VARANASI: Colonel Nizamuddin, a centenarian and close associate of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose , greeted publicly by Narendra Modi at his election rally here on Thursday, is struggling to get recognition as a freedom fighter even over six decades after Independence.

Modi touched the feet of Nizamuddin, a native of Azamgarh district, who claims to be 114-year-old and served in Indian National Army. By touching the feet of a Muslim war veteran, Modi might have tried to give a message to his political opponents, but it remains to be seen would this gesture would Nizamuddin to get the recognition as a freedom fighter.

"We have been struggling for a long time to get or father recognized as a freedom fighter but all our efforts proved futile. When he was the DM of Azamgarh, Pranjal Yadav had called us to look into the matter but nothing was done," said Mohammed Akram , son of Nizamuddin. The problem is that they had no supporting document like identity card or passport required by the district authorities. "All the documents had been destroyed at that time," said Nizamuddin.

The only document he has with him to show his association with the INA is the repatriation certificate issued in favour of Nizamuddin by one Swami (full name SV Swami), the chairman of Relief and Repatriation Council, Ex. Azad Hind Fauj and Allied Organisation, Rangoon. It is a certificate having information about him and a pledge for the nation with a seal of AH Fauj & Allied Organisation, Burma.

Nizamuddin belongs to Dhakwa village in Mubarakpur area in Azamgarh district. He is the eldest of the three sons of his father Imam Ali, who lived Singapore at that time. Nizamuddin went to Singapore when he was 16-17 years old and began helping his father in running a canteen. Later he joined British army and worked for several years. It was Netaji's call to uproot the British rule that made him join INA.

Nizamuddin is not ready to accept that Netaji died in air crash in 1945. He said that the rumour about his death in crash was spread by vested interests to gain power. Nizamuddin said that he had dropped Netaji on the bank of Sitangpur River near the Burma-Thailand border. He claimed and corroborated the findings of Justice Mukherjee Commission. He used to drive Netaji's 12-cylinder car, which was gifted by the King of Malaya. He claims that he was also capable of handling all types of guns. His expertise in handling heavy guns and driving brought him closer to Netaji. He claimed that he spent four years with Netaji after joining the INA in 1942.

He said that he was also present in the function at the Jubilee Hall in Rangoon when women weighed Netaji with 27 sacks of ornaments. "I carried those sacks of ornaments on my back to the treasury of INA," said Nizamuddin. He was also sure that Bose lived in Faizabad in the guise of Gumnami Baba for years after Independence.

After dropping Netaji at riverside, he went back to Rangoon and settled there. He married Habibunnisa, a Burmese girl of Indian origin. He has four sons and three daughters. In Burma, he worked as tourist guide and also undertook other petty works to earn livelihood. In 1969, he along with his family returned to India and settled at his ancestral house in Azamgarh.

