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Revision as of 19:57, 20 April 2005
Bhagat Singh {1907-1931} was an Indian freedom fighter. He was also one of the earliest Marxists in India.
Early Life
Bhagat Singh was born on September 27, 1907 in a Sikh family to Sardar Kishan Singh and Vidyavati in Banga village in Layalpura district of Punjab province.
The young Bhagat Singh was deeply affected by the Jalianwala Bagh Massacre that took place in Punjab in 1919. He studied at the National College. Bhagat Singh ran away from home to escape early marriage and met his fellow revolutionaries Chandra Shekar Azad and B.K. Dutt. He became a member of the organization Noujawan Bharat Sabha.
Lala Lajpatrai's Death
The British government had created a commission under Sir John Simon to report on the poltical events ongoing in India in 1928. The Indian political parties decided to boycott the commission. Lala Lajpatrai protested the commission in a silent march, but the police chief Scott beat Lala Lajapatrai fatally on the head, till Lajapatrai died. Bhagat Singh who was an eye witness to this event vowed to take revenge on Scott. He combined with Azad, Rajguru and Sukhdev in a plot to kill the police chief. But, he accidentally killed a junior officer, Mr. Sanders, mistaking him for Scott. He quickly left Lahore to escape the police.
Bomb in the Assembly
The British government brought the Defense of India act to give more power to the police to arrest persons and stop events with suspicious actions. The act was defeated in the council by one vote. But it was passed under the ordinance that it was in the interest of the public. Bhagat Singh and Batukeshwar Dutt decided to bomb the assembly where the assembly to pass this ordinance was taking place. They were careful to make sure there would be no deaths or injuries, so on April 8, 1929, they threw bombs onto the corridors and shouted slogans of Inquilab Zindabad.
The End
While this was going on, Bhagat Singh's friends betrayed him by indentifying him in the Sanders' case. Bhagat Singh thought this would be an opportunity to publicize the cause of freedom and accepted the charges. In court, he gave a passionate speech defending his actions as a part of the freedom struggle and asked the court to let him be shot like a soldier and not be hanged. His plea was denied and he was hanged on March 23, 1931 at the age of 24. He became the symbol of the masses and an idol for the future generations.
Advocate of Marxism and Atheism
Bhagat Singh's political thought evolved gradually from Gandhian nationalism to revolutionary Marxism. By the end of 1928, he and his comrades renamed their organization as Hindustan Socialist Republican Association.
While in jail during 1930-31 awaiting the gallows, he wrote a pahmplet entitled Why I am an Atheist in which he discusses and advocates the philosophy of Atheism.
Bollywood Interest
Several popular Bollywood films have been made capturing the life and times of Bhagat Singh. Two major films were released in 2002, Shaheed - 23 March 1931 and The Legend of Bhagat Singh. Shaheed - 23 March 1931 stars Bobby Deol as Singh, alongside Sunny Deol, and features Aishwarya Rai. The Legend of Bhagat Singh is Rajkumar Santoshi's adaption, where Ajay Devgan enacts the role of Singh and features Amrita Rao in a brief role.
Reference
- Why I am an Atheist: Bhagat Singh (People's Publishing House, New Delhi, India)