Bhagat Singh Jayanti is observed annually on September 28 to honour the birth anniversary of Bhagat Singh, one of the most prominent figures in India’s struggle for independence. Born on September 28, 1907, in Banga, Punjab (now in Pakistan), Singh became an enduring symbol of resistance through his revolutionary actions and writings.
Early influences and entry into the freedom movement
Deeply impacted by the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, Singh joined the freedom movement at an early age. He was soon drawn toward revolutionary ideologies and became an active member of the Hindustan Socialist Republican Association (HSRA), advocating for complete independence from British rule. His activism was rooted not only in nationalism but also in socialist and secular ideals, which shaped his approach to revolution.
Assembly bombing and arrest
In April 1929, Singh, along with Batukeshwar Dutt, detonated two low-intensity bombs inside the Central Legislative Assembly in Delhi. The act was intended as a symbolic protest against repressive British laws. It caused no injuries. After shouting slogans and distributing leaflets that called for revolution, both men surrendered voluntarily to the authorities. Their objective was to use the courtroom as a platform to communicate their ideology to a wider audience.
Jail protest and hunger strike
While imprisoned and awaiting trial in the John Saunders case, Singh joined fellow inmate Jatin Das in a hunger strike demanding better conditions for Indian political prisoners. The protest drew significant public attention and lasted for weeks. It ended in September 1929 with the death of Jatin Das due to starvation, further intensifying national support for the revolutionaries.
Bhagat Singh’s execution
Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, and Sukhdev were tried and convicted for their involvement in the killing of British police officer J.P. Saunders and related revolutionary activities. They were initially scheduled to be executed on March 24, 1931. However, the execution was carried out a day earlier, on the evening of March 23, at 7:30 p.m. in Lahore Jail. Their deaths were met with national mourning and outrage, and the trio was immortalised as martyrs in India's independence movement.
Singh is remembered not only for his revolutionary actions but also for his thoughtful writings and principled resistance to oppression. His secular worldview and belief in social equality made him a unique voice among India’s freedom fighters. His life remains a symbol of youth-led change and resistance against injustice.
Famous quotes by Bhagat Singh
"It is easy to kill individuals but you cannot kill the ideas. Great empires crumbled, while the ideas survived." "Revolution is an inalienable right of mankind. Freedom is an imperishable birthright of all." "The aim of life is no more to control the mind, but to develop it harmoniously." "Merciless criticism and independent thinking are the two necessary traits of revolutionary thinking." "Bombs and pistols do not make a revolution. The sword of revolution is sharpened on the whetting stone of ideas." "They may kill me, but they cannot kill my ideas. They can crush my body, but they will not be able to crush my spirit." "I am such a lunatic that I am free even in jail." "I am full of ambition and hope and charm of life. But I can renounce everything at the time of need." "If the deaf have to hear, the sound has to be very loud." "Lovers, lunatics and poets are made of the same stuff." "One should not interpret the word 'revolution' in its literal sense. Various meanings and significance are attributed to this word, according to the interests of those who use or misuse it. For the established agencies of exploitation it conjures up a feeling of blood-stained horror. To the revolutionaries, it is a sacred phrase." "Labour is the real sustainer of society." "People get accustomed to the established order of things and tremble at the idea of change. It is this lethargic spirit that needs be replaced by the revolutionary spirit."
Early influences and entry into the freedom movement
Deeply impacted by the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, Singh joined the freedom movement at an early age. He was soon drawn toward revolutionary ideologies and became an active member of the Hindustan Socialist Republican Association (HSRA), advocating for complete independence from British rule. His activism was rooted not only in nationalism but also in socialist and secular ideals, which shaped his approach to revolution.
Assembly bombing and arrest
In April 1929, Singh, along with Batukeshwar Dutt, detonated two low-intensity bombs inside the Central Legislative Assembly in Delhi. The act was intended as a symbolic protest against repressive British laws. It caused no injuries. After shouting slogans and distributing leaflets that called for revolution, both men surrendered voluntarily to the authorities. Their objective was to use the courtroom as a platform to communicate their ideology to a wider audience.
Jail protest and hunger strike
While imprisoned and awaiting trial in the John Saunders case, Singh joined fellow inmate Jatin Das in a hunger strike demanding better conditions for Indian political prisoners. The protest drew significant public attention and lasted for weeks. It ended in September 1929 with the death of Jatin Das due to starvation, further intensifying national support for the revolutionaries.
Bhagat Singh’s execution
Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, and Sukhdev were tried and convicted for their involvement in the killing of British police officer J.P. Saunders and related revolutionary activities. They were initially scheduled to be executed on March 24, 1931. However, the execution was carried out a day earlier, on the evening of March 23, at 7:30 p.m. in Lahore Jail. Their deaths were met with national mourning and outrage, and the trio was immortalised as martyrs in India's independence movement.
Singh is remembered not only for his revolutionary actions but also for his thoughtful writings and principled resistance to oppression. His secular worldview and belief in social equality made him a unique voice among India’s freedom fighters. His life remains a symbol of youth-led change and resistance against injustice.
Famous quotes by Bhagat Singh
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