Bhagat Singh's Philosophical Thoughts

Bhagat Singh's Philosophical Thoughts 

"Love life, love death.

We will die and bloom in the forest of red flowers. 

Let's make fun of Altar. 

Let's sleep on the sparks.” who spoke such vibrant slogans was Bhagatsingh. He was born on September 27, 1907 to Kishan Singh and Vidyavati in Banga, Lyalpur district of today's Pakistan. On March 23, 1931, this revolutionary kisoram chanted "Inquilab Zindabad" on the gallows of the British in Lahore Jail. This slogan still instills the youth of India . Bhagat Singh was only 23 years old at that time.

The Jallianwala Bagh massacre made him an anti-imperialist fighter at the age of 12. Bhagat Singh was disillusioned with the national movement under Gandhi's leadership. In 1924, he joined the Hindustan Socialist Republican Association, which was founded with revolutionaries like Sachindranad Sanyal and Ramprasad Bismil. Many Indian revolutionaries became Marxists due to the influence of Bolshevik revolution in Russia. Bhagat Singh also became a Marxist. He knew that the revolution would sound the death knell for the capitalist system, social exploitation and oppression. He believed that it would bring new era to the  working class and farmers , and breathe life into a new democracy.

In the year 1928, Lala Lajapatirai was seriously injured and died during a protest against Simon Commission in Lahore. Kesari of Punjab,Lala Lajpati Rai had great influence on Bhagat Singh. After the death of Lala Lajpati Roy Bhagatsingh's group attacked James Scott who was responsible for his death. His assistant Saunders was accidentally killed in the attack. In 1929, Bhagatsingh and Batukeshwar Dutt threw pamphlets and set smoke bombs in the Central Legislative Assembly, chanting "Let the Revolution take place", and were caught by the police instead of running away. Bhagatsingh and Batukeswar Dutt were sentenced to life imprisonment after the trial that created a sensation across the country, and then Bhagatsingh, his accomplices Sukhadev and Rajaguru, who caused another murder along with Saunders, were sentenced to death. The death sentence was carried out on March 23, 1931 in the Lahore Jail. Thus the voice of a revolutionary was silenced saying Inquilab Zindabad.

In Punjab, Shahidi Mela (Martyrdom Fair) is held every year on 23 March at the National Martyrs' Memorial. He was a wise philosopher like Socrates. World famous Joan of Arc and Che Guevara belong to the group of revolutionaries.

Bhagat Singh clearly declared that he was a rationalist, an atheist and a Marxist. He opposed reincarnation, superstitions and untouchability. He said that the doctrine of reincarnation exists to prevent reversal. Bhagatsingh questioned whether people become untouchables just by cleaning the faeces. Bhagatsingh said that it is necessary for the untouchables to have their own public representatives. He thought that they were the real working class. Religion was examined with a scientific temper. Bhagatsingh said, "God is a father, a mother and a loving helper for those who are depressed and hopeless. Belief in God can make one forget difficulties to some extent. That belief gives a lot of comfort and stability to a human being" said Bhagatsingh. But he condemned religious superstitions. In the name of religion,He said that in the name of God, exploitative groups are preventing the building of a new society. He said that poverty, illiteracy and ignorance in the society are not divinely written and are not  the results of previous births. Bhagat Singh said that the problems of human life can be solved if the system of exploitation is abolished in the society.

Bhagat Singh said that the early revolutionaries were inspired by religions but they were not fanatics and theirs was not fanatical politics.

Superstitious people

He wants to study the society to counter the arguments made by the religious people. He wants to challenge them through study. Even after announcing the death penalty, he kept aside the matter of praying to God. He said that seeking  benefit from God by praying for ambitions is a proof of the moral fall of man.  He  stood  for the cause of the morals.

While in jail, he wrote a book called "Why I am an Atheist?" He said that rationalism can be the right guide for human life. Bhagat Singh, who studied kinetic materialism, rejected mysticism.

"Self-criticism", "independent thinking" is inevitable for every revolutionary. After studying,Lenin's  writings he rejected anarchism, terrorism and religiousism. Historian K.S. Phanikkar describes Bhagat as one of the earliest Marxists in India. Revolutionary experiences of struggle in history to resist bigotry and ignorance are to be used for  it. Religion is a personal thing. 

He said that religion should not be go away into politics.

He wants to rationalize the current theories, philosophical thoughts and beliefs and settle them. He said that only scientific socialism can fulfill the hopes and aspirations of the oppressed people. He said that no matter how many ways the imperialism scrambles, it will be unable to stop the revolution. They want a society without religious strife. In whatever form the predatory forces are working

Independence is not absolute. A true revolutionary is one who overcomes beliefs, superstitions and machinations of capitalism and is practical. Revolution is not crazy about bombs and guns. He said that revolution is about changing the system based on iniquity.

Those who want to rebuild the society on a socialist basis want to preserve the structure of civilization. Otherwise it will collapse. He  condemned the  robbing one country from another country and  man into another man.

He felt that the ambitions of the revolutionary party and its  great sacrifices had placed him in the highest position. 

"I have not accomplished even half of what I thought for the sake of the country and humanity. If I had been alive, would I have had the opportunity to complete all this? Would I have been able to put my ideas into practice? Except for this one thing, there was no desire in my heart to avoid the death penalty." Bhagat Singh wrote all his ideas in his will. That is why Bipin Chandra said,

  "India has given birth to  Bhagat Singh in the form of Lenin to be revolutionized itself"

 While in jail, Bhagat Singh and two others wrote a letter to Lord Irwin in which they declared themselves a war heroes.

They asked to be treated as war prisoners. They asked for execution by firing squad instead of hanging. Pranat Mehta, a friend of Bhagat Singh, visited him in jail on March 20 with a letter of apology, three days before his execution. But he refused to sign  it. Tripuraneni Srinivas said, "When struggle is life, one must keep one's word even if one embraces death. That is what Bhagat Singh did. The book he read before swinging on the gallows was the life of Lenin. The words he said to the guards who came to call him "A revolutionary reading another revolutionary. Wait a while."

When asked about the last wish

"Don't ask my last wish.

This is not the end of me, this is not my death Death did not choose me, I chose it.

Victory is above death.

That I may live forever

But I can say that I am not dying every day on this earth.

No doubt! I want to live, my only desire is to give a free life to the enslaved people of my free country. My mind does not wander about unfulfilled desires.

Death is on my neck, and in a little while I will leave the body.

I will come again for incomplete tasks." said Bhagat Singh.

Bhagatsingh bravely kissed death when faced with the final test and passed away with the legacy of a fighting philosophy to the youth of India saying 'Inquilab Zindabad'. They said they can kill my body, but not my ambition. Tripuraneni's saying, "A man who has lakes within him creates oceans outside," literally applies to Bhagatsingh.

___Pilla Kumaraswamy, 9490122229

Sources:

1. Publication of Janasahithi 'Na Nethuru Vridhakadu'

2. Shining sun who did not perish in the revolution by Nellore Narasimha Rao (Nava Telangana 27.9. 2022) 

3. An article titled 'Achut Ka Sawal' (Problem of Untouchability) by Shahid' Bhagatsingh. (Kirti' Magazine) 

4. Spirit of Continuous Struggle_Bhagatsingh _____Ashok Thawale