TODAY - 23RD MARCH - MARTYR'S DAY - DEATH ANNIVERSARY OF ONE OF THE GREATEST FREEDOM FIGHTERS, BHAGAT SINGH
The aim of life is no more to control the mind, but to develop it harmoniously; not to achieve salvation here after, but to make the best use of it here below; and not to realise truth, beauty and good only in contemplation, but also in the actual experience of daily life; social progress depends not upon the ennoblement of the few but on the enrichment of democracy; universal brotherhood can be achieved only when there is an equality of opportunity - of opportunity in the social, political and individual life." — from Bhagat Singh's prison diary
Bhagat Singh was born into a Sandhu
Jatt family to Sardar Kishan Singh Sandhu and Vidyavati in a village in the
Lyallpur district of
Punjab. His ancestral village is the
Khatkar Kalan village near Banga in Nawanshahr District of
Punjab.
He was attracted to anarchism and communism. Both communism and western anarchism had influence on him. Bhagat Singh did not believe in
Gandhian philosophy and felt that Gandhian politics would replace one set of exploiters with another. Singh was an
atheist
In search of revolutionary groups and ideas, he met Sukhdev and Rajguru. Bhagat Singh, along with the help of Chandrashekhar Azad, formed the Hindustan Socialist Republican Army (HSRA). The aim of this Indian revolutionary movement was now defined as not only to make India independent, but also to create "a socialist India.
On 15 April 1929, the 'Lahore Bomb Factory' was discovered by the Lahore police, and the other members of HSRA were arrested, out of which 7 turned informants, helping the police to connect Bhagat Singh in the murder of J. P. Saunders. Bhagat Singh,
Rajguru, and
Sukhdev were charged with the murder. Bhagat Singh decided to use the court as a tool to publicise his cause for the independence of India. The case was ordered to be carried out without members of the HSRA present at the hearing. This created an uproar amongst Singh's supporters as he could no longer publicise his views.
While in jail Bhagat Singh maintained the use of a diary, which he eventually made to fill 404 pages. In this diary he made numerous notes relating to the quotations and popular sayings of various people whose views he supported. Prominent in his diary were the views of
Karl Marx and
Friedrich Engels. The comments in his diary led to an understanding of the philosophical thinking of Bhagat Singh While in the condemned cell, he also wrote a pamphlet entitled "Why I am an atheist", as he was being accused of vanity by not accepting God in the face of death. It is also said that he signed a mercy petition through a comrade Bijoy Kumar Sinha on 8 March 1931.
Bhagat Singh was known for his appreciation of
martyrdom. His mentor as a young boy was
Kartar Singh Sarabha. Singh is himself considered a martyr for acting to avenge the death of
Lala Lajpat Rai. In the leaflet he threw in the Central Assembly on 9 April 1929, he stated that
It is easy to kill individ After engaging in studies on the Russian Revolution, he wanted to die so that his death would inspire the youth of India which in
turn will unite them to fight the British Empire.
AT THE AGE OF 23, IF ANYONE WAS SMILING JUST BEFORE HE WAS BEING HANGED TO DEATH, IT WAS BHAGAT SINGH
This man's only mission in life was to see his country free from British rule. He did his best and when he was being led to the gallows, he was satisfied that he had lived up to his principles, irrespective of the consequences. The only thing that made him sad was that he couldn't do more for his country.
This, friends, is the legend of India’s ever lasting [ in memories ] freedom fight BHAGAT SINGH who gave his blood in order to let mother India have a bright future, In order for us to have a bright future !!
I’m proud to be an Indian because I can always point my finger at leaders like him and say that HE is the son of Mother India and WE are his heirs ……………
