Why Gandhiji did not save Bhagat Singh?
As an ideal freedom fighter, Bhagat Singh, who was popular as a revolutionary, was a supporter of freedom, by following the path of violence. He was born in 1907 when 38-years-old Indian activist Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was using non-violent fighting in South Africa.
With the experience of Satyagraha, Gandhiji came to India in the year 1915 and upon seeing it, he became very popular on the political scene of India.
At the same time, Bhagat Singh, growing young, adopted the path of violent revolution. But many things were common between these two legends, which included giving importance to the interests of the common poor population of the country.
His idea of independence was not just political. Both of them want that people of the country should be free from the shackles of exploitation and their efforts should be in that direction. One thing that was contradictory between the two was that Bhagat Singh was an atheist and Gandhiji was the ultimate believer. But both were opposed to hatred spread and blind faith in the name of religion. But despite this, there were some similarities between the two. Both were super patriotic.
Bhagat Singh's hanging
In 1928, senior Congress leader Lala Lajpat Rai was injured by police Lathis in protest against Simon Commission. He died a few days later. Bhagat Singh did not agree with the politics of the last years of Lala Ji's life and he openly opposed him.
Bhagat Singh got very angry after seeing the serious condition of Lala Ji injured by the Lathis of British police officers. Bhagat Singh, along with his friends, planned to kill Police Superintendent Scott to avenge this. But my partner's mistake,21-year-old police officer Sanders was killed, instead of Scott. In this case, Bhagat Singh could not come under police arrest. But after some time he threw a bomb in the assembly meeting. At that time he threw the bomb, Sardar Patel's elder brother Vitthalbhai Patel was the first Indian president to conduct the proceedings of the assembly. Bhagat Singh did not want to cause loss of life, but he wanted to bring the deaf British government's ears to the echo of the truth of the country. After throwing the bomb, Bhagat Singh and Batukeshwar Dutt could escape, but they gave their arrest bravely. Bhagat Singh also had his revolver at the time of the arrest. After some time it was proved that the same revolver was used in the murder of police officer Sanders. Therefore, Bhagat Singh, who was caught in the assembly for throwing a bomb, was hanged after being accused in a serious case of killing Sanders.
Gandhiji and Punishment
After the Dandi march in 1930, the struggle between the Congress and the British government was in full swing. Meanwhile, the British government called different leaders in London to participate in the Round Table Conference to discuss reforms in I Gandhiji and Congress did not participate in this first Round Table Conference and this conference was inconclusive.
In the second conference, the British government decided to go on the path of dialogue instead of conflict to avoid the likely conditions of the first conference. Conversations between Viceroy Irwin and Gandhiji started on 17 February 1931. After this, an agreement was reached between the two on 5 March 1931.
In this agreement, it was decided to release all the prisoners caught fighting in a non-violent way. However, Bhagat Singh, who was hanged in the state murder case, could not get an apology. Apart from Bhagat Singh, all other prisoners could not get forgiveness in such cases. This is where the controversy started.
Oppose Gandhiji
During this time, the question was raised that when Bhagat Singh and his other friends are being punished then how can an agreement be made with the British Government.
With questions related to this issue, Booklets started being distributed in different places in India. The communists were angry with this agreement and they started protesting against Gandhiji in public meetings.
In such a situation, Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev, and Rajguru were hanged on 23 March 1931.
After this, a wave of anger ran out among the people. But this outrage was not only against the British but also against Gandhiji because he did not insist that "If Bhagat Singh's hanging is not forgiven, then there is no agreement".
The Congress session began in Karachi on 26 March 1931, in which Sardar Patel became the President of the Congress for the first time.
On 25 March, when Gandhiji reached there to take part in this session, there was a protest against him. He was welcomed with flowers made of black cloth and slogans like "Gandhi Murdabaad, Gandhi Go Back." Gandhiji called this protest a little trailer of his 'deep anguish' and the anger emerging from it and he said that 'these people have shown their anger in a very proud style'.
According to newspaper reports, on the afternoon of 25 March, many people reached the place where Gandhiji was staying and these people shouted: "Where is the killer ?".
Then they found Jawaharlal Nehru who took these people to a tent. After this, after talking for three hours, they explained to these people, but in the evening these people returned to protest again. Within the Congress, many people including Subhash Chandra Bose also opposed Gandhiji and Irwin's agreement. They believed that if the British government was not forgiving the sentence of Bhagat Singh, then there was no need to compromise. However, the Congress Working Committee was fully in support of Gandhiji.
Gandhiji's point of view
Gandhiji has given feedback on this issue. Gandhiji says, "Respect emerges in our mind for the bravery of Bhagat Singh. But I want a way in which you do not harm others while sacrificing yourself ... People should be ready to hang themselves. The government is provoking seriously. But the terms of the agreement did not include stopping execution. So it is not right to retreat from it". Gandhiji writes in his book 'Swaraj', "The death penalty should not be given." He says, "if I Had got an opportunity to talk with Bhagat Singh and his associates, I would have told him that his chosen path is wrong and unsuccessful. By witnessing to God, I want to show the truth that Swaraj by walking on the path of violence can not be found. Only difficulties can be found".
"I tried as many ways as I could to convince the Viceroy. I used the whole of the power to explain what I had. On the morning of the 23rd, I wrote a personal letter to the Viceroy in which poured my whole soul."
"Bhagat Singh was not a priest of non-violence but did not consider violence to be a religion. These heroes had also conquered the fear of death. His valor is saluted. But his actions should not be imitated. This act of his country should not be followed. I do not believe that they have benefited. If the practice of acquiring fame by blood started, people will start seeking justice in killing each other, if we try to avenge eyes for eyes the whole world will go blind"
Researchers have not found any such evidence that Gandhi Ji has pressured the Viceroy completely to forgive the execution of Bhagat Singh.
The emotional letter that Gandhiji had written to the Viceroy in the early morning on the day of the execution was about to create pressure. But by then it was too late. Based on the research on this subject, it can be said that in the discussion between Gandhiji and Viceroy before the day of the hanging, Gandhi Ji considered the issue of Bhagat Singh's hanging unnecessarily. Therefore, Gandhi's claim to convince the Viceroy by applying his full power does not seem right.
Seeing the wave of opposition from the people, Gandhiji took his views against him and condemned himself and presented his views in front of the people.
Recognizing the bravery of Bhagat Singh, he strongly opposed his path and called it illegal. Gandhiji's moral courage as a leader is also worth remembering. If Gandhiji's behavior on this entire issue is kept in mind, then his side can be understood.
Bhagat Singh himself was not ready to plead his sentence. When his father applied for it, he responded by writing a letter in very strong words. There is no evidence related to Bhagat Singh's displeasure with Gandhiji because Gandhiji could not make forgive him.
But given the nature of Bhagat Singh, it does not seem that he must have been worried that his punishment was not forgiven.
Due to how old the communalism and nationalism roots are, it is evident from this that after the hanging of Bhagat Singh, due to compulsory mourning, there were communal riots in Kanpur which Ganesh Shankar Vidyarthi, who was going to stop, died.
Current Issues
Is the condemnation of Gandhiji on the issue of punishment of Bhagat Singh due to his love for Bhagat Singh or because of malice against Gandhiji?
Those who use Bhagat Singh's name as symbols only use it mainly to oppose Gandhiji or slogans say that Bhagat Singh was leftist, atheist, intellectual and anti-communal.
Bhagat Singh and Batukeshwar Dutt had thrown a bomb in the assembly meeting when Sir Sobha Singh, father of famous writer Khushwant Singh was present there.
He identified Bhagat Singh in the court. Therefore, in later years, the right-wing forces (Mainly BJP, Shivsena) also tried to embarrass Khushwant Singh that Bhagat Singh was hanged due to the testimony of Khushwant Singh's father.
In fact, Bhagat Singh was sentenced to death for not throwing a bomb in the assembly, but in the murder of Sanders (which had nothing to do with Sir Sobha Singh).
The most strange thing is that the most important role in the hanging of Bhagat Singh was that of many revolutionary colleagues who became government witnesses. (One of these Jaigopal's mistakes resulted in the death of Sanders instead of Scott)
Over the years, Gandhiji (or Sobha Singh) has been condemned in the name of Bhagat Singh's hanging, but the revolutionary comrades who testify against Bhagat Singh are never condemned because it does not benefit politically.
Thanks
Writer: Vinay Yadav
Credits:
Swaraj (a Book by Mahatma Gandhi), My Experiment with Truth (a Book by Mahatma Gandhi) ,History of Modern India
Special Credit: India After Gandhi
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