NEW DELHI: During his evidence in the Court Martial today [Nov 23], Subedar Asal Noor Khan related a fact which indicated the closest tie between the I.N.A. and the Japanese Government on religious grounds. The witness recalled a meeting where Lt. Dhillon, the accused, is stated to have said that the religion of the Japanese Government was the oldest in the world and it originated from India. The founder of that religion, Lt. Dhillon told the Indian prisoners of war, was born in India. Therefore, it was the duty of every Indian to co-operate with the Japanese Government, because it would be with their help that they could liberate India from the British.

…There was roaring laughter … when Sepoy Kaka Singh during his evidence was asked whether he was at Taiping in Malaya when Singapore surrendered and the interpreter Sepoy translated it [as] “Were you doing typing work at the time of surrender?” …An A.P.I. message says: “The first substantial evidence tending to substantiate the defence that the Indian National Army would have fought anyone, including the Japanese, for the freedom of India was given this afternoon in the I.N.A. trial.”

Published in Dawn, November 24th, 2020