Bhagat Singh - A Short Essay

Bhagat Singh  was born on 28 September, 1909 at Lyallpur (now in Pakistan) of Kishan Singh and Vidyavati. He received his primary education at his village and later joined the National College, Lahore for further studies. While in college, he came into contact with revolutionary elements and joined the revolutionary movement in 1924.

Young blood flew in his veins. You might know that child marriages were in vogue those days, but Bhagat Singh knew his own destiny, so he declined to marry so that he could wholeheartedly dedicate his life for the cause of the nation.

Bhagat Singh was one of those rare courageous people who sacrificed everything they had for the sake of Motherland with broad smile on the lips and great spirits in the mind. His life was full of action. He founded the Hindustan Socialist Republican Army in association with other revolutionary leaders and led revolutionary activities in the vast stretches of the Punjab, Delhi and United Province (now Uttar Pradesh). He also started the militant Navjawan Bharat Sabha in the Punjab. He planned and executed agitation against the Simon Commission. He attempted to free his revolutionary comrades, Jogesh Chatterji and S.N. Sanyal who were imprisoned in the Kanpur Jail in connection with the famous Kakori conspiracy case.

Bhagat Singh was angered at the death of Lala Lajpat Rai during an agitation against the British in November, 1928. He planned and executed the killing of J.P. Saunders, Assistant Superintendent of Police, on 17 December the same year. His revolutionary activities went on unabated and the police could never come near him. He haunted the British officers out of their sleep.

When he and his comrades planned to throw a bomb in the Central Legislative Assembly in Delhi, he came forward. His comrades did not want him to do this job as he had an important role to play as the leader. But he stood his ground and said that the throwing of the bomb did not mean to harm anyone, rather it was meant to awaken the British government from its slumber.

On 08 April, 1929, Bhagat Singh and two of his comrades, Sukhdev and Rajguru entered the Assembly and threw the bomb in the well where it would not hurt anyone. They shouted slogans and threw leaflets to acquaint the leaders and bureaucrats about their feelings and demands, and thus doing, they gave themselves up.

Bhagat Singh and his comrades were arrested and ordered for transportation to life; however, a special tribunal enhanced the sentence to death by hanging in connection with another case. They utilised the opportunity of the trial to put forward their views. And when it came to march to the gallows, the three smilingly offered themselves on the altar of the Motherland singing patriotic songs.

It would be incorrect to term Bhagat Singh only a revolutionary. He was a well-read man. He had excellent views on socialism, social justice and secularism. He dreamed of a progressive and peaceful India. He had once said that the violence they were indulging in would have no place in independent India. We shall ever remain grateful to this son of the soil.