Sheikh Ayaz Sandhi poetry on Bhagat Singh-translated by Ahmad Salim

 

Mother of Chandershekhar Azad-Banarsi Das Chaturvedi-Punjabi Translation

ਭਗਤ ਸਿੰਘ-ਰਾਜਗੁਰੂ-ਸੁਖਦੇਵ ਦੀ ਫਾਂਸੀ ਅਤੇ ਸਿਆਸੀ ਫਾਂਸੀਆਂ

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ਭਗਤ ਸਿੰਘ-ਰਾਜਗੁਰੂ-ਸੁਖਦੇਵ ਦੀ ਫਾਂਸੀ ਅਤੇ ਸਿਆਸੀ ਫਾਂਸੀਆਂ ਪ੍ਰੋ. ਚਮਨ ਲਾਲ

 ਅੰਗਰੇਜ਼ੀ ਟ੍ਰਿਬਿੳੂਨ ਵਿੱਚ ਵਾਪਲਾ ਬਾਲਾਚੰਦਰਨ ਨੇ ਪਾਕਿਸਤਾਨ ਦੇ ਰਾਸ਼ਟਰਪਤੀ ਆਸਿਫ ਅਲੀ ਜ਼ਰਦਾਰੀ ਵੱਲੋਂ 1979 ਵਿੱਚ ਫ਼ੌਜੀ ਹੁਕਮਰਾਨ ਜ਼ਿਆ-ਉੱਲ-ਹੱਕ ਵੱਲੋਂ ਪਾਕਿਸਤਾਨ ਦੇ ਹੁਣ ਤੱਕ ਦੇ ਸਭ ਤੋਂ ਵੱਧ ਹਰਮਨਪਿਆਰੇ ਪਾਕਿਸਤਾਨੀ ਪ੍ਰਧਾਨ ਮੰਤਰੀ ਜ਼ੁਲਫਿਕਾਰ ਅਲੀ ਭੁੱਟੋ ਦੀ ‘ਨਿਹੱਕੀ’ ਤੇ ਗ਼ੈਰ-ਕਾਨੂੰਨੀ’ ਫਾਂਸੀ ਵਿਰੁੱਧ ਪਾਕਿਸਤਾਨ ਦੀ ਸੁਪਰੀਮ ਕੋਰਟ ਨੂੰ 2013 ਵਿੱਚ ਰਾਸ਼ਟਰਪਤੀ ਹੁੰਦਿਆਂ ਕੀਤੇ ਰੈਫਰੈਂਸ ਦੇ ਹਵਾਲੇ ਵਿੱਚ 2024 ਵਿੱਚ ਜ਼ਰਦਾਰੀ ਦਾ ਰਾਸ਼ਟਰਪਤੀ ਵਜੋਂ ਦੂਜਾ ਕਾਰਜਕਾਲ ਸ਼ੁਰੂ ਹੋਣ ਸਮੇਂ 2013 ਦੇ ਰੈਫਰੈਂਸ ਦੇ ਆਧਾਰ ’ਤੇ ਪਾਕਿਸਤਾਨੀ ਸੁਪਰੀਮ ਕੋਰਟ ਨੇ 2024 ਵਿੱਚ ਨੋਟਿਸ ਲੈਂਦਿਆਂ ਭੁੱਟੋ ਕੇਸ ਦੀ ਦੁਬਾਰਾ ਪਡ਼ਤਾਲ ਦੇ ਹੁਕਮ ਦਿੱਤੇ ਹਨ। ਇੱਥੇ ਇਹ ਯਾਦ ਰੱਖਦਾ ਚਾਹੀਦਾ ਹੈ ਕਿ ਲਾਹੌਰ ਦੇ ਵਕੀਲ ਇਮਤਿਆਜ਼ ਰਾਸ਼ਿਦ ਅਤੇ ਉਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਦੇ ਮਰਹੂਮ ਅੱਬਾ ਜਿਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਦਾ ਖ਼ਾਨਦਾਨੀ ਪਿਛੋਕਡ਼ ਅਬੋਹਰ ਦਾ ਹੈ, ਨੇ ਵੀ ਪੰਜਾਬ ਹਾਈ ਕੋਰਟ ਲਾਹੌਰ ਵਿੱਚ ਕਈ ਸਾਲ ਪਹਿਲਾਂ ਭਗਤ ਸਿੰਘ ਤੇ ਹੋਰਾਂ ਦੀ ਫਾਂਸੀ ਦੀ ਮੁਡ਼ ਪਡ਼ਤਾਲ ਅਤੇ ਫਾਂਸੀ ਨੂੰ ਕਾਨੂੰਨੀ ਤੌਰ ’ਤੇ ਰੱਦ ਕਰਨ ਦੀ ਅਪੀਲ ਕੀਤੀ ਸੀ, ਜੋ ਬਡ਼ੇ ਸਾਲਾਂ ਬਾਅਦ ਸ਼ਾਇਦ ਪਿੱਛੇ ਜਿਹੇ ਤਿੰਨ ਜੱਜਾਂ ਦੀ ਬੈਂਚ ਵੱਲੋਂ ਖਾਰਜ ਕਰ ਦਿੱਤੀ ਗਈ ਸੀ ਪਰ ਰਾਸ਼ਿਦ ਹੁਰਾਂ ਦੀ ਸ਼ਾਦਮਾਨ ਚੌਕ ਨੂੰ ‘ਭਗਤ ਸਿੰਘ ਚੌਕ’ ਨਾਂ ਦੇਣ ਦੀ ਅਪੀਲ ’ਤੇ ਪੰਜਾਬ ਸਰਕਾਰ ਲਾਹੌਰ ਨੂੰ ਨੋਟਿਸ ਜਾਰੀ ਹੋਇਆ ਹੈ। ਭੁੱਟੋ ਕੇਸ ਦੀ ਮੁਡ਼ ਪਡ਼ਤਾਲ ਦੀ ਮੰਗ ਮੰਨੀ ਜਾਣ ਬਾਅਦ ਲਾਹੌਰ ਦੇ ਕੁਝ ਵਕੀਲ ਹੁਣ ਰਾਸ਼ਟਰਪਤੀ ਜ਼ਰਦਾਰੀ ਨੂੰ ਭਗਤ ਸਿੰਘ ਕੇਸ ਦਾ ਰੈਫਰੈਂਸ ਸੁਪਰੀਮ ਕੋਰਟ/ਲਾਹੌਰ ਹਾਈ ਕੋਰਟ ਨੂੰ ਕਰਨ ਲਈ ਤਿਆਰੀ ਕਰ ਰਹੇ ਹਨ, ਜਿਸ ਦਾ ਰਾਸ਼ਟਰਪਤੀ ਨੂੰ ਕਾਨੂੰਨੀ ਹੱਕ ਹੈ। ਇਮਤਿਆਜ਼ ਰਾਸ਼ਿਦ ਦਾ ਕੁਝ ਹਲਕਿਆਂ ਵੱਲੋਂ ਮਜ਼ਾਕ ਉਡਾਇਆ ਗਿਆ ਕਿ ਬੰਦੇ ਨੂੰ ਫਾਂਸੀ ਦੇਣ ਬਾਅਦ 90-100 ਸਾਲਾਂ ਬਾਅਦ ਫਾਂਸੀ ਰੱਦ ਕਰਨ ਦੀ ਕੀ ਤੁਕ ਹੈ? ਇਵੇਂ ਹੀ ਭੁੱਟੋ ਦੀ ਫਾਂਸੀ ਦੇ 45 ਵਰ੍ਹੇ ਬਾਅਦ ਫਾਂਸੀ ਰੱਦ ਕਰਨ ਦੀ ਗੱਲ ਦੀ ਕੀ ਤੁਕ 2 ਹੈ? ਭਗਤ ਸਿੰਘ-ਰਾਜਗੁਰੂ-ਸੁਖਦੇਵ ਅਤੇ ਨਾਂ ਹੀ ਜ਼ੁਲਫਿਕਾਰ ਭੁੱਟੋ ਨੂੰ ਫਾਂਸੀ ਰੱਦ ਹੋਣ ਬਾਅਦ ਜ਼ਿੰਦਗੀ ਜਿਊਣ ਦੇ ਪਲ ਹਾਸਲ ਹੋਣੇ ਹਨ, ਪਰ ਇਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਫਾਂਸੀਆਂ ਦੇ ਰੱਦ ਹੋਣ ਨਾਲ ਇੱਕ ਸਿਆਸੀ ਮੰਤਵ ਪੂਰਾ ਹੁੰਦਾ ਹੈ ਅਤੇ ਇਹ ਸਾਬਤ ਹੋ ਜਾਂਦਾ ਹੈ ਕਿ ਕਿਸੇ ਵੀ ਦੇਸ਼ ਵਿੱਚ ਅਤੇ ਕਿਸੇ ਵੀ ਸਮਾਜ ਵਿੱਚੋਂ ਨਿਆਂ ਪ੍ਰਣਾਲੀ ਜਿਸ ਨੂੰ ਵੇਲੇ ਦੀ ਹਕੂਮਤ ਤੋਂ ‘ਆਜ਼ਾਦ’ ਖ਼ਿਆਲ ਕੀਤਾ ਜਾਂਦਾ ਹੈ ਕੀ ਉਹ ਵਾਕਈ ‘ਸਿਆਸੀ ਦਖ਼ਲ’ ਜਾਂ ਵਕਤ ਦੇ ਸਿਆਸੀ ਮਾਹੌਲ ਦੀ ਹੈਜਮਨੀ (Hegemony) ਤੋਂ ਆਜ਼ਾਦ ਹੁੰਦੀ ਹੈ? ਜਿਸ ਤਰ੍ਹਾਂ ਇਰਾਕ ਦੇ ਚੁਣੇ ਹੋਏ ਰਾਸ਼ਟਰਪਤੀ ਸੱਦਾਮ ਹੁਸੈਨ ਨੂੰ ਅਮਰੀਕੀ ਫ਼ੌਜ ਨੇ ਸ਼ਰੇਆਮ ਫਾਂਸੀ ਦਿੱਤੀ ਜਾਂ ਲਿਬੀਆ ਦੇ ਰਾਸ਼ਟਰਪਤੀ ਗੱਦਾਫ਼ੀ ਨੂੰ ਵਿਦੇਸ਼ੀ ਫ਼ੌਜਾਂ ਨੇ ਘਸੀਟ ਘਸੀਟ ਕੇ ਕਤਲ ਕੀਤਾ, ਉੱਥੇ ਇਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਸਿਆਸੀ ਕਾਰਨਾਂ ਕਰਕੇ ਦਿੱਤੀਆਂ ਫਾਂਸੀਆਂ ਨੂੰ ਪਡ਼ਚੋਲਵੀਂ ਨਜ਼ਰ ਨਾਲ ਘੋਖਣਾ ਜ਼ਰੂਰੀ ਹੈ। ਇਸ ਗੱਲ ਬਾਰੇ ਸੋਚਣਾ ਵੀ ਜ਼ਰੂਰੀ ਹੈ ਕਿ ਕਿਉਂ ਤੇ ਕਿਵੇਂ ਦੁਨੀਆ ਦੇ ਸੌ ਤੋਂ ਵੱਧ ਮੁਲਕਾਂ ਨੇ ਆਪਣੀ ਨਿਆਂ ਪ੍ਰਣਾਲੀ ਵਿੱਚ ਮੌਤ ਦੀ ਸਜ਼ਾ ਨੂੰ ਖ਼ਤਮ ਕਰ ਦਿੱਤਾ ਹੈ। ਇੱਥੋਂ ਤੱਕ ਕਿ ਨਾਰਵੇ ਵਿੱਚ ਇੱੱਕ ਦਹਾਕੇ ਤੋਂ ਵੱਧ ਪਹਿਲਾਂ 72 ਮਾਸੂਮ ਬੱਚਿਆਂ ਦੇ ਕਾਤਲ ਬਰੇਵਿਕ ਨੂੰ ਵੀ ਮੌਤ ਦੀ ਸਜ਼ਾ ਨਹੀਂ ਦਿੱਤੀ ਗਈ ਅਤੇ ਉਹ ਜੇਲ੍ਹ ਵਿੱਚ ਪਡ਼੍ਹਾਈ ਵੀ ਕਰ ਰਿਹਾ ਹੈ। ਸਵੀਡਨ ਦੇ ਪ੍ਰਧਾਨ ਮੰਤਰੀ ਓਲਫੇ ਪਾਪ ਨੂੰ ਕੁਝ ਦਹਾਕੇ ਪਹਿਲਾਂ ਇੱਕ ਸਿਨਮਾ ਹਾਲ ਵਿੱਚ ਬਿਨਾਂ ਕਿਸੇ ਸੁਰੱਖਿਆ ਤੋਂ ਬਾਹਰ ਆਉਂਦਿਆਂ ਗੋਲੀ ਮਾਰਨ ਵਾਲੇ ਨੂੰ ਵੀ ਫਾਂਸੀ ਦੀ ਸਜ਼ਾ ਨਹੀਂ ਦਿੱਤੀ ਗਈ। ਰਾਮਰਖ ਸਿੰਘ ਸਹਿਗਲ ਵੱਲੋਂ ਅਲਾਹਾਬਾਦ ਤੋਂ ਪ੍ਰਕਾਸ਼ਿਤ ‘ਚਾਂਦ’ ਰਸਾਲੇ ਦੇ ‘ਫਾਂਸੀ ਅੰਕ’ ਜੋ ਨਵੰਬਰ 1928 ਵਿੱਚ ਪ੍ਰਕਾਸ਼ਿਤ ਹੋਇਆ ਸੀ ਅਤੇ ਜਿਸ ਵਿੱਚ ਭਗਤ ਸਿੰਘ ਅਤੇ ਸ਼ਿਵ ਵਰਮਾ ਨੇ ਮਿਲ ਕੇ 48 ਇਨਕਲਾਬੀਆਂ ਦੇ ਰੇਖਾ ਚਿੱਤਰ ਲਿਖੇ ਸਨ, ਇਹ ਅੰਕ ਵੀ ਮੌਤ ਦੀ ਸਜ਼ਾ ਦੇ ਸਿਧਾਂਤਕ ਵਿਰੋਧ ਕਾਰਨ ਛਾਪਿਆ ਗਿਆ ਸੀ। ਮਹਾਤਮਾ ਗਾਂਧੀ ਵੱਲੋਂ ਭਗਤ ਸਿੰਘ-ਰਾਜਗੁਰੂ-ਸੁਖਦੇਵ ਦੇ ਫਾਂਸੀ ਤੋਂ ਬਚਾਅ ਨਾ ਕਰਨ ’ਤੇ ਬਹੁਤ ਵਿਵਾਦ ਹੁੰਦਾ ਹੈ। ਮਹਾਤਮਾ ਗਾਂਧੀ ਨੇ ਇਸ ਫਾਂਸੀ ਦਾ ਅੱਧ-ਪਚੱਧਾ ਜਾਂ ਜ਼ੁਬਾਨੀ ਕਲਾਮੀ ਤਾਂ ਵਿਰੋਧ ਜ਼ਰੂਰ ਕੀਤਾ ਪਰ ਉਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਦੀ ਕਮਜ਼ੋਰੀ ਇਸ ਮਾਮਲੇ ਵਿੱਚ ‘ਮੌਤ ਦੀ ਸਜ਼ਾ’ ਦਾ ਸਿਧਾਂਤਕ ਅਤੇ ਨੈਤਿਕ ਵਿਰੋਧ ਨਾ ਕਰ ਸਕਣ ਵਿੱਚ ਵਧੇਰੇ ਜ਼ਾਹਰ ਹੋਈ। ਮਹਾਤਮਾ ਗਾਂਧੀ ਦੁਨੀਆ ਦੇ ਹੋਰ ਉਦਾਰਪੰਥੀ ਆਗੂਆਂ ਵਾਂਗ ‘ਮੌਤ ਦੀ 3 ਸਜ਼ਾ’ (Capital Punishment) ਦੇ ਸਿਧਾਂਤਕ ਤੌਰ ’ਤੇ ਵਿਰੋਧੀ ਸਨ ਪਰ ਭਗਤ ਸਿੰਘ ਹੋਰਾਂ ਦੀ ਫਾਂਸੀ ਦੇ ਮਾਮਲੇ ਵਿੱਚ ਉਹ ਪੂਰੇ ਨੈਤਿਕ ਜ਼ੋਰ ਨਾਲ ਇਹ ਕਹਿਣ ਵਿੱਚ ਅਸਫਲ ਰਹੇ ਕਿ ‘ਭਗਤ ਸਿੰਘ’ ਜਾਂ ਕਿਸੇ ਸਾਧਾਰਨ ਵਿਅਕਤੀ ਵੱਲੋਂ ਕਤਲ ਜਾਂ ਕੋਈ ਹੋਰ ਭਿਆਨਕ ਜੁਰਮ ਕਰਨ ਦੇ ਬਾਵਜੂਦ ਉਹ ਮੌਤ ਦੀ ਸਜ਼ਾ ਦਾ ਵਿਰੋਧ ਕਰਦੇ ਹਨ ਅਤੇ ਇਸੇ ਲਈ ਉਹ ਭਗਤ ਸਿੰਘ, ਰਾਜਗੁਰੂ, ਸੁਖਦੇਵ ਦੀ ਫਾਂਸੀ ਦਾ ਵੀ ਵਿਰੋਧ ਕਰਦੇ ਹਨ। ਇਸ ਦੇ ਬਨਿਸਬਤ ਭਗਤ ਸਿੰਘ ਦਾ ਨੈਤਿਕ ਅਤੇ ਸਿਆਸੀ ਕੱਦ ਮਹਾਤਮਾ ਗਾਂਧੀ ਨਾਲੋਂ ਇਸ ਪੱਖੋਂ ਬੁਲੰਦ ਰਿਹਾ ਕਿ ਉਸ ਨੇ ਬਰਤਾਨਵੀ ਸਾਮਰਾਜ ਨੂੰ ਪੰਜਾਬ ਦੇ ਲੈਫਟੀਨੈਂਟ ਜਨਰਲ ਰਾਹੀਂ ਭੇਜੇ 20 ਮਾਰਚ, 1931 ਦੇ ਖ਼ਤ ਰਾਹੀਂ ਸਿੱਧੀ ਚੁਣੌਤੀ ਦੇ ਕੇ ਕਿਹਾ ਕਿ ਉਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਨੂੰ ‘ਫਾਂਸੀ ਨਾ ਦੇ ਕੇ’ ‘ਗੋਲੀ ਨਾਲ ਉਡਾਇਆ ਜਾਵੇ’, ਕਿਉਂਕਿ ਉਹ ‘ਜੰਗੀ ਕੈਦੀ’ ਹਨ ਅਤੇ ‘ਜੰਗੀ ਕੈਦੀਆਂ’ ਨੂੰ ਗੋਲੀ ਨਾਲ ਉਡਾਉਣਾ ਉਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਦਾ ਸਨਮਾਨ ਕਰਨਾ ਹੈ। ਜਿਸ ਤਰ੍ਹਾਂ ਪ੍ਰਧਾਨ ਮੰਤਰੀ ਰਹੇ ਜ਼ੁਲਫਿਕਾਰ ਅਲੀ ਭੁੱਟੋ, ਰਾਸ਼ਟਰਪਤੀ ਸੱਦਾਮ ਹੁਸੈਨ ਜਾਂ ਰਾਸ਼ਟਰਪਤੀ ਗੱਦਾਫ਼ੀ ਫਾਂਸੀ ਰਾਹੀਂ ਜਾਂ ਹੋਰ ਤਰੀਕੇ ਨਾਲ ਮੌਤ ਦੇ ਘਾਟ ਉਤਾਰੇ ਗਏ, ਇਹ ਸਿਆਸੀ ਬਦਲਾਖੋਰੀ ਦੀ ਸਿਖ਼ਰ ਦਾ ਗ਼ਰੂਰ ਹੈ। ਭਗਤ ਸਿੰਘ ਦੀ ਫਾਂਸੀ ਵੀ ਬਰਤਾਨਵੀ ਬਸਤੀਵਾਦ ਦੇ ਸਿਆਸੀ ਗ਼ਰੂਰ ਦਾ ਸਿਖ਼ਰ ਸੀ। ਕਾਨੂੰਨੀ ਦਾਅਪੇਚ ਦੇ ਹਿਸਾਬ ਨਾਲ ਬਰਤਾਨਵੀ ਨਿਆਂ ਪ੍ਰਣਾਲੀ ਦੇ ਦਾਇਰੇ ਵਿੱਚ ਵੀ ਭਗਤ ਸਿੰਘ- ਰਾਜਗੁਰੂ-ਸੁਖਦੇਵ ਨੂੰ ਫਾਂਸੀ ਨਹੀਂ ਦਿੱਤੀ ਜਾ ਸਕਦੀ ਸੀ, ਬੇਸ਼ੱਕ ਉਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਸਾਂਡਰਸ ਨੂੰ ਕਤਲ ਕਰਨ ਨੂੰ ਖ਼ੁਦ ਕਬੂਲ ਕਰ ਲਿਆ ਸੀ। ਕਾਰਨ ਇਹ ਕਿ ‘ਨਿਆਂ ਪ੍ਰਣਾਲੀ’ ‘ਸਬੂਤਾਂ’ ਦੇ ਅਾਧਾਰ ’ਤੇ ਸਜ਼ਾ ਤੈਅ ਕਰਦੀ ਹੈ ਅਤੇ ਜੇ ‘ਸਬੂਤ’ ਜ਼ਰਾ ਵੀ ਸ਼ੱਕ ਦੇ ਘੇਰੇ ਵਿੱਚ ਹੋਣ ਜਾਂ ਪ੍ਰਮਾਣਿਤ ਨਾ ਹੋ ਸਕਦੇ ਹੋਣ ਤਾਂ ਕਿਸੇ ਵੀ ਸੂਰਤ ਵਿੱਚ ਫਾਂਸੀ ਨਹੀਂ, ਸਿਰਫ਼ ਉਮਰ ਕੈਦ ਦੀ ਸਜ਼ਾ ਦਿੱਤੀ ਜਾ ਸਕਦੀ ਹੈ। ‘ਨਿਆਂ ਪ੍ਰਣਾਲੀ’ ਵਿੱਚੋਂ ‘ਮੌਤ ਦੀ ਸਜ਼ਾ’ ਖ਼ਤਮ ਕਰਨ ਦਾ ਸਭ ਤੋਂ ਮਜ਼ਬੂਤ ਤਰਕ ਇਹ ਹੈ ਕਿ ਇੱਕ ਵਾਰ ਇਨਸਾਨ ਦੀ ਜ਼ਿੰਦਗੀ ਖ਼ਤਮ ਕਰਨ (ਫਾਂਸੀ ਦੇਣ) ਬਾਅਦ, ਜੇ ਬਾਅਦ ਵਿੱਚ ਉਸ ਦੀ ‘ਬੇਗੁਨਾਹੀ’ ਦਾ ਸਬੂਤ ਮਿਲ ਜਾਵੇ ਤਾਂ ਉਸ ਇਨਸਾਨ ਦੀ ਜ਼ਿੰਦਗੀ ਵਾਪਸ ਨਹੀਂ ਮੁਡ਼ ਸਕਦੀ। ਇਸ ਲਈ ਰੌਸ਼ਨ ਖ਼ਿਆਲ ਨਿਆਂ ਪ੍ਰਣਾਲੀ ਵਿੱਚ ‘ਮੌਤ ਦੀ ਸਜ਼ਾ’ ਖ਼ਤਮ ਕਰਕੇ ਕੈਦ (ਉਮਰ ਕੈਦ) ਰਾਹੀਂ ਮੁਜਰਮ ਨੂੰ ਸਿੱਖਿਆ ਰਾਹੀਂ ‘ਸੁਧਾਰਨ’ ਦਾ ਯਤਨ 4 ਕੀਤਾ ਜਾਂਦਾ ਹੈ, ਇਸੇ ਲਈ ਹਿੰਦੁਸਤਾਨ ਵਿੱਚ ਵੀ ਜੇਲ੍ਹਾਂ ਦਾ ਨਾਂ ਬਦਲ ਕੇ ‘ਸੁਧਾਰ ਘਰ’ ਕੀਤਾ ਗਿਆ ਹੈ। ਹਾਲਾਂਕਿ ਅਸਲੀਅਤ ਇਹ ਹੈ ਕਿ ਨਾਂ ਬਦਲਣ ਨਾਲ ਜੇਲ੍ਹਾਂ ਅੰਦਰਲੀ ਹਾਲਤ ਵਿੱਚ ਕੋਈ ਸੁਧਾਰ ਨਹੀਂ ਹੋਇਆ ਅਤੇ ਬਰਤਾਨਵੀ ਬਸਤੀਵਾਦੀ ਹਕੂਮਤ ਦੇ ਦੌਰ ਤੋਂ ਵੱਧ ਭਿਆਨਕ ਜ਼ੁਲਮ ਭਾਰਤੀ ਪੁਲੀਸ ਅਤੇ ਜੇਲ੍ਹ ਅਫ਼ਸਰਾਂ ਵੱਲੋਂ ਕੀਤੇ ਜਾਣ ਦੀਆਂ ਖ਼ਬਰਾਂ ਅਕਸਰ ਛਪਦੀਆਂ ਰਹਿੰਦੀਆਂ ਹਨ। ਬਰਤਾਨਵੀ ਕਾਲ ਸਮੇਂ ‘ਪੁਲੀਸ ਮੁਕਾਬਲੇ’ ਨਾਂ ਦੀ ਕੋਈ ‘ਟਰਮ’ ਨਹੀਂ ਸੀ ਪਰ ਬਿਨਾਂ ਕਿਸੇ ਨਿਆਂ ਪ੍ਰਣਾਲੀ ਦਾ ਪਾਲਣ ਕੀਤੇ ਕਿਸੇ ‘ਅਸਲੀ’ ਜਾਂ ‘ਅਖੌਤੀ’ ਮੁਜਰਮ ਨੂੰ ਪੁਲੀਸ ਜਾਂ ਫ਼ੌਜ ਜਾਂ ‘ਭੀਡ਼’ ਵੱਲੋਂ ‘ਮੁਕਾਬਲਾ’ ਦਿਖਾ ਕੇ ਜਾਂ ‘ਲਿੰਚ’ ਕਰਕੇ ਮਾਰ ਦੇਣਾ, ‘ਫਾਸ਼ੀਵਾਦੀ’ ਤੁਰਤ-ਫੁਰਤ ‘ਨਿਆਂ’ ਹੈ, ਜੋ ਕਿਸੇ ਸੱਭਿਅਕ ਸਮਾਜ ਜਾਂ ਦੇਸ਼ ਵਿੱਚ ਨਹੀਂ ਹੋ ਸਕਦਾ। ਅੰਗਰੇਜ਼ ਸਰਕਾਰ ਭਗਤ ਸਿੰਘ ਦੀ ‘ਸਮਾਜਵਾਦੀ ਇਨਕਲਾਬ’ ਲਿਆਉਣ ਦੀ ਵਿਚਾਰਧਾਰਾ, ਜਿਸ ’ਤੇ ਉਹ ਤੇ ਉਸ ਦੇ ਸਾਥੀ ਲੋਕ ਸੰਘਰਸ਼ਾਂ ਦੇ ਰਾਹ ’ਤੇ ਚੱਲਣਾ ਚਾਹੁੰਦੇ ਸਨ ਅਤੇ ਜਿਸ ਹੱਦ ਤੱਕ ਉਹ ਲੋਕਾਂ ਦੇ ਮਨਾਂ ਵਿੱਚ ਘਰ ਕਰ ਗਿਆ ਸੀ ਕਿ ਖ਼ੁਦ ਮਹਾਤਮਾ ਗਾਂਧੀ ਦੇ ਪੈਰੋਕਾਰ ਤੇ ਕਾਂਗਰਸ ਪਾਰਟੀ ਦੇ ਇਤਿਹਾਸਕਾਰ ਨੇ ਇਹ ਦਰਜ ਕੀਤਾ ਕਿ ਭਗਤ ਸਿੰਘ ਉਸ ਵੇਲੇ ਮਹਾਤਮਾ ਗਾਂਧੀ ਦੇ ਬਰਾਬਰ ਜਾਂ ਉਸ ਤੋਂ ਵੀ ਵੱਧ ਹਰਮਨਪਿਆਰਤਾ ਦੇ ਸਿਖ਼ਰ ’ਤੇ ਸੀ। ਆਜ਼ਾਦੀ ਤੋਂ ਬਾਅਦ ਹੁਣ ਤੱਕ ਜਿੰਨੇ ਮੀਡੀਆ ਕੇਂਦਰਾਂ ਨੇ ਲੋਕਾਂ ਵਿੱਚ ਆਗੂਆਂ ਦੀ ਹਰਮਨਪਿਆਰਤਾ ਬਾਰੇ ਸਰਵੇ ਕਰਵਾਏ ਹਨ, ਉਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਵਿੱਚ ਲੋਕਾਂ ਦੇ ਮਨਾਂ ਵਿੱਚ ਭਗਤ ਸਿੰਘ ਅਤੇ ਡਾ. ਅੰਬੇਡਕਰ ਸਭ ਤੋਂ ਸਿਖਰਲੀ ਪੌਡ਼ੀ ’ਤੇ ਹਨ। ਪੰਜਾਬ ਸਰਕਾਰ ਜੋ ਸਰਕਾਰੀ ਤੌਰ ’ਤੇ ਡਾ. ਅੰਬੇਡਕਰ ਅਤੇ ਭਗਤ ਸਿੰਘ ਨੂੰ ਦਫ਼ਤਰਾਂ ਵਿੱਚ ਤਸਵੀਰਾਂ ਲਾ ਕੇ ਮਾਨਤਾ ਦਿੰਦੀ ਹੈ, ਉਸ ਪਿੱਛੇ ਵੀ ਇਹੋ ਕਾਰਨ ਹੈ। ਭਾਵੇਂ ਕਿ ਭਗਤ ਸਿੰਘ ਦੀ ਅਸਲ ਤਸਵੀਰ ਪੰਜਾਬ ਦੇ ਕਿਸੇ ਵੀ ਸਰਕਾਰੀ ਦਫ਼ਤਰ ਵਿੱਚ ਨਹੀਂ ਲੱਗੀ ਹੋਈ। ਅਮਰ ਸਿੰਘ ਆਰਟਿਸਟ ਦੀ ਬਣਾਈ ਪੇਂਟਿੰਗ, ਜੋ ਗਿਆਨੀ ਜ਼ੈਲ ਸਿੰਘ ਨੇ ਆਪਣੇ ਮੀਡੀਆ ਸਲਾਹਕਾਰ ਤਰਲੋਚਨ ਸਿੰਘ ਰਾਹੀਂ ਬਣਵਾਈ ਸੀ, ਉਹੋ ਪੇਂਟਿੰਗ ਵਿਚਾਰੇ ਕਲਾਕਾਰ ਦੀ ਕਲਾ ਨੂੰ ਬਿਨਾਂ ਕਰੈਡਿਟ ਦਿੱਤੇ ਪੰਜਾਬ ਸਰਕਾਰ ਦੇ ਦਫ਼ਤਰਾਂ ਦਾ ਸ਼ਿੰਗਾਰ ਬਣੀ ਹੋਈ ਹੈ। ਇਹੋ ਹਸ਼ਰ ਸ਼ਹੀਦ ਊਧਮ ਸਿੰਘ ਅਤੇ ਕਰਤਾਰ ਸਿੰਘ ਸਰਾਭਾ ਦੀਆਂ ਤਸਵੀਰਾਂ ਦਾ ਹੈ, ਜੋ ਸਿਰਫ਼ ਪੇਂਟਿੰਗਜ਼ ਹਨ, ਨਾ ਕਿ ਅਸਲ ਤਸਵੀਰਾਂ। ਜੇ ਡਾ. ਅੰਬੇਡਕਰ ਦੀ ਅਸਲ ਤਸਵੀਰ 5 ਨਾਲ ਕੋਈ ਵਿਗਾਡ਼ ਕਰਦਾ ਤਾਂ ਤੁਰੰਤ ਫ਼ਸਾਦ ਹੋਣ ਦਾ ਖ਼ਤਰਾ ਰਹਿੰਦਾ ਹੈ, ਕਈ ਵਾਰ ਹੋਏ ਵੀ ਹਨ। ਪਰ ਸਾਡੀ ਪੰਜਾਬ ਸਰਕਾਰ ਨੂੰ ਆਪਣੇ ਸਭ ਤੋਂ ਪਿਆਰੇ ਸ਼ਹੀਦਾਂ ਦੀਆਂ ਅਸਲ ਤਸਵੀਰਾਂ ਨਾਲ ਕੋਈ ਲਗਾਅ ਨਹੀਂ ਤੇ ਸਿਰਫ਼ ਸਿਆਸੀ ਲਾਹਾ ਲੈਣ ਲਈ ਉਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਦੀਆਂ ਮਨਚਾਹੀਆਂ ਘਡ਼ੀਆਂ/ਕਲਾਕਾਰਾਂ ਦੀਆਂ ਸਿਰਜੀਆਂ ਤਸਵੀਰਾਂ ਲਾ ਕੇ ਬੁੱਤਾ ਸਾਰ ਲੈਂਦੀਆਂ ਹਨ। ਭਗਤ ਸਿੰਘ-ਰਾਜਗੁਰੂ-ਸੁਖਦੇਵ ਦੇ ਸ਼ਹਾਦਤ ਦਿਹਾਡ਼ੇ ਸਾਨੂੰ ਭਗਤ ਸਿੰਘ ਦੀ ਜੇਲ੍ਹ ਨੋਟ-ਬੁੱਕ ਵਿੱਚ ਦਰਜ ਉਸ ਦੇ ਸੁਧਾਰਵਾਦੀ, ਮਨੁੱਖਤਾਵਾਦੀ, ਨਿਆਂ ਪ੍ਰਣਾਲੀ ਦੇ ਹੱਕ ਵਿੱਚ ਹੋਣ ਦੀ ਗਵਾਹੀ ਨਾਲ ‘ਮੌਤ ਦੀ ਸਜ਼ਾ’ ਖ਼ਤਮ ਕਰਨ ਅਤੇ ‘ਪੁਲੀਸ ਬਲ ਦੇ ਮੁਜਰਮਾਂ/ਕੈਦੀਆਂ ਨਾਲ ਅਣਮਨੁੱਖੀ ਤਸੀਹੇ ਦੇਣ ਦੇ ਵਰਤਾਰੇ ’ਤੇ ਸਖ਼ਤੀ ਨਾਲ ਪਾਬੰਦੀ ਲਾਉਣ ਦੇ ਹੁਕਮ ਦੇ ਕੇ ਹੀ ਸ਼ਹੀਦਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਸੱਚੀ ਸ਼ਰਧਾਂਜਲੀ ਦਿੱਤੀ ਜਾ ਸਕਦੀ ਹੈ। ਜੇ ਸੰਘਰਸ਼ਸ਼ੀਲ ਕਿਸਾਨ, ਜੋ ਭਗਤ ਸਿੰਘ ਦੇ ਰਾਹ ’ਤੇ ਚੱਲ ਕੇ ਸੰਘਰਸ਼ ਕਰ ਰਹੇ ਹਨ, ਉਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਦੀਆਂ ਐੱਮ.ਐੱਸ.ਪੀ. ਵਰਗੀਆਂ ਜਾਇਜ਼ ਤੇ ਹੱਕੀ ਮੰਗਾਂ ਮੰਨ ਲਈਆਂ ਜਾਣ ਤਾਂ ਇਹ ਸ਼ਰਧਾਂਜਲੀ ਹੋਰ ਵੀ ਸੱਚੀ ਬਣ ਸਕਦੀ ਹੈ। *ਆਨਰੇਰੀ ਸਲਾਹਕਾਰ, ਭਗਤ ਸਿੰਘ ਆਰਕਾਈਵਜ਼, ਨਵੀਂ ਦਿੱਲੀ।

Revolutionary Legacy of Bhagat Singh for South Asia

https://sapannews.com/2024/03/22/if-the-z-a-bhutto-trial-could-be-declared-unjust-why-not-bhagat-singh/?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email

https://scroll.in/article/1065886/why-a-pakistani-lawyer-wants-a-court-to-retry-the-case-that-led-to-bhagat-singhs-execution

Revolutionary Legacy of Bhagat Singh for South Asia Chaman Lal* In year 2007, the birth centenary year of Bhagat Singh, though it was celebrated in India at quite large scale at Government as well as political groups level, but the celebrations had percolated to South Asia as well Irtiqa, a progressive Urdu journal from Karachi brought out a special issue on Bhagat Singh, in which many poems and other material on Bhagat Singh was published. My article published in Economic and Political Weekly (EPW) from Mumbai was translated in Urdu and Zahida Hina, an Urdu writer from Pakistan described Bhagat Singh as ‘son of Pakistan’, as he was born and died in what is today’s Pakistan. Born in Lyallpur, now renamed as Faisalabad district and executed and martyred in Lahore jail, so she claims Pakistan having more claim over the legacy of Bhagat Singh. Many developments keep on taking place in Pakistan, as Shadman Chowk, where earlier existed the execution point of Central Jail, was named once Bhagat Singh Chowk, recommended by Salima Hashmi, daughter of Faiz Ahmad Faiz as part of expert committee appointed by then Lahore administration. But some religious fundamentalists got stay from the court, yet every year on 23rd March, civil groups, including many women activists gather there on 23rd march and pay tributes to the martyr by singing revolutionary songs. Sometimes they have been assaulted by religious fundamentalist groups, so like this year, activists have been seeking security to be provided from Punjab High Court. Imtiaz Rashid, whose late father Abdul Rashid migrated from Abohar area of present East Punjab, both father and son have long been fighting to get Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev acquitted from infamous Lahore conspiracy case, through which they were convicted to death sentence by three High court level judges tribunal, against which no appeal could be made. As per A G Noorani book-The Trial of Bhagat Singh, the whole judicial procedure was so defective that he termed it as ‘judicial murder’! Lahore based Punjab High court after many years perhaps dismissed the case, and it may land up in Supreme Court of Pakistan. Interestingly activists might be approaching Pakistan President Asif Zardari for reference of this case to Supreme Court for review, on the pattern of former popular Prime Minister of Pakistan Zulfikar Ali Bhutto case and Supreme Court of Pakistan has recently accepted the reference made by Zardari in his earlier term as President of Pakistan in year 2013. Activists in Pakistan are thinking about making petition to President Zardari to make reference to Pakistan Supreme court regarding Lahore Conspiracy case as well, in which Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev were hanged on 23rd March 1931 at odd time of 7 pm past. Normally in any country execution takes place in morning time and these revolutionaries’ execution was also planned for morning of 24th March. But British colonial authorities, scared of massive people’s protest, advanced the execution to 12 hours and hanged them at 7 pm past on 23rd March itself. Yet people who had held a massive protest rally on 23rd March evening also and were dispersing when the news came about their being hanged and people gathered again at the gate of Lahore jail. It was revealed by a jail official to an Indian nationalist living close to the jail complex that all three revolutionaries had thrown their black masks, traditionally to cover the faces before being hanged, saying they were no criminals and holding their head high shouting slogans of Inqilab Zindabad, rode to the gallows. Decades later the whole world saw on television how Iraq President Saddam Hussain, throwing away black mask from his face before being hanged by American occupying forces. But Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev did this act many decades ago! The bodies were cut into pieces and stacked in raw jute bags and taken from the back gates of jail towards river Sutlej and bodies burnt with kerosene oil near village Ganda Singh wala, but the people including Bhagat Singh younger sister Bibi Amar Kaur, Lala Lajpat Rai daughter Parvati Bai had followed the tracks and found half burnt warm flesh and bones of the martyrs, which were picked from sand and brought back to Lahore and were given proper cremation at Ravi banks of Lahore in a procession of more than 50 thousand people. A huge meeting was also held at Minto Park Lahore. The news of this was carried in The Tribune of Lahore on 26th March on front page. Naujwan Bharat Sabha founded by Bhagat Singh and his comrades had planned to built a memorial for the martyrs for which an appeal to collect ten lakh rupees was issued by Sushila Ghosh, sister of Ajoy Ghosh, comrade of Bhagat Singh who was acquitted in Lahore Conspiracy case and remained General Secretary of Communist party of India(CPI) for 12 years till his death in 1962. Memorial would have included a training centre for workers for trade unionism and library plus meeting hall, this was somehow got sabotages and never came up. Ajoy Ghosh considered Bhagat Singh to be much brighter than himself and mentions that it was Bhagat Singh who took him and other comrades to the path of Socialist revolution. It was at Bhagat Singh proposal that the revolutionary organisation name Hindustan Republican Association/Army was renamed as Hindustan Socialist Republican Association/Army. Many Comrades from HSRA and Naujwan Bharat Sabha (NBS) later became part of Socialist faction of Congress party and supported Netaji Subhash Chander Bose as against Mahatma Gandhi candidate in Congress election. Some Muslim Comrades like Mubark Sagar and Ahmad Deen of NBS and HSRA migrated to Pakistan after 1947 and since relations between India and Pakistan remained cool till 1965, Chaman Lal Azad, who was NBS activist and later Urdu journalist, helped Mubark Sagar and Ahmad Deen during their medical needs by inviting them to Delhi and getting them treated. Chaman Lal Azad wrote a good book in Urdu-Bhagat Singh aur Dutt ki Amar Kahani, now out of print. He was close to Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri and could get Mubark Sagar and Munshi Ahmad Deen to have medical help in Delhi. There has been renewed interest in Pakistan about Bhagat Singh as in many countries in west, from where many research publications have come up recently. Lyallpur Historian club organises lectures on Bhagat Singh and also celebrate his birth anniversary in his birth village Chak No 105, Bange, now in Faisalabad district. The allottee and owner of Bhagat Singh family house has created a two-room museum of freedom struggle in birth room of Bhagat Singh, which includes pictures of all freedom fighters of that period-Hindus/Sikhs/Muslims etc. Bhagat Singh birth house was visited even by one-time Indian Ambassador to Pakistan TCA Raghvan. Prior to 1965 Indo-Pak war, the visitors to Nankana Sahib invariably used to visit Chak no 105-Bhagat Singh birth place on buses, which falls in Jaranwala Tehsil, about 45 kilometres from Nankana Sahib. Ammara Ahmad, a journalist cum scholar is planning her research on Footsteps of Bhagat Singh in Lahore. Recently historian Waqar Piroz, who retired from Govt. College Lyallpur (Faisalabad), has published a good biography of Bhagat Singh in Urdu, published by Fiction house Lahore under the title Sarfarosh Sardar Bhagat Singh. NRI Indian scholar and lawyer from London Satvinder Juss could consult 134 files of Bhagat Singh case lying in Punjab Archives in Anarkali Lahore and wrote two books on the base of that-The Execution of Bhagat Singh and Bhagat Singh Life and Revolution, published by HarperCollins India and Penguins India. Earlier famous Sindhi poet Sheikh Ayaz had an epic on Bhagat Singh in Sindhi. Punjabi poet Ahmade Saleem has a poetry collection under the title-Kehdi Maan ne Bhagat Singh Jammiya(Which mother gave birth to Bhagat Singh). So Bhagat Singh is not just Indian phenomenon. First time in March 2018, Punjab Archives Lahore had pout an exhibition on Bhagat Singh case, exhibiting many documents from these 134 files. A Pakistani historian has told me in 2014, that Pakistan Government has planned to digitise these whole files and put in public domain, but it has not been done till day, ten years later! Pakistani and South Asian youth are equally enamoured of Bhagat Singh’s personality and revolutionary ideas. Our latest book-The Political Writings of Bhagat Singh edited by Monthly Review ex-editor and Director Michael D Yates and me, has been published by LeftWord India but its Monthly Review Press edition is coming up from New York this very year. Slowly Bhagat Singh is turning into a popular revolutionary international icon like Che Guevara. This connects the revolutionary tradition of South Asia and South America and that is a good sign for world progressive circles and oppressed people, who take inspiration to make revolution in their countries from these two supreme fearless icons of revolution! *Chaman Lal is a retired Professor from JNU, New Delhi and Honorary Advisor Bhagat Singh Archives and Resource Centre, Delhi Archives, New Delhi. His books on Bhagat Singh include The Bhagat Singh Reader, The Political Writings of Bhagat Singh-coedited, Understanding Bhagat Singh and Complete writings of Bhagat Singh in Hindi, Urdu, English and Marathi. He can be contacted at Chamanlal.jnu@gmail.com, blog and whatsapp channel-Bhagat Singh Study

Bhagat Singh in Canada

        

A series of Lectures on Bhagat Singh and his ideas of revolution were planned by Indo-Canadian Workers Association (ICWA) Brampton in March 2020. The series was to begin from Brampton and was to be taken to other cities of Canada by either branches of ICWA or like-minded other groups or organisations. Due to onset of Covid-19 in mid-March 2020, whole Canada was shut up like other parts of the world, including India, so the series was postponed but not cancelled.

 

ICWA has different leadership in different cities, such as radicals lead ICWA in Ontario province, whereas CPM-oriented people manage it in British Columbia State’s cities. There is East India Defence Committee, which was set up by Hardial Bains, a leader of Ghadar Communist Party, a radical Maoist party at one time and very strong in many cities which launched many anti- racist struggles. There were other Progressive Cultural and Writers’ Associations among organisers of this lecture series. There were and are many left oriented journals also published from Canada. At one Hari P Sharma’s organisation IPANA and later (SANSAD) were much known, it used to bring out bi-lingual journal in Punjabi and English. Nowadays it is extinct, but some weeklies or monthlies continued for some more years like The Asian Times edited by Prithviraj Kalia in four languages-Hindi, Punjabi, English and Urdu or Nawin Duniya in Punjabi had continued the trend. During Covid crisis both Nawin Duniya and Asian Times ceased publication. But journals like Sarokaran di Awaz or Radical Desi still continue to hold the ground! Print or online print media has given it over now to electronic media like Radio, which is most popular, TV or podcasts! Many activists of old radical organisations have passed away like Chin Banerjee. Banerjee had written obituary of Hari P Sharma at his passing away in 2010. Both Chin Bannerjee and Hari P Sharma served as Professors in Canadian Universities and had earned laurels as academicians. Hari P Sharma’s old associate in IPANA, Raj Chauhan is now Speaker of British Columbia Legislature assembly.

 

The pending series of lectures materialised in March 2023.

 

In 2023, invitations from Surrey, Edmonton, Calgary and Montreal were received even before landing up in Canada. In year 2011, while on way to San Francisco in USA to deliver lecture on Ghadar party young hero Kartar Singh Sarabha on his birthday, I had stopped at Edmonton and Surrey to deliver lectures/meetings on Bhagat Singh Dalit literature. On my return to India in January 2012 from the assignment of Visiting Professor in Hindi at The University of West Indies (UWI), St. Augustine campus in Trinidad, I had my return journey through Toronto, so a lecture on Che Guevara and Bhagat Singh was organised at Brampton by Rationalist Society. At that very time, friends in Canada, especially Amrit Dhillon, husband of Bhagat Singh niece Inderjit at Brampton had expressed desire to arrange a lecture series, though many books of mine on Bhagat Singh came out after 2011-12. Amrit Dhillon’s efforts through ICWA brought fruit in the form of lecture series in March 2023!

 

I touched Toronto airport at 6 am on 24th March. Bhagat Singh niece Inderjit and her husband Amrit Dhillon were there at airport to receive me. Both not in very good health and Amrit Dhillon nearing 80 years, I was feeling a bit guilty.

 

Amrit Dhillon and ICWA had planned some Radio and TV interviews for propagating the event of 26th March, which included my lecture for 45 minutes on revolutionary ideas of Bhagat Singh and a one-hour play based on Bhagat Singh’s last days in prison by Punjabi play wright Davinder Daman. Though for Canadian Indians/Punjabis Bhagat Singh is most popular iconic figure for their socio-politico-cultural events, their main focus is more on plays in Punjabi. As play can engage people from different age and mental level, from kids to older people. It is a kind of fulfilling their aesthetic needs also, as most of Canadian Punjabis/Indians have not got integrated with Canada’s own original citizens of white or of some mix races. Canada as a nation or country is also not of ancient times. It was founded much later than USA, became a nation and has huge lands, mostly still uninhibited. Punjabis out of Indians had started reaching in Canada in early 1900’s and the first Gurdwara which was built in 1908 at Surrey was demolished by none else than Punjabis themselves to build a housing complex. There was resistance by some Punjabis/Indians against demolition, but the greed was more powerful than religious feelings and now only a token plaque is put up indicating the place to be the first ever Gurdwara of Canada built in 1908. However, the Gurdwara built in Abbotsford in 1911, stands as historic Gurdwara with a museum and Kamagatamaru ship monuments as the ship had landed at Vancouver in July 1914. It was made to wait at the seashore only for two months with 376 passengers onboard; only very few could land with court intervention. The remaining passengers had to travel back for two months to Bajbaj Ghat near Calcutta, where British colonial police fired upon them killing 20 passengers, whose memorial is built on the spot of shooting, which was inaugurated by first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and was taken care of Chittagong revolutionary Ganesh Ghosh for long time till his death.

 

Though I could impress the audience of nearly full Pearson Hall with around 300 people as most of the people in audience had never heard of those things which I generally speak to Indian audience or audiences outside India, I had to wind up before I could exhaust all the ideas, which I summed up in brief. There was no time for discussion as audience was waiting for the play and some songs. A poem of Faiz Ahmad Faiz was sung with modern instruments by a Canadian Pakistani, which was appreciated.

 

A day before the lecture I may have appeared in 2-3 radio or TV interviews and on 26th March itself, after the lecture, I went through two-hour long interview on one local YouTube channel of Nahar Aujla. In Canada, especially among Punjabis/Indians, radio is most popular mode of information. Very few people have subscribed to any newspaper in Canada, none in houses I enjoyed hospitality.

 

I was to leave for Abbotsford for few lectures in Surrey and Vancouver area for ten days, so I left Toronto on flight on 28th March, while on 27th giving some more interviews or outing, it was light raining season with moderate cold weather in most of Canada during my visit from 24th March to 1st May for almost five weeks.

At Abbotsford small airport, Taraksheel Society activist couple Paramjit and her husband picked me up and came over to their beautiful house on riverside. Next day on 29th April, I had to go through interviews with Canadian electronic media on different channels, most famous being Red FM and Connect, but smaller ones like Sher-e-Punjab like channels also had their studios. I appeared in short and longer interviews at channels as well as home set up studios for YouTube channels. One well known Indian journalist from Times of India-Manimugdha Sharma is now part of Red FM as well as doing research from Fraser University of British Columbia. In Canada, one may do as many jobs in the day combining Govt and private jobs legally. Among Punjabis/Indians it is a craze to work more hours, sometimes sixteen hours or more in a single day. Even when they have weekly break of two days, they take up private jobs of property dealing or work as realtors! Most of Punjabis with Govt. or private full time regular jobs, indulge in property dealing on weekends! As some of Punjabi hosts said that all are running after earning dollars-Canadian currency is also dollar, its value slightly less than US dollar. The situation has changed a lot after my last visit in 2012, when this kind of dollar earning rat race was not there, or less visible! Even when parents or kins of Punjabi/Indians settled as citizens of Canada are invited to stay permanently with children, they are also pushed into doing jobs like cherry/blue berry picking or such kind of jobs. People in their 80’s even 90’s do work from home doing translations etc, which are well paid.

 

One may look at this tendency critically, but one has to admit that there is no distinction between white collar or blue-collar jobs. People go in for the jobs which fetch them more money and blue-collar jobs are paid more! So, Indians shedding their inhibition for menial or labour jobs, take up hard working jobs which pay more bucks. Academicians of repute in India, who remained Professors in colleges and Universities, when come over to Canada, they forget the nose of their old academic career and accept jobs like bus driving without any inhibition! Long drives of goods trucks earn lot of bucks, more than other blue-collar jobs, so most of Punjabi settlers had heavy vehicle driving as profession for a length of time to enable them to buy a house. Housing is well organised. So first they go for two-bedroom flats with underground basement, which is generally rented to Indian students in Canada. With that earning they work many extra hours and reach in a position to go for a three-bedroom flat. Bank loans are easily available. Flats get pledged to bank for the amount they spend on buying. There is no Indian notion of ‘my home’ they change the homes like changing the clothes, buying new ones after a couple of years. So, 2 to 3, 3 to 4, 4 to five-room house, the race continues all the time leaving no time for leisure or entertainment. Many of them have houses in 2-3 cities, even in American cities as travelling and working in American cities is as easy as inside Canada!

 

As I was to spend almost ten days in Vancouver area, apart from visiting some historic sites and sight-seeing I wished my friends to organise as many meetings as possible during my stay, whether small in house meetings, or public hall meetings. After staying one or two nights at Surrey I moved to Abbotsford with a young relative. I had a second visit to historic 1911 built Gurdwara, which was once the centre of Ghadarite activists, in whose langar hall I was honoured with Siropa and a medal in 2011 by then MLA and minister Raj Chauhan, who is now Speaker of British Columbia assembly, but had his long association with Hari P Sharma’s radical left organisation. Raj Chauhan and other friends belong to NDP party, strong in British Columbia, where Ujjal Dosanjh, grandson of a Ghadarite from Hoshiarpur district of Punjab was the Premier one time or Chief Minister, in Indian political sense. I had met Ujjal Dosanjh in 2011 as well and during this visit also, we joined a dinner held by a common friend. He became controversial for changing parties, while losing his seat in elections. Ujjal has now taken to writing and one part of his autobiography was released in Delhi recently by his publisher Speaking Tiger in Delhi.

 

During my stay in Vancouver area, I visited British Columbia provincial assembly in Victoria, where one has to ferry by ship from Vancouver. During 2011 also I had visited and wished that in some way the reference to Bhagat Singh should come on record of assembly proceedings. Last time Harry Bains, Raj Chahuan and Jagroop Brar were our hosts, and Rachna Singh was part of us as visitors. (This time Rachna Singh was minister herself, though we could not meet!) Time was so short that we could not watch the proceedings of assembly. This time however it was pleasant surprise as we were invited by a Filipino background MLA Mable Egmore, who was once part of Drivers Union, led by Kirpal Bains, who was President of Drivers Union, and Mable was her deputy in union as Vice President. She was the one who extended an invitation to be her guest and visit Assembly premises and watch proceedings of the assembly. She received five of us warmly at Assembly gate and took us around the complex, where at one place pictures of all early Premiers were displayed including one of Ujjal Dosanjh. While in huge assembly library I could not gift any book, as I was left with none, but did present brochure of Bhagat Singh archives and Resource centre to be displayed. As we also met Niki Sharma the law minister in the assembly complex, I wished to present Bhagat Singh’s writings in Hindi to her, but she expressed her inability to read Hindi, though her parental background is from Jalandhar area of Punjab. We were introduced to Assembly speaker, who happened to be Raj Chauhan, a Hari P Sharma follower once, I presented the copy of Understanding Bhagat Singh to him and he invited us to watch the proceedings in afternoon session, when he will be chairing. In the meantime, Mable has managed to treat us as special visitors to be introduced to the members of assembly. I was first to be introduced by Jinny Sims, former MP and Minister to the house as Researcher on Bhagat Singh, the greatest icon of freedom struggle of India. Later Mable introduced the other four members of our group, especially mentioning Kirpal Bains to be her mentor in trade union! We got the copy of recording after some time. Not to be forgotten was the sumptuous lunch in assembly canteen, where minister Jagroop Brar met and MLA Jinny Sims joined for a while, expressing her concern about Khalistani and Amrik Singh’s neo-Bhindrawalian activities. Jinny Sims’s father was a communist activist in Punjab. We returned after that session and Mable Igmore came out to see us off. Mable once again referred to Bhagat Singh in assembly in context of a race done in his name. In Canada races are part and parcel of social life. Mable is part of queer movement of Canada and it does not affect her electoral prospects as she had already won her seat for four times in a row

 

During my stay in Vancouver area, where I lived in Surrey, Abbotsford and Maple Field, few notable things are-visit to Abbotsford old fort Langley site, where the mention to aboriginal children being killed, which has been the hot topic of Canadian newspapers and society since few months. I saw their genocide monuments being built in the hearts of cities like Surrey, Edmonton, Calgary and Toronto, may be few other cities too. In those designated spaces, the design or pictures of skulls of aboriginal children, their dresses, shoes with the banners like every child matters etc have been displayed and they attract huge attention of visitors. In most of place the use of Punjabi along with English and French was quite common.

 

Other smaller meetings in Surrey area was one at Jarnail Singh artist’s studio. A small indoor meeting, in which Punjabi senior writer of Pakistani origin Fauzia Rafique joined. CPM activists also held indoor meeting at Kulwant Dhesi spacious house with respectable presence and meaningful discussion, in which historian Sohan Singh Pooni and activist Surinder Sangha joined in intense discussion. A larger public hall discussion was held in East India defence committee hall Surrey, where for more than two hours an exhaustive discussion was held on the role of Bhagat Singh’s ideas to change the society on socialist principles.

 

Irony of the all these meetings was there were very few participants, who might have attended all meetings, not due to time constraints, but political constraints. Like their counterparts in India, they attend only their own faction or group’s meeting despite commonality in views and need for broader unity.

 

After spending ten days in British Columbia province, I moved to Alberta province with Capital at Edmonton. Here there is a strong Punjabi background group with Progressive Cultural platform with 85 years old Prithvi Raj Kalia as its main spirit. Kalia, himself a Hindi and English writer and retired official of Haryana Sahitya Akademi, contributed a lot after migrating to Canada post-retirement, bringing out Asian Times, bringing out books on Bhagat Singh, Ghadar Party, Marxism etc to mark the anniversaries. Jasvir Deol with Mangat Ram Pasla group political affiliation during his student days in Punjab is NDP popular MLA here. So, a well-attended public meeting was held here in a hall of Punjabi background Canadians. There was lively discussion. Mayor of Edmonton is a Punjabi background theatre activist, who was earlier a federal minister in Trudeau Govt. Amarjit Sohi came to see me after the meeting as he belonged to Trudeau’s liberal party while Deol belonged to NDP. Amarjit Sohi with a family background from Sangrur district of Punjab was a theatre activist, who in seventies had gone to Bihar to watch radical Naxal movement’s cultural activities, where he was arrested by special cell of Bihar police. He was tortured like anything and could have even been eliminated given the circumstances, which have still not changed much, perhaps worsened. To his good fortune and to the bad fortune of Bihar police a young IAS Punjabi lady with academic and poetic background had just joined as Deputy Commissioner of Jahanabad district. She raided the circuit house where Sohi was being tortured and called for the police officers who tortured Sohi. Sohi was sent to hospital immediately and the brutal police officers, one in drunkard condition and threatening DC herself was bundled out of the district. Sohi suffered few years of prison and later as a free person, again led a protest demonstration of some workers to the same Deputy Commissioner, this encounter did not turn bitter and things were settled smoothly! Later Amarjit Sohi migrated to Canada with whole family and in turn of the events became federal minister in Trudeau Govt. He continues to be the Mayor of Edmonton. Mayor post in Canadian system is very important. While meeting him, I asked him to display Bhagat Singh portrait in Mayoral office and get Bhagat Singh books in libraries of Edmonton. I am not sure whether they would do it as politicians in Canada, while more accessible and less arrogant than their Indian counterparts are not much different when coming to action.

 

My next lecture was very next day in Calgary, which is larger city of Alberta province. Here Taraksheel society organised lecture in a NGO hall again with large gathering and very congenial atmosphere for discussion. After spending a week in Alberta province, I returned to Ontario again for the last leg of my lecture tour as 30th April was the Taraksheel programme in same Pearson Hall in Brampton, from where I began on 26th March. After return to Ontario I stayed with different friends and visited my old friend and very sensitive Punjabi poet Navtej Bharti in London Ontario, almost one and half hours drive from Brampton. I had once translated his poem in Hindi-Ram Ab Ayodhya Nahin Lautenge-Rama will not return to Ayodhya now! It was in background of 1992 Babri Masjid demolition, it was published in popular Hindi daily Jansatta. Though this was equally good poem, the poem which got popular about this theme was Kaifi Azmi’s. There were display of Che Guevara photos in his small but aesthetically beautiful villa. It was there that we talked about Bhootwara, of whose he and just one more Prem Pali are survivors as a day before Surjeet Lee, had expired in Patiala. In Brampton, one indoor meeting was held in the house of Arider Hundal, a member of Canadian Communist Party, who fought local election. His father a progressive poet Harbhajan Hundal was affiliated to Pasla group in Punjab, who passed away recently. One pleasant invitation came from Concordia University Montreal.Dolores Chew organised a meeting at a small hall in Concordia University on 26th April. It was the only academic meeting in the whole lecture tour, though it was of radical political thinkers’ group. I was in hall just in time as I had missed a train to Montreal from Toronto, I was allowed to travel in next train without any additional charge with a gap of three hours, the train journey itself was pleasant, meeting an Afghan student during the journey and arousing her interest in atheism of Bhagat Singh! Apart from a very useful and rich discussion at Montreal, I met Maya Khankhoje, daughter of legendary Ghadarite revolutionary Pandurang Khankhoje whom I had met in Delhi earlier and our JNU alumnus Diane Sha, while Anand, son of legendry Hindi writer Yashpal, who was instrumental in organising this meeting. I travelled to Ottawa, the capital of Canada from Montreal before returning to Brampton for the last meeting on 30th April.

 

 As 30th April meeting organised by Taraksheel society was more focussed on a play by a Punjabi playwright, I was asked to speak briefly on Bhagat Singh, which I did with great precision.

 

The only major province and city I missed out was Winnipeg in Manitoba, for which I had invitation in 2020, but which could not materialise in 2023.

 

With this tenth and last meeting in Canada, my lecture tour was concluded and my return ticket was booked for 1st May. Out of these ten meetings, seven were public meetings and three were indoor meetings. There were book exhibitions in most of public meetings, but very exhibitions had my books on display except few. Though I had circulated the list of my books to all organisers, but few of them got them for display.

 

Despite a successful tour one question continues to haunt this writer. Why Indians/ Panjabis who have chosen to take citizenship of Canada and are ministers/MLAs, part of ruling elite and yet they indulge more in Indian politics than in their adopted country? They don’t question the Canadian Government for playing second fiddle to US in almost all international affairs. They find it easy to condemn or praise Indian Government, but don’t question Canadian government. Perhaps if they start criticising Canadian Government for its pro-US policies their liberty to indulge in Indian politics will also get checked. The hypocrisy of Sonia Gandhi being a foreigner, so can’t be an Indian PM, but how Indian background people at so many places become Presidents/Prime Ministers and are not called anti-national in the countries where they have become rulers, and Indian Government and people both celebrate it when Sunk becomes UK Premier, but in India any person of foreign origin is a suspect/anti-national etc.

 

The return journey was as difficult as the first journey was but again this was compensated by watching the Satyajit Ray film Jalsaghar itself!

Indian Politicians in India and Canada: A study in contrast! Chaman Lal*

 

Indian politicians in Canada and India: A study in contrast | Chandigarh News - The Indian Express

                

It was in March 2020 that the Indo-Canadian Workers Association in Brampton sent me an invitation to deliver a few lectures on Shaheed Bhagat Singh in some cities of Canada. However, as the pandemic Covid-19 spread world over in mid-March, the programs were cancelled at the last moment, as were in India too! The invitation materialised three years later in March 2023.! While as part of the series, the lectures were held in Vancouver also. During my stay in the Vancouver area, it was in April first week, that along with a few friends of Punjabi origin, I wished to and visit Victoria, the capital of British Columbia province of Canada, which is popularly called Beautiful British Columbia (BBC)! We were invited to visit the Assembly Hall of the province by an MLA of Filipino origin, Mable Elmore, who was Vice President of the Drivers Union at one time and a four-time MLA. During my last visit in year 2011, an MLA of Punjabi origin Harry Bains had invited a few friends and we were entertained there in the Assembly Hall by Raj Chauhan, Jagrup Brar and Harry Bains, who took us around the assembly hall. At that time also, I had wished that if there could be some reference made to Shaheed Bhagat Singh in Assembly proceedings as we went around. This time to my pleasant surprise, it did happen, that too, due to a Filipino-origin MLA! To fulfil my wish, Kirpal Bains, a Punjabi-origin friend, who remained President of a union, of which Mable Elmore was Vice President, arranged an invitation from his comrade and MLA Mable Elmore to visit the assembly with friends. So, five of us Kirpal Bains, Dr. Sadhu Singh, Iqbal Purewal, Santokh Singh and me, took a ferry from Vancouver and reached Victoria, where the British Columbia Assembly is located. Both Kirpal Bains and Dr Sadhu Singh had their illustrious academic career in Punjab earlier. We were received at the gate of the Assembly by MLA Mable Elmore herself, who came out from the assembly's ongoing proceedings. While she took us around the assembly hall complex, we met some ministers of British Columbia holding their own files without any staff to carry around. One of the ministers we met, was Niki Sharma, the law minister. I was carrying a few books on Shaheed Bhagat Singh in Hindi and was told that Niki Sharma might know Hindi, as she is from the Jalandhar area background, but she did not know Hindi. We were pleasantly surprised to see Raj Chauhan as Speaker of the British Columbia assembly, in 2011, he was a minister. He received us warmly in the speaker’s chamber. As I presented one of my books on Bhagat Singh to him, he invited us to watch the proceedings of the Assembly in the afternoon session, which he was to chair. We were entertained on a nutritious lunch with all kinds of food, in the Assembly Canteen where we met Jagrup Brar, who was minister this time and also joined briefly by MLA Jinny Sims, who was, an MP of federal parliament in 2011. Jinny's name is Joginder from the Doaba area and her father was a Communist activist in Punjab. While talking over lunch, she shared our concern about what was being done by Khalistani elements in Canada and Amritpal and others in the UK and other countries.

In the afternoon session of the Assembly, while we were seated in the visitor’s gallery, we were introduced to the Assembly members as special visitors. While I was introduced to the Assembly by ex-Minister Jinny Sims as a researcher on Bhagat Singh, by adding that Shaheed Bhagat Singh was India’s greatest hero of the freedom struggle. Mable Elmore introduced the other four friends Kirpal Bains, Sadhu Singh, Iqbal Purewal and Santokh Singh, mentioning Kirpal Bains as her mentor in the trade union! The proceedings were recorded and I was happy that at least it was possible this time to get Shaheed Bhagat Singh's name mentioned in Assembly records as an icon of the Indian freedom struggle. While going through the assembly complex, I clicked the photograph of Ujjal Dosanjh, who had remained Premier of British Columbia province once, later a federal minister too. (Ujjal Dosanjh too joined in a dinner held during my stay in Surrey with lively chat on drinks and food! He was in Chandigarh recently to release one of his autobiographical books, as he left politics for writing. He is the grandson of a Ghadrite revolutionary from the Hoshiarpur district). I presented a Brochure of Bhagat Singh Archives and Resource Centre New Delhi to be displayed in Assembly library. While Mable Elmore came out with us to the Assembly gate to say goodbye! I was told that on the next day of the Assembly session, Mable again made mention of Shaheed Bhagat Singh in the context of a race being organised in martyr’s name in Vancouver!

I was wondering how a system in different countries makes people of different backgrounds conduct themselves in accordance with the country they adopt to live in. All MLAs and ministers of Punjabi /Indian origin keep coming over to India and see how their counterparts in the Indian parliamentary system behave like feudal lords. While MLAs/ministers of Indian origin do all their work themselves, buying tea or coffee too by standing in queue, the Indian feudal-minded parliamentarians cannot be even approached by common or even somewhat privileged Indians! Aam Aadmis (Common People in literal translation), become so Khas (Special), that even their close friends earlier are not responded to in any manner. I know one or two Cabinet ministers and senior functionaries of Punjab, who once took me to various monumental places relating to the Ghadar party like Stockton, Sacramento and San Francisco in the USA, will not even respond to my phone/Whatsapp calls/msgs or emails, so is in Delhi Aam turns Khas after getting power!

     Ironically Governments in the centre and states in the Indian Parliamentary system, find it difficult to appreciate the truly Multi-Cultural Canadian Parliamentary system, though still a dominion of the erstwhile British empire, where ministers including Prime Minister and Chief Ministers, MPs and MLAs live like other citizens of the country, one could find them in markets, carrying their own grocery, driving their own vehicles, standing in ques with all other citizens, allowing peoples peaceful protests, accepting their genuine demands without taking the sacrifices of people, like 700 farmers lives during recent farmers struggle! Indian Govt. bullies the Canadian government like international feudal lords. Canada itself has lost more than 300 of its citizen's lives, due to Khalistani elements causing an air crash few years ago, and a grand monument stands in the Vancouver area, with all the names of aeroplane crash victims caused by Khalistanis, so is a monument built at Vancouver waterfront in memory of 376 Kamagatamaru ship passengers including Hindu-Sikh-Muslims all, who were not allowed to land and reverted back to India after two months in 1914! Canadian Govt. has recorded an apology for that in its Parliament!

  I also wonder that after becoming citizens of Canada/other countries, why people from Indian background keep harping more on Indian situation than on the situation of their citizenship adopted countries! One can understand showing concern about the Indian situation from a humanitarian angle, but that should be for any country’s situation! Irony is the Indian Govt, while being critical of Canadian/other Governments. for not checking protests against the Indian govt. by Indian background people for its oppression inside India, they use similar Indian background people for promoting a present brand of Indian Govt. Thus, Indian Prime Minister Modi has been built as a ‘hero’ by the same type of Indian background people in the USA, UK and Australia, but this govt. gets stung when the same type of Indian background people criticise or protest against Modi Govt.! While no action was taken at the replay and eulogising Nathu Ram Godse for shooting Mahatma Gandhi, by a Hindu fundamentalist woman in Aligarh, action is demanded against some Sikhs in Canada replaying and eulogising Sikh bodyguards of Indira Gandhi shooting her! Both these actions in public are reprehensible, yet demanding action against Canadian Sikhs and not taking any action against Nathu Ram Godse's followers at home!  This is the hypocrisy of first order!

*Chaman Lal is a retired Professor from JNU and Honorary Advisor Bhagat Singh Archives and Resource Centre, Delhi , has been in Canada recently for a lecture series on Shaheed Bhagat Singh. Whatsapp 9868774820, email Chamanlal.jnu@gmail.com

                                            

Relook at a Book: New Edition of C S Venu’s Then Banned Biography of Bhagat Singh

 

Chaman Lal | 28 Jun 2023India

Venu’s biography of Bhagat Singh, despite some errors in dates and narration, is one of the authentic records of those times, and its new edition is welcome.

Venu, C S, Sirdar Bhagat Singh (Banned biography), ed. Rajwanti Maan, 2022, Delhi, New World Publication, 114, Price Rs 150.

 This was one of earliest biographies of Bhagat Singh, published in the year 1931, immediately after his execution. Its price was just six annas at that time and its copies were available from the author's address in Madras. All books, especially biographies and poetry on Bhagat Singh, were promptly proscribed.  The new edition of the book has been published after 91 years. Rajwanti Maan, the Haryana archivist got its copy from the British Library, London, and under her ‘editorship’, it was published in 2022 by a relatively new publisher -- New World Publication.

The author, a Tamil, was in Lahore jail at the time of the execution of Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev. In the fresh edition, Rajwanti Maan, in her brief introduction, has quoted from the biography but has not used the latest information to update.

In Venu’s biography, the hunger strike period of Bhagat Singh in jail is referred to as 116 days. The editor has neither mentioned that the hunger strike period was actually110 days, which was mentioned in newspapers, such as The Tribune, at that time. She also does not mention that Bhagat Singh went on two more hunger strikes adding more days.

As per the editor, CS Venu’s biography was acquired by the British Library London on November 12, 1931. It was an 80-page book, priced six annas, and had the address of the author for copies. Its original title was Sirdar Bhagat Singh. No justification has been given as to why the word Sirdar has been changed to Sardar in the latest edition. The editor ends her introduction with the para from Dreamland, a poetry book by Lala Ram Saran Das, whose introduction was written by Bhagat Singh at the poet’s insistence. The editor has titled eight chapters. The original edition, perhaps, had breaks but was not divided into titles. Every new title or break began with some couplet from a classic revolutionary poem quoted by Venu.

The first chapter, ‘Childhood and Early Influences’ starts with a quote from Walter Scott’s poetry:

   “Oh hush thee my baby, the time soon will come/When the sleep shall be broken by trumpet and drum/Then hush thee my darling, take rest while you may/For strife comes with manhood and waking with day.”

Venu refers to the 1906 Congress session at Calcutta, where Ajit Singh with Lala Lajpat Rai and Kishan Singh thundered the demand for freedom for India. He refers to Bhagat Singh’s birth date as September 19, 1907. Jitendranath Sanyal, the first biographer of Bhagat Singh, who was acquitted in the Lahore conspiracy case but convicted to two-year imprisonment for writing the biography, has also falsely mentioned Bhagat Singh birth date as October 5. It was only after Virender Sandhu wrote the biography of three generations of his family that Bhagat Singh’s birth date was confirmed as September 28,1907. 

The first chapter goes up to the 1919 Jallianwala Bagh massacre. The author makes another fallacy in the chapter by mentioning Batukeshwar Dutt as Bhagat Singh’s school mate and inseparable companion. Bhagat Singh met BK Dutt for the first time in 1923 at Kanpur. The editor has not made any editorial change or footnote to correct this.

The second chapter, ‘The Blast of the Trumpet, begins with a quote from De Quincey’s poetry:

    “The Blood-stained murder bare thy hideous arm/And thou Rebellion welter in thy storm/Awake ye Spirits of avenging crime/Burst from your bonds and battle with time.”

This chapter focuses upon the Delhi Assembly bomb incident of April 8, 1929. The author is more accurate in its description and describes the passing of the Public Safety Bill by 56 against 38 votes as the time when the bombs exploded near George Schuster’s bench. As author John Simon, present in House, ‘took to his heels’, Sir Hari Singh Gour, on whose name Sagar University in Madhya Pradesh was named,  ‘locked himself in the Bathroom’! ‘Red’ pamphlets were thrown by Bhagat Singh and Dutt in the Assembly. The author correctly mentions that this act was inspired by French revolutionary Auguste Vaillant, whose words at a similar explosion in French Parliament: “It takes a loud voice to make the deaf hear” were repeated in the Delhi Assembly pamphlet!

The author, a follower of Gandhi and Congress, declares ‘a thousand times emphatic ‘No’ to the charge of terrorism in this act!

The third chapter, ‘The Trial and the Sentence’, begins with a quote from Indian poet Harin Chattopadhyay:

   “Life or death? What does it matter? / Heroes ever scorned the grave/Tyrant, we are out to shatter/The Last fetter of the slave/Let us shout from tower and Steeple/Now our banner is unfurled/That by fighting for our people/We are fighting for the world.”

In this chapter, the reference to the 116-day record hunger strike comes after mentioning the earlier record of 97 days hunger strike by an Irish revolutionary. The reference to one judge, (Justice Agha Hyder) expressing disgust at the beating of revolutionaries, does not mention his name.

‘Ordinance Challenged’ is the title of the fourth chapter and the quote is from a poem by Vanzetti, who himself was hanged in US:

 “O capitalist system I know you well/I have heard the prayers of your starving children/I have heard the groans of young dyeing soldiers/I have seen the agony of strong men hunting for jobs/I know your crimes capitalism; I know your crazy houses/Your jails, factories, hospitals filled with victims/You are a monster, I hate you/I am glad to die!/Friends Ghouls!Assassins of the poor/We will have revenge!/Revolution! Give me a million men/And I will walk from this jail/And set America free.”

 This chapter contains almost a verbatim record of the Privy Council proceedings in London. Gandhi has been described as a ‘benevolent Saint’ and it mentions that not less than 20 million signatures had gone to the Viceroy asking for mercy.

Chapter five again begins with Vanzetti’s long poem In this chapter, ‘The Sacrifice’, the Lahore hartal after the executions and the Mori Gate meeting of 20,000 people has been mentioned. One lakh people, bare headed, marched in procession, taking the three martyrs’ biers with charred body parts, and cremated them at Ravi river site.

The sixth chapter, ‘A Nation in Mourning’, also begins with Vanzetti’s poem. A mention has been made of Dewan Bahadur Rangacharya, leader of opposition in the Central Assembly, making a statement. Chapter seven, ‘Fundamental’, begins with a  shloka from Bhagwad Gita.

The eighth chapter, ‘Conclusion’, discusses the death of Greek philosopher Socrates but his philosophy living, and the letter written by Bhagat Singh to young political workers. The author, Venu, mentions here his being in the same jail and getting a chance to speak with him.

Venu was so inspired by Bhagat Singh in jail, that after his release and going back to Madras, he wrote his biography, probably publishing it with his own money, which was proscribed immediately.

Biographies written during the early period of Bhagat Singh’s execution are more factual and objective, though there are errors in certain dates. C S Venu’s biography of Bhagat Singh, despite some errors in dates and narration, is one of the authentic records of those times and its new edition is welcome.

Chaman Lal is retired Professor from JNU and is Honorary Advisor, Bhagat Singh Archives and Resource Centre, Delhi Archives, New Delhi.