|
Blood
Sprinkled
on
the
Day
of
Holi
Babbar
Akalis
on
the
Crucifix*
[In
1925-26
Bhagat
Singh
was
at
Kanpur,
working
under
Ganesh
Shankar
Vidharthi
in
the
Hindi
weekly
Partap.
While
at
Kanpur
he
wrote
this
article,
signing
it Ek
Punjabi
Yuvak
(a
Punjabi
youth),
about
the
martyrs
of
Banbbar
Akali
movement.
It
was
published
in
Pratap
on
March
15,
1926.]
On
the
day
of
Holi,
February
27,
1926,
when
we
were
getting
high
on
our
enjoyment,
a
terrible
thing
was
happening
in a
corner
of
this
great
province.
When
you
will
hear
it,
you
will
shudder
! You
will
tremble
! On
that
day,
six
brave
Babbar
Akalis
were
hanged
in
the
Lahore
Central
Jail.
Shri
kishan
Singhji
Gadagajja,
Shri
Santa
Singhji,
Shri
Dilip
Sinhghji,
Shri
Nand
Singhji,
Shri
Karam
Singhji
and
Shri
Dharam
Singhji,
had
been
showing
a
great
indifference
to
the
trial
for
the
last
two
years,
which
speaks
of
their
fond
waiting
for
this
day.
After
months,
the
judge
gave
his
verdict.
Five
to be
hanged,
many
for
life
imprisonment
or
exile,
and
sentences
of
very
long
imprisonments.
The
accused
heroes
thundered.
Even
the
skies
echoed
with
their
triumphant
slogans.
Then
an
appeal
was
prefered.
Instead
of
five,
now
six
were
sent
to
the
noose.
The
same
day
the
news
came
that
a
mercy
petition
was
sent.
The
Punjab
Secretary
declared
that
the
hanging
would
be
put
off.
We
were
waiting
but,
all
of a
sudden,
on
the
very
day
of
Holi,
we
saw a
small
contingent
of
mourners
carrying
the
dead
bodies
of
the
heroes
towards
the
cremation
site.
Then
last
rites
were
completed
quietly.
The
city
was
still
celebrating.
Colour
was
still
being
thrown
on
the
passers-by.
What
a
terrible
indifference.
If
they
were
misguided,
if
they
were
frenzied,
let
them
be
so.
They
were
fearless
patriots,
in
any
case.
Whatever
they
did,
they
did
it
for
this
wretched
country.
They
could
not
bear
injustice.
They
could
not
countenance
the
fallen
nation.
The
oppression
on
the
poor
people
became
insufferable
for
them.
They
could
not
tolerate
exploitation
of
the
masses,
they
challenged
and
jumped
into
action.
They
were
full
of
life.
Oh !
the
terrible
toll
of
their
dedicated
deeds
! You
are
blessed
!
After
the
death,
friends
and
foes
are
all
alike-this
is
the
ideal
of
men.
Even
if
they
might
have
done
something
hateful,
their
lives
at
the
altar
of
our
nation,
is
something
to
the
opposite
side,
could
highly
and
uninhibitedly
appreciate
the
courage,
patriotism
and
commitment
of
the
brave
revolutionary
of
Bengal,
Jatin
Mukherjee,
while
mourning
his
death.
But
we
the
cowards
and
human
wretches
lack
the
courage
of
even
sighing
and
putting
off
our
celebrations
even
for a
moment.
What
a
disheartening
deed
! The
poor
!
they
were
given
the
"adequate"
punishment
even
by
the
standard
of
the
brutal
bureaucrats.
An
act
of a
terrible
tragedy
thus
ended,
but
the
curtain
is
not
down
as
yet.
The
drama
will
have
some
more
terrible
scenes.
The
story
is
quite
lengthy,
we
have
to
turn
back
a
little
to
know
about
it.
The
Non-Cooperation
Movement
was
at
its
peak.
The
Punjab
did
not
lag
behind.
The
Sikhs
also
rose
from
their
deep
slumber
and
it
was
quite
an
awakening.
The
Akali
Movement
was
started.
Sacrifices
were
made
in
abundance.
Master
Mota
Singh,
ex-teacher
of
Khalsa
Middle
School,
Mahalpur
(district
Hoshiarpur),
delivered
a
speech.
A
warrant
was
issued
against
him,
but
the
idea
of
availing
of
the
hospitality
of
the
crown
did
not
find
his
favour.
He
was
against
offering
arrest
to
fill
the
jails.
His
speeches
still
continued.
In
Kot-Phatuhi
village,
a big
'Deevan'
was
called.
Police
cordoned
the
area
off
from
all
sides;
even
then
Master
Mota
Singh
delivered
his
speech.
The
whole
audience
stood
up
and
dispersed
on
the
orders
of
the
persident
of
the
meeting.
The
Master
escaped
mysteriously.
This
hide-and-seek
continued
for
long.
The
government
was
in a
frenzy.
At
last,
a
friend
turned
traitor,
and
Master
Saheb
was
arrested
after
a
year
and a
half.
This
was
the
first
scene
of
that
horrible
drama.
The
"Guru
ka
bagh"
movement
was
started.
The
hired
hoodlums
were
there
to
attack
the
unarmed
heroes
and
to
beat
them
half-dead.
Could
anyone
who
looked
at or
listened
to
this,
help
being
mover
? It
was a
case
of
arrests
and
arrests
everywhere.
A
warrant
was
also
issued
against
Sardar
Kishan
Singhji
Gadagajja,
but
he
also
belonged
to
the
same
category
and
did
not
offer
arrest.
The
police
strained
all
its
nerves
but
he
always
escaped.
He
had
an
organisation
of
his
own.
He
could
not
bear
the
violence
agains
unarmed
agitators.
He
felt
the
need
of
using
arms
along
with
this
peaceful
movement.
On
the
one
hand,
the
dogs,
the
hunting
dogs
of
the
government,
were
searching
for
the
clues,
to
get
his
scent;
on
the
other,
it
was
decided
to
"reform"
the
sycophants
(Jholi
Chukkas).
Sardar
Kishan
Singhji
used
to
say
that
we
must
keep
ourselves
armed
for
our
own
security,
but
we
should
not
take
any
precipitate
action
for
the
time
being.
The
majority
was
against
this.
At
last,
it
was
decided
that
three
of
them
should
give
their
names,
take
all
the
blame
on
themselves
and
start
reforming
these
sycophants.
Sardar
Karam
Singhji,
Sardar
Dhanna
Singhji
and
Sardar
Uday
Singhji
stepped
forward.
Just
keep
aside
the
question
of
its
propriety
for a
moment
and
imagine
the
scene
when
they
took
the
oath:
We
will
sacrifice
our
all
in
the
service
of
the
country.
We
swear
to
die
fighting
but
not
to go
to
the
prison.
Next
|
