Bhagat Singh

Bhagat Singh (September 27, 1907 - March 23, 1931) was an Indian revolutionary, considered to be one of the most famous martyrs of the Indian freedom struggle. For this reason, he is often referred to as Shaheed Bhagat Singh (the word shaheed means "martyr"). He is also believed by many to be one of the earliest Marxists in India and has been labeled so by the Communist Party of India (Marxist)[1]. He was one of the leaders and founders of the Hindustan Socialist Republican Association. A rare historical photograph of students and staff of National College, Lahore, which was started by Lala Lajpat Rai for education of students participating in the non-cooperation movement. Shaheed Bhagat Singh can be seen standing fourth from the right. Early life Bhagat Singh Sandhu was born into a Sikh family to Sardar Kishan Singh Sandhu and Vidyavati in the Khatkar Kalan village near Banga in the Jalandhar district of Punjab. As a child, he was deeply affected by the Jalianwala Bagh Massacre that took place in Punjab in 1919. When Mahatma Gandhi started the Non-Cooperation Movement in 1920, he became an active participant at the age of 13. He had great hopes that Gandhi would bring freedom in India. But he got disappointed when Gandhi called off this movement following the Chauri Chaura riot in 1922. Bhagat Singh studied at the National College, but ran away from home to escape early marriage, and became a member of the organization Naujawan Bharat Sabha. In the Naujawan Bharat Sabha, Bhagat and his fellow revolutionaries grew popular amongst the youth. He wrote for and edited Urdu and Punjabi newspapers published from Amritsar. In September 1928, a meeting of various revolutionaries from across India was called at Delhi under the banner of the Kirti Kissan Party. Bhagat Singh was the Secretary of the meet. His later revolutionary activities were carried out as a leader of this association. Bomb in the Assembly In the face of actions by the revolutionaries, the British government enacted the Defence of India Act to give more power to the police. The purpose of the Act was to combat revolutionaries like Bhagat Singh. The Act was defeated in the council by one vote. However, the Act was then passed under the ordinance that claimed that it was in the best interest of the public. In response to this act, the Hindustan Socialist Republican Association planned to explode a bomb in the assembly where the ordinance was going to be passed. Originally, Azad attempted to stop Bhagat Singh from carrying out the bombing, however, the remainder of the party forced him to succumb to Singh's wishes. It was decided that Bhagat Singh and Batukeshwar Dutt, another revolutionary, would throw the bombs in the assembly. On April 8, 1929, Singh and Dutt threw bombs onto the corridors of the assembly and shouted "Inquilab Zindabad!" ("Long Live the Revolution!"). This was followed by a shower of leaflets stating that it takes a loud voice to make the deaf hear. The bomb neither killed nor injured anyone; Singh and Dutt claimed that this was deliberate on their part, a claim substantiated both by British forensics investigators who found that the bomb was not powerful enough to cause injury, and by the fact that the bomb was thrown away from people. Singh and Dutt gave themselves up for arrest after the bomb. He and Dutt were sentenced to 'Transportation for Life' for the bombing on June 12, 1929. Trial for the Saunders murder Shortly after his arrest and trial for the Assembly bombing, the British came to know of his involvement in the murder of Mr. Saunders. Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, and Sukhdev were charged with the murder. Bhagat Singh decided to use the court as a tool to publicize his cause for the independence of India. He admitted to the murder and made many anti-British statements during the trial. At the time the Congress were bidding for Dominion Status. As Singh grew immensely popular, they decided to act more aggressively towards the British and changed their bid to one of Total Independence. This change in events had an effect on the British government, which ordered the case to be carried out without Bhagat Singh and his comrades present at the hearing. This refusal of rights created uproar amongst Singh's supporters as he could no longer publicise his views. On March 23, 1931 Bhagat Singh was hanged in Lahore with his fellow comrades Rajguru and Sukhdev. His supporters, who had been protesting against the hanging, immediately declared him as a shaheed or martyr. Bhagat Singh and Mahatma Gandhi Bhagat Singh and his militaristic methods contrasted with Mahatma Gandhi's pacifist methods in the Indian independence movement, much as the militaristic methods of Malcolm X contrasted with the pacifism of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in the American civil rights movement. To this day, there is an active public debate in India as to whether independence was ultimately the result of Singh's methods, Gandhi's methods, or a combination thereof. Some also wonder if independence could have come faster if the Indian National Congress had adopted Singh's methods in addition to Gandhi's. A small but vocal minority of Singh's supporters also accuse Gandhi of being responsible for his death. Some believe that Gandhi could have stopped Singh's execution had he so desired, but chose not to so that he could have total control over the independence movement. Others accuse Gandhi of actually working with the British to arrange Singh's execution. Front page of The Tribune announcing Bhagat Singh's execution. Both accusations, especially the latter, are hotly contested. Gandhi's supporters say that he did not have enough influence with the British to stop the execution, much less arrange it. Furthermore, Gandhi's supporters assert that Singh's role in the independence movement was no threat to Gandhi's role as its leader, and so Gandhi would have no reason to want him dead. Gandhi, during his lifetime, always maintained that he was a great admirer of Singh's patriotism, but that he simply disapproved of his violent methods. He also said that he was opposed to Singh's execution (and, for that matter, capital punishment in general) and proclaimed that he had no power to stop it. Conspiracy theories Many conspiracy theories exist regarding Singh, especially the events surrounding his death. One of the most popular ones is that Gandhi had an opportunity to stop Singh's execution but did not. This particular theory has spread amongst the public in modern times after the creation of modern films such as The Legend of Bhagat Singh, which portrayed Gandhi as someone who was strongly at odds with Bhagat Singh and did not oppose his hanging. On October 28, 2005, a book entitled Some Hidden Facts: Martyrdom of Shaheed Bhagat Singh -- Secrets unfurled by an Intelligence Bureau Agent of British-India [sic] by K.S. Kooner and G.S. Sindhra was released. The book asserts that Singh, Rajguru, and Sukhdev were deliberately hanged in such a manner as to leave all three in a semi-conscious state, so that all three could later be taken outside the prison and shot dead by the Saunders family. The book says that this was a prison operation codenamed "Operation Trojan Horse." Scholars are skeptical of the book's claims. Kishan Singh : Father Arjan Singh : Grandfather A Notice Outside His House His Letters to His Family and Others : Original Content Letter to grandfather Arjun Singh in Urdu on July 27, 1919. on a post card Om Bhagat Singh’s grandfather Arjun Singh Respected dadaji, namaste I state humbly that I am well and wish your well being from Shri Narayan Ji. The state of affairs here is that our six monthly exams are over, which started in July. Many boys failed in maths. So the maths exam will be held again on August 9. Everything else is fine. When are you coming? Tell bhayiaji (father) that I have cleared all papers in six monthly examinations. Namaste to mataji (mother) and chachi (aunt). Kultar Singh (younger brother) had fever on July 24 and 25. Now he is OK. Do not worry about anything. Yours obediently Bhagat Singh Letter to aunt Hukam Kaur, widow of uncle Swarn Singh, in Punjabi on October 24,1921 Omkar Lahore My dear chach iji, namaste I had gone to attend a rally to Lyallpur. I wanted to come to the village, but bapuji (father) did not allow. So I could not come to the village. Please forgive me if I did anything wrong. Portrait of chachaji (uncle Swarn Singh) is ready. I wanted to bring it along but it was not complete.Kindly reply early. My reverence to elder aunt. My reverence to mother. Namaste to Kulbir and Kultar (younger brothers). Your son Bhagat Singh A letter to Lahore authorities for release of belongings. Contents of the letter are self-explanatory. The letter is typed on Bhagat Singh’s father S. Kishan Singh’s letterhead, who was an insurance agent in Lahore. Sir, I was arrested on May 29, 1927, under Section 302, IPC, and was detained in the police custody for five weeks. I was released on bail on July 4, 1927. Since then I have never been called by the police or any court to stand my trial under the said section (written in hand) and so I presume that you have completed your investigation and found nothing against me and (written in hand) have practically withdrawn the case. Under the circumstances I request you to kindly return all the things that were taken from my body at the time of my arrest and to inform me when and where to see you for the said purpose. Sd/ Sadiq Ali Shah S.I. D/ 2-5-29 (written in hand) Read out, admitted in evidence and added to Special Tribunal Lahore conspiracy Case File. J. Coldstream Judge Special Tribunal This letter was written to a close personal friend by Bhagat Singh on a post card in English. It has the stamp of Lahore post office of February 24, 1930. This letter is also self-explanatory. Very urgent No. 103 Central Jail condemned cell, Lahore My Dear Jai Deo! I hope you would have heard of our abandoning the fast after 16 days, and you can guess how greatly do we feel the necessity of your help at this stage. We received a few oranges yesterday but no interview was held. Our case has been adjourned for a fortnight. Therefore, kindly arrange to send a tin of ‘Craven Cigarettes — A’ and a tin of ghee immediately. And a few oranges along with a few rasgullas will also be welcomed. Mr Dutta is facing hard times without cigarettes. Now you can understand the urgent nature of our needs. Thanking you in advance, yours sincerely Bhagat Singh Address — To, Mr Jai Deo Prasad Gupta, c/o The provincial Congress committee Bradlaugh Hall, Lahore This letter has also been written to Jaidev Gupta on May 26, 1930, in English. The stamp of Lahore post office is of May 28, 1930, on the post card. This letter also needs no explanation. Dear brother Jai Deo, Today again I am writing this letter to give you some trouble which I hope you will not mind. Please see if you can arrange to send one fleet-foot pair of shoes for me. I think no. 9-10 will do. My chapli is too uncomfortable. Also please try to send it on Friday or Saturday through Kulbir when he will be coming for an interview. Really it is very sad that I have not so far been allowed any interview with you. Had this impasse in our trial not occurred, I will have repeatedly reminded the authorities to sanction your interview. Anyhow by the time this question is settled, I will again try to get the interview sanctioned. Well I hope you will send the shoes without fail and without delay. These days I have got only one book with me — a very dry one. Please see if you can send a couple of recent interesting novels. Please remember me to all friends. Yours sincerely Bhagat Singh Address — Mr Jai Deo Prasad Gupta c/o S. Kishan Singh Bradlaugh Hall, Lahore. 4 comments: Anonymous | He is the greatest son that our country ever had. His greatness can't be define in words,poems,rhyme anything. SALUTE. Inquilab zindabaad 25 October 2008 05:44 Vinod | I can't say anything about it But Yes One thing I can say here he is My real GOD Beacause What position I have in this Country that is Just beacause Bhagat Singh has done for me. I have one regret in my life I didn't meet Him. 12 February 2009 11:46 Anonymous | He is one of the greatest son of India whose greatness cannot be defined and there are no words to define his greatness in the World dictionary. First let us salute their parents for giving such a great man to our India. He is the inspiration for all our INDIAN yourth. Inquilab Zindabad. Jaihind. 18 February 2009 04:28 Make Money Online | He is my inspiration!! Shame to stupid congress leaders who have been trying to hide his bravery.India got independence from bhagat,s singh,s revolution and not from gandhiji who used crap ahimsa method. 25 April 2009 19:01 Post a Comment ! Newer Post Older Post Home Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)