1. From Kartar Singh Sarabha to Bhagat Singh
Ideological Development of Revolutionary Ideology

2. *Paper presented at national seminar on Revolutionary movements organised by History deptt. Of Kolkata University Kolkata on 7th to 9th February 2014
**Chaman Lal is Professor –Coordinator in Centre for Comparative Literature at Central University of Punjab Bathinda. He is former Professor and Chairperson of Centre of Indian Languages, JNU, New Delhi.
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4. Revolutionary Movements in India
It is difficult to identify the date or time from when revolutionary movements in India starting taking shape. In one way all historical phases in nations and societies have revolutionary moments. As and when radical changes, considered progressive, take place in a society, those phases are called revolutionary phases. Thus in Marxist tradition changes from Primitive Communism to class society and again from class society to Scientific Socialism towards Advanced Communism are considered revolutionary phases. From Slavery to Feudalism and from Feudalism to Capitalism are considered revolutionary changes within class society. From Capitalism to Socialism and finally towards Communism are considered further revolutionary phases of societies throughout the world. Lenin described Imperialism as ‘the highest stage of Capitalism’’!

5. Revolutionary……
In Indian society, the struggle against Imperialism in the form of British Colonialism is identified as revolutionary struggle, though it has many forms-violent as well as non-violent. While Moghul period in Indian society is not considered as alien, though it was feudal period and to some extent advent of British colonialism in India, first in trade and commerce and later in political set up, brought some elements of Capitalist practices with it, yet it was considered as colonisation. This process of colonisation started from 1757 onwards with Robert Clive winning the war of Plassey against Siraj- ud-daula and establishing the supremacy of East India Company, not only as a trading or commerce company, rather more as political power holding the reign of large parts of Indian administration in its hands through army of its own.

6. Expansion of British Colonialism
As per Shekhar Bandopadhyaya’s ‘History of Modern India-From Plassey to Partition’ it was in 1612, when East India Company established their first factory in Surat(Gujarat) and got license for trade from Moghul emperor Jahangir in 1613, just 13 year after East India Company was formed in in England. Through trade and commerce East India Company had been expanding its hold in India and it fought with French colonialists also for its colonial ambitions Plassey war from 23rdJune made East India Company a militarily superior power, which defeated Indian Nawab Siraj-ud-Daula, who was mercilessly killed, there was betrayal by Nawab’s own men like Mir Jafar. Generally all battles against British colonialism, whether during East India Company rule from 1757 to 1858 or from direct British queen’s colonised India from 1858 to 1947 have revolutionary streaks. There were innumerable revolts against British colonisation even in East India company rule, most notably were Tipu Sultan revolt in South India in 1799 and Hool revolt in Jharkhand in

7. First Ghadar-1857
It was after the massive revolt in 1857, derided as ‘Ghadar’by British colonialists and regarded as ‘First war of Independence 'by Indian historians, that after defeating Indian people in this war that British queen became ‘Queen of India's as well from November Revolts continued even after, but the use of term ‘Revolutionary movements’ began from 1897 revolts from Maharashtra. Chapekar Brothers, Wasdev Balwant Phadke like revolutionaries gave their life in this phase. This tradition flourished in Bengal during 1905 partition and revolutionaries like Khudi Ram Bose and many more became house hold name. Nationalist Congress leader Chittranjan Das became known for his empathy with revolutionaries youth, so was later his widow Mrs. Basanti Devi, who gave a stirring call to Indian youth after the brutal lathi charge and subsequent death of Lala Lajpat Rai in Anushilan Samiti and Yugantar-two groups became well known in Bengal for their revolutionary activities, out of which later day Hindustan Republican Association(HRA) emerged.

8. Early Revolutionaries Ideology
Beginning from 1897 till Ghadar Party was organised in USA, early revolutionaries had vague ideas about nation and country. Vande Matram was their song and Bharat Mata-Mother India was their symbol. The pictorial part was to show Mother India wearing Saree in chains of British colonialism and revolutionaries were to free her from chains.

9. Formation of Ghadar Party
Ghadar Party was formed in USA. The Indians held a meeting in Portland in 1912, in which people like Harnam Singh Kotla, Naudh Singh, Pandit Kashiram, Sohan Singh Bhakna and G.D. Kumar participated. The decision to form ‘Hindustan Association of Pacific Coast’ was taken here, with Sohan Singh Bhakna as President, G.D. Kumar as Secretary and Pandit Kashiram as Treasurer. The decision to start a weekly called Hindustan was also taken. This association invited Lala Hardayal to lead the association. He accepted the invitation, but he was able to reach St. John only after three months, that is, in March Lala Hardayal imparted ideological training to them and stressed the need for another ‘Ghadar’ like the ‘Ghadar’ of It was at his suggestion that a paper by the title of ‘Ghadar’ was begun. Other decisions included keeping the central headquarters of the proposed association in San Francisco, and the bestowal of the name of ‘Yugantar Ashram’ on the office after the name of the Bengali revolutionary struggle and newspaper, Yugantar.

10. Ghadar Newspaper
After the Ghadar Party was established, the workers of the party, especially Kartar Singh Sarabha began to work with great enthusiasm and took decisions of historical significance, in which an armed struggle to free India was included and the activities were inaugurated with the newsletter ‘Ghadar’ on the 1stof November. The newspaper ‘Ghadar’ was brought out from the Ghadar Party office, ‘Yugantar Ashram’ and Kartar Singh Sarabha and Raghuvar Dyal Gupta, along with Lala Hardayal played a key role in this. Lala Hardayal mainly looked after the written content, which was then cyclostyled in Urdu by Raghuvar Dyal and in Punjabi by Kartar Singh Sarabha

11. Kartar Singh sarabha
Sarabha was born to Mata Sahib Kaur on 24thof May, His father, Mangal Singh, died while Kartar Singh was still a child. He had a younger sister, Dhann Kaur. Both the brother and sister were brought up by their paternal grandfather, Badan Singh. Three of his Chachas, his paternal uncles –Bishan Singh, Veer Singh and Bakhsheesh Singh –were appointed to high government positions. Kartar Singh received his early education in schools in Ludhiana. Later he had to go to one of his Chachas in Orissa.
His family decided to send him to America for higher education after he passed his matriculation, and accordingly, Sarabha stepped on American soil on the 1st of January, He was just over fifteen years old at that time and had cleared his exam for the eleventh standard from Ravenshaw College in Orissa.

12. Impact of Lala Hardyal
Kartar Singh Sarabha stayed with Rulia Singh for a while in Astoria. A large conference of Indian labourers was held in Portland at the beginning of 1912, in which people like Baba Sohan Singh Bhakna, Harnam Singh Tundilaat, Kashiram etc. participated. Later, all of them emerged as important leaders of the Ghadar Party. During this time, Kartar Singh met Jwala Singh Thattiyan as well, who inspired him to seek admission in the University of Berkeley where Sarabha studied Chemistry. He stayed in the Punjabi Hostel in the University of Berkeley. There were about thirty Indian students at the University of Berkeley at that point of time, a majority of whom were Punjabis or Bengalis. These students came in contact with Lala Hardayal in December 1912, who had gone there to deliver a lecture. Lala Hardayal gave a rousing speech against India’s colonization.

13. Declaration of Ghadar
Ghadar Party declared war ‘Elan-e-Jang’ against Britsh colonialism, which was printed in the newspaper issue of 5thof August, Kartar Singh Sarabha reached the coast off Colombo about a month in advance on the 15thor the 16thof September, 1914, from where he reached Punjab after travelling through Madras. He reached Punjab even before the finger of suspicion could be pointed at him. The first large contingent of Ghadarites set sail on the ship, ‘Korea’ on the 29thof August, 1914 from San Francisco. Kesar Singh Tatthgarh, Jwala Singh Tatthiyan, Pandit Jagat Ram and Nidhaan Singh Chuggha were appointed leaders of different contingents. Bhai Bhagwan Singh, Barkatullah and Ramchandra addressed the crowds before the ship sailed and promised weapons upon reaching India.

14. People not prepared for ghadar
The situation in India was the complete opposite of the impression that the Ghadar Party workers had, and hoped to capitalize on, when they returned to India. The Indians still preferred their passivity rather than await the Ghadarites. But Kartar Singh Sarabha was not one to give up, and he was still prepared to try his best along with his friends. In fact, he had become a leader of the Ghadarites at the tender age of 18 years; and especially after the arrest of important leaders, it seemed as if Sarabha took all their responsibilities upon himself. He was a tireless and fearless warrior.

15. Arrest of Sarabha
Kartar Singh Sarabha was betrayed by one of Ghadar party sympathiser and he was reciting poems from Ghadar ki Goonjto to the people, who had gathered in the house, the police arrived there and arrested them.
After being arrested, Sarabha and his friends were taken to Ballowal police station in Sargodha district. From there, they were brought to Lahore Central Jail. Even after being arrested, they were unconcerned and kept singing revolutionary poems and talking about bringing about a revolution.

16. Inspirational Hero Sarabha
As apprehended, Sarabha and many more Ghadarites were sentenced to death and executed. Sarabha, Pingley and five other Ghadarites were hanged on 16th November
In a life of 19 years, and a political life of only 4 years, Kartar Singh Sarabha set such a glowing example of the struggle for India’s independence, as is very rare to obtain. Sarabha had reached America on the 1stof January, 1912 and attained political consciousness within a period of five or six months. After the founding of the Ghadar Party on the 21st of April, 1913, and especially after the publication of ‘Ghadar’ on the 1st of November, 1913, every moment of his life, every drop of his blood was dedicated to the service to his nation.

17. Bhagat singh’s hero
Kartar Singh Sarabha became Bhagat Singh’s hero from childhood, when he had visited their home and Bhagat Singh’s father Kishan Singh gave one thousand rupees fund to Ghadar party. Bhagat Singh always used to keep Sarabha’s photo in his pocket and Naujwan Bharat Sabha established by Bhagat Singh and Comrades will always begin their slide show or revolutionary heroes after garlanding Sarabha’s photograph on dais.
Ghadar party at ideological level crossed the narrow vision of ‘Mother India’ in chains and appropriated Republican state’s ideal as was in practice in USA at that time and ’s USA has not yet turned imperialist. President Woodro Wilson had even sympathy for Indian freedom in those days. His letter was published by Ghadar party’s paper ‘Ghadar’ in those days.

18. Ghadar Party’s turn to Marxism
Even though Ghadar failed in India, but Ghadrites in USA and elsewhere turned to Soviet Union, which had revolution led by Lenin in Moscow became centre of all anti colonial struggles revolutionaries ideological training. Even a University for the Toilers of the East was established for training of these revolutionaries from Asian and African countries. Ghadar party sent some 80 plus of its members to Moscow for training. Out of which Santokh Singh Dhardeo began ‘Kirti’ journal in Punjabi and Urdu in 1926, in which Bhagat Singh wrote many articles. After the untimely demise of Santokh Singh, Sohan Singh Josh took over as its editor and Bhagat Singh worked with him in Kirti paper as well as in Naujwan Bharat Sabha, which was mass organisation set up by revolutionaries.

19. Bhagat Singh’s ideological development
There are two trajectories of Bhagat Singh’s ideological development towards Marxism. One was through Ghadar Party and its later developments, which were clearly absorption of Marxist ideology. More than 90% of Ghadrite revolutionaries including its founder President Baba Sohan Singh Bhakna adopted Marxist ideology and became even members of Communist party and its mass organisations like Kisan Sabha, which was united till Ghadarite revolutionaries remained on the side of more radical forms of Marxist groups and parties in India. Baba Gurmukh Singh Lalton, long time General Secretary of Ghadar Memorial Hall-Desh Bhagat Yadgar Hall in Jalandhar was considered close to Naxalites and his edited fortnightly ‘Desh Bhagat Yaadan’ was under attack and surveillance from Punajb police. Another Ghadarite revolutionary Baba Bujha Singh was murdered in cold blood by Punjab police in 1970’s as ‘Naxalite’ at the age of 80 years.

20. Baba Bujha Singh

21. HRA to HSRA
Another trajectory to Marxism was led by Bhagat Singh himself, who had joined Hindustan Revolutionary Association(HRA) in during his college days in National College Lahore. Later when he had gone to Kanpur, where he met Bijoy Kumar Sinha, Shiv Verma, Jaidev Kapoor etc. and also Muzzafar Ahmad, he had become convinced of the necessity of bringing socialist revolution in India through their revolutionary movement and not just ‘freedom for Mother India’. Accordingly he convinced his comrades by his arguments and the HRA met on 8-9th September, 1928 at Ferozeshah Kotla grounds Delhi and after two days intense deliberations adopted socialism as its goal by rechristening their organisation to ‘Hindustan Socialist Republican Association’(HSRA). This was a firm and by conviction turn to Marxism and not just ornamental change.

22. Naujwan Bharat Sabha, Punjab Students Union and HSRA
Naujwan Bharat Sabha, a mass organisation of youth was already working on ground, so was Lahore Students Union, also known as Punjab Students Union at Punjab level. Hindustan Republican Socialist Association and its armed wing Hindustan Socialist Republican Army(HSRA) led by Chandershekhar Azad also now planned to change tactics and turn towards mass activities by renouncing earlier terrorist actions. However while organising masses against Simon Commission in Lahore in very next month after Delhi conference . In October 1928.,they convinced Lala Lajpat Rai to lead mass procession against Simon Commission on 30th October 1928, despite having differences with veteran leader. The tragic death of Lala Lajpat Rai on 17th November, due to brutal lathi charge on 30th October 1928 and subsequent call to the youth by Mrs Basanti Devi to avenge the national insult caused by British colonialist power in killing of tall national leader Lala Lajpat Rai, made HSRA take the plunge in killing Saunders, police officer responsible for killing of Lala Lajpat Rai but it sealed their fate and put new challenges before them.

23. Long Live Revolution-Inqlab Zindabad
After Saunders killing on 17th December 1928, Bhagat Singh knew that his days out were numbered and best results must be achieved of the time available and the occasion came in the form of Public Safety Bill and Trade Disputes Bill-anti people laws being forced upon Indian people despite resistance from Indian members of Central Assembly Delhi, so on 8th April 1929, the day to mark martyrdom of Mangal Pandey, who was hanged on this day in 1857 for revolting against British colonialism, giving rise to massive first war of Independence from May 10th While throwing two harmless bomb with leaflets against the oppressive laws, Bhagat Singh and B K Dutt raised stirring slogans-Inqlab Zindabad-Long Live Revolution and ‘Samrajyavad ka Nash ho’-Down with Imperialism. These were the slogans of international Communist movement as well.

24. Vande Matram to Inqlab Zindabad
Before Bhagat Singh raised slogan Inqlab Zindabad in Central Assembly Delhi, Vande Matram was most popular slogan of national movement. However after Bhagat Singh and Dutt raised this slogan in Delhi Assembly, it became more popular than Vande Matram. Though Inqlab Zindabad slogan was raised earlier than Bhagat Singh, by Urdu nationalist radical poet Hasrat Mohani, but the slogan caught the imagination of youth after Bhagat Singh and Dutt raised it in Central Assembly Delhi. Though revolutionaries continued to use both Vande Matram and Inqlab Zindabad inside jail during their hunger strikes, particularly at the time of Jatin Das’s martyrdom on 13th September 1929 after 63 days hunger strike in Lahore jail.
Both the slogans also indicate to the ideological direction of Bhagat Singh, which has taken a definite turn towards Marxist interpretation of society and history.

25. Study and struggle inside jail
From 8th April 1929 to 23rd March 1931, two weeks less than two years, Bhagat Singh and his comrades turned jail into a University of their ideological development. Jail Notebook of Bhagat Singh is a living evidence to it. Notes from nearly 150 classic books of the world, which include literary classics as well as Marxist classics indicate to fast growing consciousness of Bhagat Singh. His absorption of Marxist ideas can be seen through his writings done in this period. Most prominent among these writings are -6th June 1929 Session court statement from Bhagat Singh&Dutt. There have been more than one signatories on many statements or representations from jail, but it is well known almost all of these were Bhagat Singh’s writings, many times in his own handwriting as well. About Session court statement, even presiding judge was not convinced it to be of undergraduate under trial prisoners! He described it to be the handiwork of their counsel Asaf Ali instead. Historian V N Dutta in his book went on to imagine it as Nehru’s! Asaf Ali himself corrected judge’s impression by saying that he might have polished language, but the statement indeed was handed over to him by his clients to be read in the court on their behalf!

26. Why i am an atheist
Written on 5-6th October 1930, after meeting Ghadarite revolutionary Bhai Randhir Singh in Lahore jail, who was earlier reluctant to meet Bhagat Singh ‘due to his hair cut’, being a very devoted Sikh himself, he agreed to meet him, when coaxed by his sharp comments about his narrowness, where ‘ he could not only get cut his hair, but get his whole body cut in pieces for the country’! After meeting him, Bhagat Singh felt that his meeting him may not create certain confusion about his ideas, so he put it on paper for record. He was so far sighted that he could see the outcome of the meeting as Bhai Randhir Singh later claimed in his jail memoirs that he made ‘Bhagat Singh realise the futility of his ideas and made him grew beard as a devoted Sikh’! This memoir made many people distort Bhagat Singh’s ideas and cooked stories of few inches of ‘beard growing’ at the time of his execution. Bhagat Singh did not allow his personality to be distorted in such a manner even in his after life by his conscious real life actions and writings. It is on record that he refused to ‘say prayers’ even when his emotionally attached warder Charat Singh requested him to do so and the last words on gallows were only- ’Inqlab Zindabad’ and fifteen minutes before being taken to gallows was the book on Lenin being read by him with a request to warder-please wait for a while .Let a revolutionary complete meeting another revolutionary!’ He saw himself a revolutionary in the mould of Lenin and he surely would had been, had he was allowed to live, which was most feared by British colonialists!

27. Letter to Young Political Workers
On 2nd February 1931, Bhagat Singh felt the necessity to address young political workers of his time, as he knew that his pending execution has stirred the nation and every where youth were up in arms against British colonialism. This essay was found by none else than British secret service officials from a house in Kolkata itself, which was published partially in Hindi and The People in English immediately after his execution. This is also a Communist party programme for revolution with details.
His letter to his comrades on 20th March, three days before execution and last letter to British officials on 22nd March, a day before execution for ‘getting them shot’ from a military attachment’ ‘being war prisoners’ also indicates to his strong commitment to his ideas of socialist revolution. In all his writings he had attacked class system based on the exploitation of working people and has found no difference between- Lord Reading and Lord Irwin’ on one side and ‘Purshottam Das Thakkar and Tej Bahadur Sapru’ on the other, if the exploitative system does not change for the benefit of working people. Freedom for revolutionaries did not mean the rule from whites to blacks, but from exploiters to exploited ones with abolition of classes!

28. Writings are best evidence of ideology
Bhagat Singh has long been projected as just a brave fearless hero of Indian freedom struggle, loveable, adorable but without any ideological content. Worse still, he has been tried to be made part of communal parties hero as well-from Hindutvaites to Khalistanis. His real pictures have been replaced by imagined creations of moustached pistol holding fearsome character. Communal thinking has even entered governmental advertisements about his imagined pictures. The Ferozepur memorial which at the time of first construction in 1960’s had Bhagat Singh with hat, the real last picture taken on 3rd April by Ramnath Photographer of Kashmere gate Delhi, whose evidence is part of Lahore Conspiracy case proceedings, was replaced by turbaned statue, so statue in front of Parliament was also defended as being copy of Ferozepur statue. Whether turbaned ow with hat, at least the pictures used could be real ones, but that was also made to go away. I conclude here with four real available pictures of Bhagat Singh!

29. Ramnagar statue of Bhagat Singh

30. Four real pictures of Bhagat Singh