Shaheed Bhagat Singh
(1907 - 1931)
Shaheed Bhagat Singh was a glowing star in
the Indian sky who stirred millions with his brave battle against the British. He
is the icon of Indian youth and one of the most prominent revolutionaries of
Indian freedom struggle. A revolutionary ahead of his times, he took the lead
in the underground armed struggle for independence over several years. His
clarity of vision, determination, courage and devotion distinguished him from
other leaders of the Nationalist movement. “Any sacrifice will be inadequate to
accomplish the greatest aim of freeing the mother land” was his nationalistic
ideology. His cry “Long Live Revolution” at the British Court of Law echoed in
the minds of all Indians. His audacity and sacrifice transfixed the political air
inspiring millions. It has been rightly said that, “Nothing in recent memory so
captured the popular imagination as did the romance of Bhagat Singh. He has
already become a legend and a short of legendary hero. Indian youth justly
feels proud of him. His unique courage, his lofty idealism, his undaunted
spirit would remain a light-house to guide many a…straying soul.”
Bhagat Singh was born into an eminent Sikh
family in the village of Khatkar Kalan in Punjab to Kishan Singh and Vidya Vati
on 27 September 1907. His ancestors were Khalsa Sardars who helped the Sikh
rulers with life and blood in spreading Sikh Kingdom against the raging Pathans
on the east and the repulsive English on the west. His family had many
activists who were members in the pro liberation Ghadar Movement during World
War I and patriotism deeply imbedded in their blood and spirit. Bhagat
Singh was no exception; he was greatly influenced by his forefathers and
started fighting for his motherland from a very young age. During his schooling
at the D.A.V school in Lahore in 1916, he came into contact with renowned
political leaders, Lala Lajpat Rai and Ras Bihari Bose. The ‘Jalianwala Bagh’
massacre that took place in 1919 intensely bothered him that he went there the
next day – where the British Indian Army shot down 400 unarmed men, women and
children - and collected soil from the spot to keep it as a memento. The
incident reinforced his determination to drive British from India.
He became active in the Non-cooperation
Movement by Mahatma Gandhi at school. He openly challenged the British by burning
his academic books funded by the British Government. Gandhiji cancelled the
Non-cooperation movement following the violent incident of ‘Chaura Chaura’ in
1922. Disappointed with this decision, Bhagat Singh withdrew himself from the
non-violence movement and joined the Young Revolutionary Movement. By the age
of 16, powered by the principles of Marx, Engels and Bakunin, he developed a
secular and socialist vision for India. He joined National College in Lahore
founded by Lala Lajpat Rai for his under graduation degree in Arts. The college
was a hub for his revolutionary activities where he came into contact with
revolutionaries such as Bhagwati Charan, Sukhdev Thapar, and many others. He
formed ‘Naujavan Bharat Sabha’, a union of revolutionaries in Lahore and
initiated the revolution in Punjab. Along with Chandrashekhar Azad, he formed
‘Hindustan Samajvadi Prajatantra Sangha’ in 1926 with an aim of establishing a
republic in India using armed revolution. He also joined a radical group called
the ‘Hindustan Socialist Republican Association’ and also started contributing
write-ups to the magazine ‘Kirti’ of Kirti Kissan Party.
In February 1928, the British Government
appointed a review commission called the Simon Commission headed by Sir John
Simon. The Commission faced a lot of disapproval even before its landing in
India as all its seven members were English. All political parties decided to
boycott the Commission and a harthal was declared on the arrival day of the
Commission on 3 February 1928 at Bombay. The Commission was greeted with black
flags and cries of ‘Simon Go Back’. In Lahore, Lala Rajpat Rai led a large
anti-Simon Commission student demonstration on 30 October 1928. Lala Lajpat Rai
was brutally stabbed in the police ‘lathi’ charge and later succumbed to
injuries after one month. Bhagat Singh plotted to avenge Lala Rajpat Rai’s
death by killing Deputy General Scott, the British official who was responsible
for the brutal deed. He shot down Assistant Superintendent Saunders mistaking
him for Scott. Bhagat Singh fled to Lahore to escape from death sentence and
went on hiding.
The Hindustan Socialist
Republican Association planned to bomb the Legislative assembly in response to
the formulation of Defence of India Act. The Act was a repressive measure of
the British which gave more power to the police to arrest individuals and stop
processions with suspicious motives. Bhagat Singh offered to throw the bomb
where the meeting to the pass the ordinance was being held. It was a
well-planned conspiracy, not to cause death or injury, but to draw the
attention of the Government to stop its unjust measures against Indians. It
was also decided that Bhagat Singh and Batukeshwar Dutt would court arrest
after throwing the bomb. The aim was to “make the deaf hear” and use the court
as a revolutionary platform. On 8 April 1929, they threw bomb onto the
corridors of the assembly shouting “Inquilab Zindabad”. The bomb did not hurt
anyone but as planned, they courted arrest and refused to run away from the
scene. Bhagat Singh denied to hire any defence counsel for his trial. He went
on hunger strike in jail to protest against the callous treatment of prisoners
by the jail authorities. On 7 October 1930, Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev Thapar and
Shivram Rajguru were awarded death sentence by a special tribunal. He not only
refused to move a mercy petition but also wrote to the Government that he was a
revolutionary soldier fighting for the freedom of his country. He wrote, “If
the Government thought that a truce had been effected between itself and the
people of India, then it is legitimate that the soldiers of freedom should be
set free. But if it thought that the state of war continued, then they may
easily kill us.” His only appeal was that he might be shot dead by a squad of
soldiers, as was only befitting soldiers of war. He and his comrades were hanged
to death in Lahore Jail on 23 March 1931. Loud shouts of “Long Live Revolution”
were heard from the jail before and after the executions. Their bodies were
cremated on the banks of Sutlej in Ferozepur.
Death sentence judgement poster of Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev, Rajguru and others in 1930
Despite the fact that Bhagat Singh appeared
in the India’s political scene only for a brief period, he became the spur of
the spirit and hopes of a new India. He was a nationalist, socialist, democrat
and republican – all in one. He lived for India and his only mission was to see
his country free from the clutches of the British. Before his execution, he
addressed the European Deputy Commissioner with a smile, “Mr. Magistrate, you
are fortunate to be able today to see how Indian revolutionaries can embrace
death with pleasure for the sake of their supreme ideal.” It is the sacrifice
of such fearless martyrs that motivated other freedom fighters to fight
persistently for the country’s independence. They still live on and their
undying patriotism continues to inspire people who sincerely aspire and work for
a better India.
My salute to all the martyrs of the country
who battled selflessly and sacrificed their lives so that we breathe the air of
freedom and dignity.
Jai Hind.
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