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ABOUT THE AUTHOR AND NOVEL
- Kuldip Nayar (born 14 August 1923) is a veteran Indian journalist, syndicated columnist, human right activist, author and ex-High commissioner of India to United kingdom noted for his long career as a left- wing political commentator.
- This novel explores the life of a great revolutionary.It is the compilation of the Selective writings,newpaper,articles,historic records of Bhagat Singh.This novel is about the whole story behind the trial period of Bhagat Singh and defines the ideology of Bhagat Singh and the relationship with Mahatma Gandhi.
CHILDHOOD
- Bhagat Singh, was born in 1907 to Kishan Singh and Vidyavati at Banga in the Lyallpur district of the Punjab Province.
- His birth coincided with the release of his father and two uncles, Ajit Singh and Swaran Singh, from jail.
- In 1923, Singh joined the National College in Lahore, where he also participated in extra curricular activities like the dramatics society.
- he founded the Indian socialist youth organisation Naujawan Bharat Sabha in March 1926. He also joined the Hindustan Republican Association
1931
- 23 MARCH 1931 WA LIKE ANY OTHER DAY IN LAHORE JAIL.Warden Charat singh was very close to Bhagat Singh and other prisoners.He was very caring and humble.
- Prisoners were devastated on hearing the sentence of Bhagat Singh and comerades.Bhagat Singh read various books and he was very much inspired by Lenin.
- “we shall meet soon” were the last word of Rajguru,Sukhdev and Bhagat Singh hugged each other,kissed the rope and hanged everybody was moved and cried at that moment.
- But the jail authorities didn’t treat them well and threw their bodies on the bank of Sutlej river howeever bodie were dicovered by villagers and proper cremation of heroes was made.
LAST SONG
“KABHI WO DIN BHI AAYEGA
KE AZAAD HONGE HUM
YEH APNI ZAMIN HOGI
YE APNA AASMAN HOGA
SHAHEEDO KI CHITA PAR
LAGENGE HAR BAR MELE
WATAN PAR MARNE WALO KA
YAHI NAMO-NISHAN HOGA”
JOURNEY OF A HERO
- He was very from his early childhood.He became a member of HRA in 1924 devastated by non – cooperation movement.
- In 1927 he was first arrested in Kakori case.There was also a vaccuum period after non cooperation and then the revolutionary grew.
- Ideology was totally against the Congress however Nehru and Gandhi did not criticize Bhagat Singh.
- Bhagat Singh also opposed dominion independence and demanded poorna swaraj that is total independence
KILLING OF SAUNDERS
- In 1928, the British government set up the Simon Commission to report on the political situation in India. Some Indian political parties boycotted the Commission because there were no Indians in its membership.
- When the Commission visited Lahore on 30 October 1928, Lala Lajpat Rai led a march in protest against it.The superintendent of police, James A. Scott, ordered the police to lathi charge .Rai died of a heart attack on 17 November 1928.
- HSRA decided to avenge the death of lala lajpat Rai and made the whole plan but accidently they killed John P. Saunders, an Assistant Superintendent of Police, as he was leaving the District Police Headquarters in Lahore on 17 December 1928.
- On 19 December 1928, Sukhdev called on Durgawati Devi for help, which she agreed to provide. They decided to catch the train departing from Lahore to Bathinda en route to Howrah (Calcutta) early the next morning and escaped
ANYTHING FOR THE COUNTRY
- Bhagat Singh rented a house in Agra and left Calcutta.Further strategies of HSRA were planned from this house.
- Bhagat Singh was a very emotional person.He always believed that a man should not be devoid of feelings.
- He thought that there is no political party or organization at present which could spark the revolution except Ghadar party.
- He also was totally against the Hindu Muslim hatred and considered them one.
PART – 2
ASSEMBLY BOMB CASE
- Lord Irwin introduced two bills on 8 april 1929.First was public safety bill and second was trade disputes bill which agitated everyone.
- They thought what must they do to stop this and the Bhagat Singh came up with an idea to throw the bombs at assembly but didn’t meant to heart anyone.
- Two people Ramsaran Das and BK Dutt was nominated but Bhagat Singh proposed his name for this after a while.Opposed by Azad and he didn’t want to lose the best leader but convinced later.
- On 6 april 1929 they went to assembly hall.Bhagat Singh chose the moment carefully and threw first bomb away from the member and hall plunged into darkness and everybody was confused and second bomb was thrown by dutt.
- Bhagat Singh recalled the words of a French anarchist AUGUSTE VAILLANT “It takes a loud voice to make a deaf hear” and was immdediately arrested.
TRIAL
- Bhagat Singh didn’t try to escape instead surrendered and rrested.Authorities had thought that they had got the big fish and was charged attempt to murder and young Asif Ali was his lawyer.
- They thought in the court they will get justice but it didn’t happen. And the trial started in the first week of june 1929.Bhagat Singh later realized that Britishers will go at any extent to sentence him.
- Jai Gopal and Hansraj Vohra and three more also turned against him.Bhagat Singh was sent to Miawali jail in Lahore and also conducted the hunger strike their for 97 days against the pathetic conditions of jail.
- He gathered immense mass support from this and also leaders suported him and his slogan”INQUILAB ZINDABAD”was on everybody”s tongue but Jatin Das died on 13 september 1929 due to stike.
- On 5 october 1929 hunger strike ended.
TRIAL
- After the strike Bhagat Singh refocussed on the trial.Once due to Jai Gopal traitorship judge ordered to Handcuffed in the court which was brutal.
- Contributions to HSRA began to pour from all over the world.When Vohra gave his testimony against Bhagat he was personally disappointed and grieved.
- By Aug-26 457 witnesses had been examined.On 7 oct 1930 Bhagat Singh,Sukhdev and Rajguru were sentenced to death and 7 accused of life imprisonment and 2 were of 7 years and 5 years.
- The news of this sentence came as a shock to the people and there wee spontaneous hartals and protests all acrfoss the country.
- A daring scheme was also put up by his comerades to hatch the revolutionaries from the prison walls but plan didn’t work.
GANDHI AND BHAGAT
- Everybody knew that it was Gandhi who can save the life of these revolutionary and gandhi looked the matter but failed.
- It was apparent that Gandhi didn’t want to identify him with the revolutionary but he did take intitatives.
- There was ideological difference between them but ultimately they were born on the same soil
FAREWELL
- No one came to meet Rajguru and Sukhdev but Bhagat Singh family did come to meet him.
- His father,mother,three sister and the youngest ten years old Kultar Singh wept uncontrollably.
- Jail warden Charat Singh told that the jail time is over and was a very emotional movement for them.
- Bhagat Singh controlled himsel.His kurta was damped with tears specially Kultar and hanged on 23 MARCH 1931.
