iswiki

<h1>Bhagat Singh (1907-1931)</h1>
<div class="level1">

<p>
<b>Bhagat Singh</b> was one of the most influential revolutionary freedom fighters of India, known for his courage, intellect, and sacrifice for the independence movement.
</p>

</div>

<h2>Personal Life</h2>
<div class="level2">
<ul>
<li class="level1"> <b>Born</b>: September 28, 1907, Banga, Punjab (now in Pakistan)</li>
<li class="level1"> <b>Died</b>: March 23, 1931 (aged 23), Lahore Central Jail</li>
<li class="level1"> <b>Family</b>: Sikh family with strong patriotic background</li>
<li class="level1"> <b>Father</b>: Kishan Singh (involved in Ghadar movement)</li>
<li class="level1"> <b>Uncle</b>: Ajit Singh (revolutionary)</li>
</ul>

</div>

<h2>Early Life and Influences</h2>
<div class="level2">

</div>

<h3>Childhood Influences</h3>
<div class="level3">
<ul>
<li class="level1"> <b>Jallianwala Bagh Massacre (1919)</b> - Deeply impacted him at age 12</li>
<li class="level1"> <b>Family environment</b> - Patriotic atmosphere at home</li>
<li class="level1"> <b>Kartar Singh Sarabha</b> - His role model and inspiration</li>
</ul>

</div>

<h3>Education and Reading</h3>
<div class="level3">
<ul>
<li class="level1"> <b>D.A.V. High School</b>, Lahore</li>
<li class="level1"> <b>National College</b>, Lahore (left to join freedom struggle)</li>
<li class="level1"> <b>Voracious reader</b> - European revolutionary literature</li>
<li class="level1"> <b>Languages</b>: Punjabi, Urdu, English, Hindi</li>
</ul>

</div>

<h2>Revolutionary Activities</h2>
<div class="level2">

</div>

<h3>Early Involvement</h3>
<div class="level3">
<ul>
<li class="level1"> <b>1921</b>: Participated in Non-Cooperation Movement (age 14)</li>
<li class="level1"> <b>1923</b>: Joined <b>Naujawan Bharat Sabha</b></li>
<li class="level1"> <b>1926</b>: Founded <b>Naujawan Bharat Sabha</b> in Lahore</li>
</ul>

</div>

<h3>Hindustan Socialist Republican Association (HSRA)</h3>
<div class="level3">
<ul>
<li class="level1"> <b>Co-founded HSRA</b> with Chandrashekhar Azad and others</li>
<li class="level1"> <b>Objective</b>: Complete independence through revolutionary means</li>
<li class="level1"> <b>Philosophy</b>: Atheist, socialist, and secular ideology</li>
</ul>

</div>

<h2>Major Operations</h2>
<div class="level2">

</div>

<h3>Lala Lajpat Rai's Death Revenge (1928)</h3>
<div class="level3">

<p>
<b>Background</b>:
</p>
<ul>
<li class="level1"> <b>October 30, 1928</b>: Lala Lajpat Rai died after police beating during Simon Commission protest</li>
<li class="level1"> <b>Vow</b>: To avenge his death</li>
</ul>

<p>
<b>The Plan</b>:
</p>
<ul>
<li class="level1"> <b>Target</b>: British police officer James A. Scott (responsible for beating)</li>
<li class="level1"> <b>Mistake</b>: Shot John Saunders instead of Scott</li>
<li class="level1"> <b>Date</b>: December 17, 1928</li>
<li class="level1"> <b>Associates</b>: Rajguru, Sukhdev, Chandrashekhar Azad</li>
</ul>

</div>

<h3>Central Legislative Assembly Bombing (1929)</h3>
<div class="level3">

<p>
<b>Objective</b>:
</p>
<ul>
<li class="level1"> <b>Protest</b> against <b>Trade Disputes Bill</b> and <b>Public Safety Bill</b></li>
<li class="level1"> <b>"Make the deaf hear"</b> - Create awareness about freedom struggle</li>
</ul>

<p>
<b>The Incident</b>:
</p>
<ul>
<li class="level1"> <b>Date</b>: April 8, 1929</li>
<li class="level1"> <b>Location</b>: Central Legislative Assembly, Delhi</li>
<li class="level1"> <b>Associates</b>: Batukeshwar Dutt</li>
<li class="level1"> <b>Action</b>: Threw non-lethal bombs and pamphlets</li>
<li class="level1"> <b>Slogan</b>: "<b>Inquilab Zindabad</b>" (Long Live Revolution)</li>
</ul>

<p>
<b>Aftermath</b>:
</p>
<ul>
<li class="level1"> <b>Voluntarily surrendered</b> instead of escaping</li>
<li class="level1"> <b>Strategy</b>: Use trial as platform for revolutionary propaganda</li>
</ul>

</div>

<h2>Trial and Prison Life</h2>
<div class="level2">

</div>

<h3>Court Proceedings</h3>
<div class="level3">
<ul>
<li class="level1"> <b>Defended themselves</b> in court</li>
<li class="level1"> <b>Refused to hire lawyers</b></li>
<li class="level1"> <b>Used court as platform</b> for revolutionary ideas</li>
<li class="level1"> <b>Long political statements</b> explaining their ideology</li>
</ul>

</div>

<h3>Hunger Strike</h3>
<div class="level3">
<ul>
<li class="level1"> <b>June 1929</b>: Started hunger strike in prison</li>
<li class="level1 node"> <b>Demands</b>: <ol>
<li class="level2"> Equal treatment for political prisoners</li>
<li class="level2"> Better living conditions</li>
<li class="level2"> Right to read newspapers and books</li>
</ol>
</li>
<li class="level1"> <b>Duration</b>: 116 days (Jatin Das died during this strike)</li>
</ul>

</div>

<h2>Philosophy and Ideology</h2>
<div class="level2">

</div>

<h3>Political Beliefs</h3>
<div class="level3">

<span class='np_break'> </span>
<div class="table sectionedit1"><table class="inline">
	<thead>
	<tr class="row0">
		<th class="col0"> Belief </th><th class="col1"> Details </th>
	</tr>
	</thead>
	<tr class="row1">
		<td class="col0"> <b>Atheism</b> </td><td class="col1"> Rejected religious orthodoxy </td>
	</tr>
	<tr class="row2">
		<td class="col0"> <b>Socialism</b> </td><td class="col1"> Believed in economic equality </td>
	</tr>
	<tr class="row3">
		<td class="col0"> <b>Secularism</b> </td><td class="col1"> No place for religion in politics </td>
	</tr>
	<tr class="row4">
		<td class="col0"> <b>Internationalism</b> </td><td class="col1"> Inspired by world revolutions </td>
	</tr>
</table>
<span class='np_break'> </span>
</div>
</div>

<h3>Famous Writings</h3>
<div class="level3">
<ul>
<li class="level1"> <b>"Why I am an Atheist"</b> (1930) - Written in prison</li>
<li class="level1"> <b>"The Philosophy of the Bomb"</b> - Justification for revolutionary violence</li>
<li class="level1"> <b>Prison diary</b> and letters</li>
</ul>

</div>

<h3>Famous Quotes</h3>
<div class="level3">
<ul>
<li class="level1"> "<b>Inquilab Zindabad</b>" (Long Live Revolution)</li>
<li class="level1"> "<b>It is easy to kill individuals but you cannot kill the ideas</b>"</li>
<li class="level1"> "<b>Revolution is the inalienable right of mankind</b>"</li>
</ul>

</div>

<h2>Execution and Martyrdom</h2>
<div class="level2">

</div>

<h3>Final Days</h3>
<div class="level3">
<ul>
<li class="level1"> <b>Verdict</b>: Death sentence for killing John Saunders</li>
<li class="level1"> <b>Date of execution</b>: March 23, 1931</li>
<li class="level1"> <b>Age</b>: 23 years</li>
<li class="level1"> <b>Last wish</b>: To die for the motherland</li>
</ul>

</div>

<h3>Execution</h3>
<div class="level3">
<ul>
<li class="level1"> <b>Location</b>: Lahore Central Jail</li>
<li class="level1"> <b>Time</b>: 7:30 PM (ahead of scheduled time)</li>
<li class="level1"> <b>Associates executed</b>: Rajguru and Sukhdev</li>
<li class="level1"> <b>Last words</b>: "Inquilab Zindabad"</li>
</ul>

</div>

<h2>Impact and Legacy</h2>
<div class="level2">

</div>

<h3>Immediate Impact</h3>
<div class="level3">
<ul>
<li class="level1"> <b>Mass outrage</b> across India</li>
<li class="level1"> <b>Inspiration</b> for youth to join freedom struggle</li>
<li class="level1"> <b>Symbol of sacrifice</b> and patriotism</li>
</ul>

</div>

<h3>Long-term Legacy</h3>
<div class="level3">
<ul>
<li class="level1"> <b>Secular nationalism</b> ideal</li>
<li class="level1"> <b>Youth icon</b> and revolutionary symbol</li>
<li class="level1"> <b>Alternative path</b> to Gandhi's non-violence</li>
<li class="level1"> <b>Socialist ideals</b> in Indian politics</li>
</ul>

</div>

<h2>Comparison with Contemporary Movements</h2>
<div class="level2">

<span class='np_break'> </span>
<div class="table sectionedit2"><table class="inline">
	<thead>
	<tr class="row0">
		<th class="col0"> Aspect </th><th class="col1"> Bhagat Singh </th><td class="col2"> Gandhi </td>
	</tr>
	</thead>
	<tr class="row1">
		<td class="col0"> <b>Method</b> </td><td class="col1"> Revolutionary violence </td><td class="col2"> Non-violence </td>
	</tr>
	<tr class="row2">
		<td class="col0"> <b>Ideology</b> </td><td class="col1"> Socialist, atheist </td><td class="col2"> Religious, spiritual </td>
	</tr>
	<tr class="row3">
		<td class="col0"> <b>Target group</b> </td><td class="col1"> Youth, intellectuals </td><td class="col2"> Mass movement </td>
	</tr>
	<tr class="row4">
		<td class="col0"> <b>Approach</b> </td><td class="col1"> Quick action </td><td class="col2"> Long-term struggle </td>
	</tr>
</table>
<span class='np_break'> </span>
</div>
</div>

<h2>UPSC Relevance</h2>
<div class="level2">
<ul>
<li class="level1"> <b>Paper</b>: General Studies Paper I (Modern History)</li>
<li class="level1"> <b>Topics</b>: Revolutionary movement, socialism in freedom struggle</li>
<li class="level1 node"> <b>Previous Year Questions</b>:<ol>
<li class="level2"> Role of revolutionary movements in freedom struggle (2020)</li>
<li class="level2"> Compare revolutionary and moderate approaches (2019)</li>
<li class="level2"> Youth's role in independence movement (2018)</li>
</ol>
</li>
</ul>

</div>

<h2>Key Dates</h2>
<div class="level2">
<ul>
<li class="level1"> <b>1907</b>: Birth</li>
<li class="level1"> <b>1919</b>: Jallianwala Bagh impact (age 12)</li>
<li class="level1"> <b>1926</b>: Founded Naujawan Bharat Sabha</li>
<li class="level1"> <b>1928</b>: Lajpat Rai's death revenge</li>
<li class="level1"> <b>1929</b>: Assembly bombing</li>
<li class="level1"> <b>1931</b>: Execution (March 23)</li>
</ul>

</div>

<h2>Associates and Contemporary Revolutionaries</h2>
<div class="level2">
<ul>
<li class="level1"> <b>Rajguru</b> - Fellow martyr, shot Saunders</li>
<li class="level1"> <b>Sukhdev</b> - Close friend and fellow martyr</li>
<li class="level1"> <b>Chandrashekhar Azad</b> - HSRA leader and mentor</li>
<li class="level1"> <b>Batukeshwar Dutt</b> - Assembly bombing partner</li>
<li class="level1"> <b>Ashfaqullah Khan</b> - Muslim revolutionary friend</li>
</ul>

</div>

<h2>Related Topics</h2>
<div class="level2">
<ul>
<li class="level1"> <a href="/doku.php?id=indian_history:gandhi" class="wikilink1" title="indian_history:gandhi" data-wiki-id="indian_history:gandhi">Compare with Gandhi's approach</a></li>
<li class="level1"> <a href="/doku.php?id=indian_history:non_cooperation_movement" class="wikilink1" title="indian_history:non_cooperation_movement" data-wiki-id="indian_history:non_cooperation_movement">Contemporary mass movements</a></li>
</ul>

<p>
← <a href="/doku.php?id=indian_history:start" class="wikilink1" title="indian_history:start" data-wiki-id="indian_history:start">Back to Indian History</a> | <a href="/doku.php?id=indian_history:start" class="wikilink1" title="indian_history:start" data-wiki-id="indian_history:start">Home</a>
</p>
<hr />

<p>
<em>Sources: NCERT Class 12 History, Revolutionary movements in India</em>
</p>

</div>

Enable Complex Tables Editor Height px Turn supplementary image paste support on

Edit summary: Minor changes