IB also undertook mass surveillance of Chinese nationals in India, leading to deportations and arrests.
This intelligence sharing occurred during the Cold War, with both India and Britain concerned about communist influence and potential threats from China and the Soviet Union.
ends
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