Mysuru
Bhagat Singh did not have much faith in Mahatma Gandhi’s philosophy of non-violence and for this reason, he even refused to marry, choosing instead the path of armed struggle to win freedom for the country. Singh walked the road of conflict and dedicated his entire life to the nation until his last breath, said V. Mahesh, an ex-serviceman and presently working as police Sub-Inspector at Nazarbad Police Station.
He was speaking after offering floral tributes to the nameplate with Bhagat Singh’s portrait at Bhagat Singh Circle in Satagalli B-Block on Sunday morning, during the 118th birth anniversary celebrations of Bhagat Singh, organized by Satagalli Welfare Association here on Sunday.
He said Bhagat Singh was a revolutionary leader of India, a great patriot and freedom fighter whose courage shook the British Empire. His objective, along with his friends Rajguru and Sukhdev, was to draw the attention of the British and reveal the truth. Bhagat Singh was born on September 28, 1907, in Banga village, Faisalabad district (then Punjab Province, now in Pakistan). His father was Kishan Singh and mother Vidyavati. Kishan Singh worked as an agent in a life insurance company. On the day of Bhagat Singh’s birth, his father and uncles Ajit Singh and Swaran Singh were released from jail. Because of this, the child was named “Bhagat Singh” (meaning fortunate). His family members were always active in politics and all were freedom fighters. Bhagat Singh developed revolutionary ideas from a very young age.
Mahesh said Bhagat Singh was sentenced to death on the charge of shooting a British police officer. His execution was scheduled for March 24, 1931. However, over 25,000 people protested in front of Lahore Central Jail demanding cancellation of his death penalty. Fearing unrest, the British secretly advanced the hanging by 11 hours, executing him on March 23, 1931, at 7:30 pm. His cremation was carried out secretly by jail officials on the banks of the Sutlej River. Such was his courage, bravery, and patriotism, and these qualities must serve as a model for today’s youth, he added.
Shambulingswamy and Cheluvegowda also spoke on the occasion.
Prior to the programme, retired soldiers, residents, women, and children of the locality offered floral tributes to Bhagat Singh’s portrait. The national anthem was sung, followed by the distribution of sweets.
The programme was attended by Satagalli Residency Welfare Association President Cheluvegowda, Vice-President Tirumalachar, Secretary Gangadhar, Jayaswamy, Raghavendrabhat, along with women and children.