In the pantheon of India's freedom fighters, few names evoke the raw passion, intellectual fervour, and ultimate sacrifice as that of Shaheed Bhagat Singh. A revolutionary in the truest sense, his life was a fiery testament to a brand of patriotism that went beyond mere political independence. It was a struggle for a new India, one built on the principles of socialism, secularism, and equality. His cry of "Inquilab Zindabad!" – Long Live the Revolution! – became the anthem for a generation, a powerful call to action that continues to resonate in the heart of the nation.
Bhagat Singh was born on September 28, 1907, in the village of Banga in Punjab, British bIndia (present-day Pakistan). He was a child of resistance. He was born into a family deeply enmeshed in the anti-colonial movement. His father, Kishan Singh, and his uncle, Ajit Singh, were both prominent figures in the Ghadar Party, a revolutionary group seeking to oust the British. This environment of dissent and sacrifice shaped his consciousness from a tender age.
The turning point in his young life came in 1919 with the horrific Jallianwala Bagh massacre. At just 12 years old, the news of hundreds of unarmed and peaceful protestors being gunned down by British troops in Amritsar left an indelible scar. It is said that he visited the site, collecting a handful of blood-soaked earth, vowing to avenge the fallen and dedicate his life to the liberation of his motherland. This incident galvanised his resolve, pushing him away from the path of non violence that was gaining momentum under Mahatma Gandhi.
Initially, Bhagat Singh did participate in the Non-Cooperation Movement, but its abrupt withdrawal by Gandhi after the Chauri Chaura incident in 1922 left him disillusioned. He, along with many other young nationalists, felt that non-violent methods were insufficient to challenge the might of the British Empire. This led him down the path of revolutionary activism.
An avid reader and a profound thinker, Bhagat Singh immersed himself in the works of European revolutionaries like Marx, Lenin, and Bakunin. He developed a sophisticated political ideology, moving beyond simple nationalism to embrace socialism. He envisioned a free India where the chains of not just foreign rule, but also of poverty, casteism, and religious sectarianism, were broken.
In 1924, he joined the Hindustan Republican Association (HRA), a revolutionary organisation founded by Ram Prasad Bismil and Ashfaqulla Khan. He soon became one of its most influential members. In 1928, along with Chandrashekhar Azad, Sukhdev, and others, he rebranded the organization as the Hindustan Socialist Republican Association (HSRA). The addition of "Socialist" was a deliberate and significant move, reflecting their clear ideological commitment to a socialist revolution.
The period from 1928 to 1929 was marked by two audacious acts that would forever cement Bhagat Singh's place in history. The first was the assassination of British police officer John Saunders in Lahore in December 1928. This act was planned to avenge the death of the respected nationalist leader Lala Lajpat Rai, who had died after being severely beaten by police during a protest against the Simon Commission. While the intended target was the police superintendent James Scott, the message was delivered with chilling precision. This act of "propaganda by deed" was a direct challenge to the authority of the British Raj.
The second, and perhaps more iconic, event was the bombing of the Central Legislative Assembly in Delhi on April 8, 1929. Accompanied by Batukeshwar Dutt, Bhagat Singh threw a low-intensity bomb into the assembly chamber. The explosion was not intended to kill or injure but, as their leaflet stated, "to make the deaf hear". They were protesting against the passage of the draconian Public Safety Bill and the Trade Disputes Act.
What followed was even more remarkable. Instead of trying to escape in the ensuing chaos, Bhagat Singh and Batukeshwar Dutt stood their ground, shouting "Inquilab Zindabad!" and willingly courted arrest. Their strategy was to use the courtroom as a platform to broadcast their revolutionary ideas to the Indian public.
The subsequent trial was a masterclass in political theatre. Bhagat Singh, with his sharp intellect and eloquent articulation, turned the tables on the British judiciary. He and his comrades used the trial to explain their philosophy of revolution, their opposition to imperialism, and their vision for a socialist India. Their fearless demeanour and powerful statements were widely reported in the press, capturing the imagination of the youth and inspiring a new wave of nationalist fervour.
While imprisoned, Bhagat Singh led a historic hunger strike, demanding that political prisoners be given better conditions and recognized as such, not as common criminals. The strike, which lasted for 116 days, garnered massive public support and drew attention to the inhumane conditions within British jails. It was a battle of will and a testament to their unwavering commitment to their principles.
Despite widespread public appeals and pressure from national leaders, the British government remained resolute. On March 23, 1931, Bhagat Singh, along with his comrades Sukhdev Thapar and Shivaram Rajguru, was hanged in the Lahore Central Jail. He was just 23 years old.
The execution of the young revolutionaries sent shockwaves across India, sparking protests and solidifying their status as martyrs for the nation. Bhagat Singh's legacy, however, is not just one of martyrdom. He was a visionary, a scholar-revolutionary whose ideas on secularism, atheism, and socialism remain profoundly relevant. His jail diary and writings reveal a mind that was constantly questioning, learning, and evolving.
Bhagat Singh's struggle was for an India free from all forms of oppression. He remains an enduring symbol of courage, integrity, and the revolutionary spirit. His life, though tragically cut short, continues to inspire generations to challenge injustice and to strive for a more just and equitable society. The echo of his "Inqilab Zindabad" is a timeless reminder that the fight for true freedom is a perpetual one.
