The Execution of Bhagat Singh

Chaman Lal

From the beginning of 21st century, there has been a significant international interest among foreign scholars in British, American and some other Universities to do research on Bhagat Singh and his associates. Kama Maclean and Chris Moffat’s research-based books already contributed to the literature on Bhagat Singh. Daniel Elam and Christopher Pinney are other important names in this regard. Among Indian researchers abroad Neeti Nair and Maia Ramnath are continuously researching on Indian revolutionary movements. Now Satvinder Juss from Punjab background and a law Professor and practising barrister in London has joined them. He has produced a very informative book (The Execution of Bhagat Singh: Legal Heresies of the Raj by Juss Satvinder Singh, Harper Collins India, Delhi 2021, pages 290, 699 rupees) which as the title of the book suggests is another study on the sham trial of Bhagat Singh, after the earlier celebrated book by A G Noorani—The Trial of Bhagat Singh: Politics of Justice, which was first published in 1996 and has many editions afterwards. On the flap on book Kim A Wagner known for his book on Jallianwala Bagh has hit the nail by his short comment—‘The book offers a powerful rebuttal of the tired cliché that the British introduced the rule of law in colonial India’. In a 2006 book The Blood Never Dries by John Newsinger: A People’s History of British Empire, the so-called justice system of British colonial rule in Asian and African countries, where so much human blood was splintered to continue the imperial loot, that it never dried as a poetic phrase used by British poet Earnest Jones in his celebrated poem—The Revolt of Hindostan based on 1857 Indian war of Independence!

The book was first published by Amberley Publishing in UK in 2020 and its Indian edition is published by HarperCollins India in 2021. Juss has given title to Preface of the book’s Indian edition as ‘Why Bhagat Singh Matters’ and begins by referring to historic largest labour protest in human history of 125, 000 farmers. He then refers to Bhagat Singh’s uncle Ajit Singh led 1907 similar farmers protest against anti-farmer laws. The author in his preface refers to 8th April 1929 arrest of Bhagat Singh (and Dutt) after Bombs were thrown in central assembly Delhi as watershed moment in his life. He refers to Bhagat Singh’s jail notebook and other writings, also referring to the book on Lenin read by him few hours before his execution.

Contents of the book include Prologue and 11 chapters apart from Appendices, notes and bibliography. Appendices include eight pages details of Bhagat Singh case files in Punjab Archives Lahore, not known before and many letters and other documents reproduced in scan form, which are valuable part of this book. In Prologue author refers to the story of tomb of Anarkali inside Punjab Archives Lahore, to which he mistakenly describes as The Bhagat Singh Archives, yes 134 case files of Lahore conspiracy case are part of Punjab archives, the brief details of which are shared for first time in appendix of this book. Many open addresses of revolutionaries as well as secret ones are also referred such as a factory on Ravi Road, a rented house in Gwal Mandi, another house in Mozang, one place in Kashmir building on Mac Leod road. One journalist Amara Ahmad was planning research on Footsteps of Bhagat Singh in Lahore at one time, though present status of her research is not known. Ironically while author SatvinderJuss from Indian Punjab background was given all facilities to consult otherwise inaccessible Punjab Archives Lahore, but he was denied same facilities in National Archives of India, being a NRI (Non-Resident Indian) as he describes in his Prologue to the book.

To begin every chapter of the book author quotes a suitable Urdu couplet with English translation, such as from Habib Jalib, Akbar Allahabadi, Faiz<SahirLudhianvi etc. The first chapter-Coercive Colonial Legalism brings out the so-called justice of colonial regime, which itself was based on the principle of coercion of Indian or any colonised people, the features of which are detailed in this chapter. The Slipper and the Magistrate chapter narrates how Prem Dattvarma, youngest accused of Lahore conspiracy threw a slipper at approver Jai Gopal, provoked by his gestures. Later how brutally revolutionaries were attacked in front of Magistrate Pandit Sri Kishen, who was acting more as an executive magistrate than judicial one! A full chapter is devoted to the glorious hunger strike/s by the revolutionaries, in which Jatin Das lost his life on 13th September, about which Jinnah had started his speech in Central Assembly Delhi on 12th September and had to conclude on 14th September as on 13th September assembly had to be adjourned due to Indian members’ protest! How British colonial rulers were bringing ordinances arbitrarily when they were not able to get it passed in their own set up assembly with very limited power, having more nominated members than the elected ones! But Indian resistance whether in assembly or at the level of courts, by nationalist advocates at Lahore Bar is also presented in great detail. One full chapter is devoted to—“‘Inquilabi’ Justice Agha Haider”, in which the great role played by Saharanpur related Justice Agha Haider, who was nominated as a member of Special Tribunal in May 1930 as proclaimed as an ordinance and shown independence and fairness to the accused of Lahore conspiracy case as a High Court judge. Justice Haider was tried to be bribed by temptations and the judge threw away the man sent by colonial regime to bribe him. British regime got rid of Justice Haider through Chief justice of Punjab High Court Sir Shadi Lal on excuse of reorganisation of the Tribunal! Justice Haider was later member of UP assembly and condolence resolution passed by UP assembly is given as appendix. Justice Agha Haider born in 1876 in Saharanpur died on 5th February 1947, few months before partitioned independence. Successors of Haider family still live in the same house in Saharanpur, as the family stayed put in India, not migrating to Pakistan! Sham trial is exposed as it was held in absence of the accused and in Heresies of the Raj it is underlined that judgement was predetermined. To quote author—‘In fact, the Tribunal’s bias is clear from how badly the judgement was drafted’ (Page 179)

The book has devoted last three chapters to Privy Council, how Bhagat Singh’s appeal was dismissed, but D N Pritt, council for Bhagat Singh was vindicated!

The Execution of Bhagat Singh is one of the better books written on legendry hero Bhagat Singh in last one decade or so. This book also focuses upon Bhagat Singh’s personality as of a Marxist thinker, which is an eyesore for the present Indian ruling classes, who are trying to appropriate Bhagat Singh as a popular icon but sans his revolutionary thought! The power of Bhagat Singh in his post life is such that despite ruling classes’ best efforts to suppress his revolutionary thought, his thought becomes the strength of most effective and historic largest farmers movement of Indian farmers! Farmers got inspiration and strength from the revolutionary ideas of Bhagat Singh and they won too—an impossible looking victory. So even after his execution Bhagat Singh lives more powerfully as he himself had foreseen, while deciding to consciously choosing the path of martyrdom!

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Frontier
Vol 54, No. 48, May 29 - Jun 4, 2022