Bhagat Singh's Letter To Shaheed Sukhdev: A Glimpse Into The Indian Freedom Struggle

“Kureh khaak hai gardish mein tapish se meri ,

Main woh majnu hua Jo zindan mein bhi aazad raha”

(Bhagat Singh, Jail Note Book, Page 3; 1929)

Bhagat Singh was born on September 27/28, 1907, in Lyallpur, western Punjab, India (now in Pakistan). He grew up in a family deeply involved in the independence movement, which influenced his revolutionary ideals from a young age. His father Sardar Kishan Singh was also a freedom fighter and was jailed by British Rule many times. Sardar. Ajit Singh, his Uncle was exiled in 1907 along with Lala Lajpat Rai and was then again exiled in 1908 and returned to India in 1947. Participated in many world freedom movements.

During his teenage years, Bhagat Singh used the revolutionary slogan ‘Inquilab Zindabad’ (meaning Long Live the Revolution) that became the motto of the Indian freedom struggle. Due to his commitment and fighting for freedom and justice many people came out to support the struggle.

Bhagat Singh’s plan to Avenge Lala Lajpat Rai’s Death

Rai succumbed to death due to the injuries that he received after conducting a silent protest against the Simon Commission. However, by misidentifying the suspect, they shot dead junior officer J. P. Saunders. As a result of this particular action, Bhagat Singh had to escape Lahore in order to avoid receiving the death penalty.

The Assembly Bombing

On April 8, 1929, Bhagat Singh, along with an associate, threw a bomb at the Central Legislative Assembly in Delhi. This act of protest was against the implementation of the Defence of India Act. After the bombing, Bhagat Singh and his associate surrendered, fully aware of the consequences, to draw attention to their cause.

Bhagat Singh wrote a letter to Shaheed Sukhdev explaining about his sentiments regarding the aspect of love and sacrifice in the life of a freedom fighter. It was written on April 5, 1929 in Sita Ram Bazar House, Delhi. The letter was taken to Lahore by Shri Shiv Verma and handed over to Sukhdev; it was recovered from him at the time of his arrest and was produced as one of the exhibits in the Lahore Conspiracy Case.

Bhagat Singh’s Letter to Shaheed Sukhdev

“DEAR BROTHER

By the time you receive this letter I will be gone, going to a far off destination. Let me assure you that I am prepared for the voyage in spite of all the sweet memories and in spite of all the charms of my life here. Up to this day one thing pinched in my heart and it was this that my brother, my own brother, misunderstood and accused me of a very serious charge - the charge of weakness. Today I am quite satisfied, today more than ever do I feel that was nothing, but a misunderstanding, a wrong calculation. My overfrankness was interpreted as my talkativeness, and my confession as my weakness. And now I feel it was a misunderstanding and only a misunderstanding . I am not weak, not weaker than anyone amongst us, brother. With a clear heart I go, will you clear too? It will be very kind of you. But note that you are to take no hasty step, soberly and calmly you are to carry on the work. Don't try to take the chance at the very outset. You have some duty towards the public, and that you can fulfill by continuing this work. As a suggestion I would say that M.R. Shastri appeals to me more than ever. Try to bring him in the arena, provided he himself may be willing, clearly knowing the dark future. Let him mix with men and study their psychology. If he will work in the right spirit, he will be the better judge. Arrange as you may deem fit. Now, brother, let us be happy.

By the way, I must say that I cannot help arguing once again my case in the matter under discussion. Again do I emphasize that I am full of ambition and hope and of full charm of life. But I can renounce all at the time of need, and that is the real sacrifice. These things can never be a hindrance in the way of man, provided he is a man. You will have the practical proof in the near future. While discussing anybody's character you asked me one thing, whether love ever proved helpful to any man. Yes, I answered that question today. To Mazzini it was. You must have read that after the utter failure and crushing defeat of his first rising he could not bear the misery and haunting ideas of his dead comrades. He would have gone mad or committed suicide but for one letter of a girl he loved. He would feel as strong as anyone, nay stronger than all. As regards the moral status of love I may say that it in itself is nothing BUT PASSION, not an animal passion but a human one, and very sweet too. Love in itself can never be an animal passion. Love always elevates the character of man. It never lowers him, provided love be love. You can't call these girls - mad people, as we generally see in films - lovers. They always play in the hands of animals' passions. True love cannot be created. It comes of its own accord, nobody can say when. It is natural. And I may tell you that a young man and a young girl can love each other, and with the aid of their love they can overcome the passions themselves and can maintain their purity. I may clarify one thing here; when I said that love has human weakness, I did not say it for an ordinary human being at this stage, where the people generally are. But that is the most idealistic stage when man would overcome all these sentiments, the love, the hatred, and so on. When man will take reason as the sole basis of his activity. But at present it is not bad, rather good and useful to man. And moreover while rebuking the love. I rebuked the love of one individual for one, and that too in an idealistic stage. And even then, man must have the strongest feelings of love which he may not confine to one individual and may make it universal. Now I think I have cleared my position. One thing I may tell you to mark; we in spite of all radical ideas that we cherish, have not been able to do away with the over idealistic Arya Samajist conception of morality. We may talk glibly about all the radical things that can possibly be conceived, but in practical life we begin to tremble at the very outset. This I will request you do away with. And may I, Without fear at all the misapprehension in my mind, request you to kindly lower the standard of your over-idealism a bit, not to be harsh to those who will live behind and will be the victims of a disease as myself ? Don't rebuke them and thus add to their woes and miseries. They need your sympathy. May I repeat that you, without bearing any sort of grudge against any particular individual, will sympathize with those who needed the most ? But you cannot realize these things unless and until you yourself fall victim to this. But, why I am writing all this? I wanted to be frank. I have cleared my heart.

Wish you all success and a happy life.

Yours.

B. S”

Shaheed Sukhdev Thapar was a prominent Indian Revolutionary born on May 15, 1907, in Ludhiana, Punjab. He came from a Punjabi Khatri family within the Hindu community and was raised by his uncle, Lala Achint Ram, following his father's death.

He was a close  associate of Bhagat Singh and a key member of Hindustan socialist Republican Association (HSRA). Sukhdev was the main suspect in the 1929 Lahore Conspiracy Case officially called ground versus Sukhdev and others.

 The case's first information report (FIR), filed in April 1929 by Hamilton Harding, Senior Superintendent of Police, in the court of R.S. Pandit, Special Magistrate, lists Sukhdev as the primary accused. He is described as Swami, also known as a peasant, son of Ram Lal, from the Thapar Khatri caste. Sukhdev and his companions were arrested, found guilty, and sentenced to death after the bombings of the Central Assembly Hall in New Delhi on April 8, 1929.

Execution of Bhagat Singh

Bhagat Singh and his two companions Rajguru and Sukhdev were executed by the British on March 23, 1931 on the conspiracy of Lahore. This day is observed as 'Martyrs' Day' in India.

Bhagat Singh's martyrdom did not mark the end of his influence but rather the beginning of his lasting legacy. His commitment to the cause of Independence and his willingness to sacrifice his life for the greater good inspired countless others to join the freedom struggle of 1947. His famous slogan “Inquilab Zindabad” continues to resonate as a symbol of resistance and determination against oppression.

Bhagat Singh's actions, ideas and ultimate sacrifice influenced the trajectory of the Indian Independence movement making him one of its most iconic and enduring figures.