Shaheed Diwas, also commonly known as Martyrs’ Day or Sarvodaya Day, is an annual observance that takes place every 23rd of March. It should not be confused with another Martyrs’ Day commemorated on 30th January, which marks the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi. On this significant day, we remember Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev and Rajguru, who were executed by the British government on March 23, 1931. These freedom fighters were hanged to death for assassinating John Saunders, a British police officer in 1928, whom they mistook for British police superintendent James Scott.
Why Did Bhagat Singh Choose the Path of Revolution?
John Saunders was believed to have ordered a lathi charge leading to the death of Lala Lajpat Rai. In response, Bhagat Singh publicly swore revenge for Lala Lajpat Rai’s death and went into hiding for many months following the shootout. He resurfaced in April 1929 with Batukeshwar Dutt and set off two explosive devices inside the Central Legislative Assembly in Delhi. This act allowed both men to be arrested while shouting the famous slogan: “Inquilab Zindabad”, translating to “Long live the revolution”. Their daring actions ignited the flames of rebellion in countless youth and through their deaths, they set a remarkable example.
A Glimpse into Bhagat Singh’s Early Life
Born as Bhaganwala on September 26th, 1907, Bhagat Singh belonged to a family of Sandhu Jats in Punjab’s Jullundur Doab district. His generation played a crucial role in bridging the gap between the ‘Extremism’ phase of the Indian national movement led by Lal-Bal-Pal and the Gandhian phase of nonviolent mass action.
Bhagat Singh’s Role in the Indian Freedom Struggle
At the age of 16, Bhagat Singh joined the National College, Lahore, an educational institution founded by Lala Lajpat Rai and Bhai Parmanand as a response to government-run schools and in promotion of the Swadeshi movement. A year later, he moved to Kanpur and became a member of the Hindustan Republican Association (HRA), which was started by Sachindranath Sanyal and chiefly organized by Chandra Shekhar Azad, who became a close associate of Bhagat Singh. It was during this time that Bhagat Singh began to adopt the philosophy of armed revolution as the primary strategy to combat British imperialism, making it a key facet of HRA’s manifesto.
The Revolutionary Actions of Bhagat Singh
Upon returning to Lahore in 1925, Bhagat Singh helped initiate the Naujawan Bharat Sabha, a militant youth organization intended to further the nationalist cause. The following year, he collaborated with Sohan Singh Josh in publishing the monthly magazine Kirti. However, his revolutionary activities soon caught the attention of the authorities, leading to his first arrest in 1927 in connection to the Kakori Case. Despite the setbacks, Bhagat Singh persisted in his mission and in 1928, renamed the HRA to Hindustan Socialist Republican Association (HSRA). His influence gradually waned after the death of Azad and the subsequent collapse of HSRA in 1930, but his spirit lived on in the newly established Naujawan Bharat Sabha.
End of a Revolutionary: Bhagat Singh’s Final Days
During his imprisonment, Bhagat Singh embarked on a hunger strike along with fellow inmate Jatin Das, campaigning for improved living conditions for prisoners. This move garnered public sympathy, especially following Das’ death from starvation in September 1929. Two years later, Bhagat Singh was convicted and hanged at just 23 years old, but his legacy continues to inspire generations of Indians in their pursuit of freedom and justice.