Bhagat Singh Biography
Political
Activist (1907–1931)
Considered
to be one of the most influential revolutionaries of the Indian
independence movement, Bhagat Singh gave his life for this cause.
Synopsis
Bhagat
Singh was born in Punjab, India (now Pakistan), on September 27,
1907, to a Sikh family deeply involved in political activities. He
quit school at thirteen to devote his life to Indian independence. He
became involved in several violent demonstrations of political
defiance and was arrested several times. Singh was found guilty of
killing a British police officer and hanged on March 23, 1931.
Early Years
Born
on September 27, 1907, to a Sikh family in Punjab, India (now
Pakistan), Bhagat Singh was the second son of Kishan Singh and Vidya
Vati. The family was steeped in nationalism and involved in movements
for independence. At the time of Bhagat's birth, his father was in
jail for political agitation.
By
the time Bhagat Singh was 13, he was well familiar with this family’s
revolutionary activities. His father was a supporter of Mahatma
Gandhi,
and after Ghandi called for boycotting government-aided institutions,
Singh left school and enrolled in the National College at Lahore,
where he studied European revolutionary movements. In time, he would
become disenchanted with Gandhi’s non-violent crusade, believing
that armed conflict was the only way to political freedom.
Young Firebrand
In
1926, Bhagat Singh founded the 'Naujavan Bharat Sabha (Youth Society
of India) and joined the Hindustan Republican Association (later
known as Hindustan Socialist Republican Association), where he met
several prominent revolutionaries. A year later, Singh’s parents
planned to have him married, a move he vehemently rejected, and he
left school.
By
this time, Bhagat Singh had become a person of interest to the
police, and in May 1927, he was arrested for allegedly being involved
in a bombing the previous October. He was released several weeks
later and began to write for various revolutionary newspapers. After
receiving reassurances from his parents that they wouldn’t force
him to marry, he returned to Lahore.
Radical Revolutionary
In
1928, the British government held the Simon Commission to discuss
autonomy for the Indian people. Several Indian political
organizations boycotted the event because the Commission had no
Indian representatives. In October, Bhagat Singh’s comrade, Lala
Lajpat Rai led a march in protest against the Commission. Police
attempted to disburse the large crowd, and during the melee, Rai was
injured by the superintendent of police, James A. Scott. Rai died of
heart complications two weeks later. The British government denied
any wrongdoing.
To
avenge his friend’s death, Bhagat Singh and two others plotted to
kill the police superintendent, but instead shot and killed police
officer John P. Saunders. Singh and his fellow conspirators escaped
arrest despite a massive search to apprehend them.
In
April 1929, Bhagat Singh and an associate bombed the Central
Legislative Assembly in Delhi to protest implementation of the Public
Safety Bill. The bombs they carried allegedly were not intended to
kill but to scare (no one was killed, though there were some
injuries). The bombers planned to get arrested and stand trial so
they could further promote their cause.
Arrest and Trial
The
actions of the young revolutionaries was soundly condemned by
followers of Gandhi, but Bhagat Singh was delighted to have a stage
on which to promote his cause. He offered no defense during the trial
but disrupted the proceedings with rants of political dogma. He was
found guilty and sentenced to life in prison.
Through
further investigation, the police discovered the connection between
Bhagat Singh and the murder of Officer Saunders and he was
rearrested. While awaiting trial, he led a hunger strike in prison.
Eventually, Singh and his co-conspirators were tried and sentenced to
hang. He was executed on March 23, 1931. It is said that he kissed
the hangman’s noose before it was placed around his neck. His death
brought mixed emotions throughout India. Followers of Gandhi felt
that he was too radical and hurt the quest for freedom, while his
supporters considered him a martyr. Singh remains a significant,
though controversial, figure in India’s independence movement.
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