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Bhagat
Singh was born in September 27, 1907 in the village Banga of Layalpur to
Mata Vidyavati and Sardar Kishan Singh. Bhagat Singh grew up in a patriotic
atmosphere as his father and uncle, were great freedom fighters and were put
in jail many times by the British.
Bhagat Singh grew up at a time when the Freedom struggle was all around him.
Since his young age he wondered why so many Indians could not get freedom
from a few British invaders, he dreamed of a free India. The massacre at
Jallianwala Bagh on April 13, 1919 drove him to go to Amritsar, where he
kissed the earth and brought back home a little of the blood soaked soil, he
was just 12 years old then. Kartar Sing Sarabha, hanged at the age of 19 by
the British was Bhagat Singh's hero.
Bhagat Singh,
along with the help of Chandrashekhar Azad, formed the Hindustan Socialist
Republican Army (HSRA). The aim of this Indian revolutionary movement was
defined as not only to make India independent, but also to create "a
socialist India."
In February
1928, a committee from England visited India. It came to be known as the
Simon Commission. The purpose of its visit was to decide how much freedom
and responsibility could be given to the people of India. Indian freedom
fighters started an agitation called "Simon go back". It was in this
agitation that during a police lathicharge, Lala Lajpat Rai was hurt and
died. To avenge the death of Lala Lajpat rai, Bhagat Singh and Rajguru shot
and killed the British Officer who had hit Lala Lajpat Rai.
In April 1929,
the Central Legislative Assembly met in Delhi. The British Government wanted
to place before the Assembly two bills which were likely to harm the
country's interests. Even if the Assembly rejected them, the Viceroy could
use his special powers and approve them, and they would become laws. Bhagat
Singh and Batukeshwar Dutt planned to throw a bomb in the Legislative
Assembly and, get arrested. On 8th of April 1929 this is what they exactly
did. The idea of the attack was not to kill anyone but to create awareness
about India's freedom struggle. They were arrested after this attack.
In their trial
Bhagat Singh and Batukeshwar Dutt stated, "If the deaf are to hear, the
sound has to be very loud. When we dropped the bomb, it was not our
intention to kill anybody. We have bombed the British Government. The
British must quit India and make her free."
In the trial it was decided that Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev and Rajguru were to
be hanged for all their anti British activities. On 24th of March 1931
Bhagat Singh walked upto the hanging rope kissed it and put it around his
neck to be hanged.
Bhagat Singh
became "Shaheed Bhagat Singh" or Martyr at the age of 24. The stories of his
courage and patriotism became an inspiration for many youth at that time who
wanted to see India independent. Even today Shaheed Bhagat Singh's memory
continues to inspire the youth and many poems and songs have been written
about his courage and undying patriotism.
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