By Jagmohan Singh Barhok

“Shaheedi Divas”

“शहीदों की चिताओं पर लगेंगे हर बरस मेले, वतन पर मरने वालों का यही बाकी निशां होगा.
उरूजे कामयाबी पर कभी हिन्दोस्ताँ होगा
रिहा सैयाद के हाथों से अपना आशियाँ होगा
चखाएँगे मज़ा बर्बादिए गुलशन का गुलचीं को
बहार आ जाएगी उस दम जब अपना बाग़बाँ होगा
ये आए दिन की छेड़ अच्छी नहीं ऐ ख़ंजरे क़ातिल
पता कब फ़ैसला उनके हमारे दरमियाँ होगा
जुदा मत हो मेरे पहलू से ऐ दर्दे वतन हरगिज़
न जाने बाद मुर्दन मैं कहाँ औ तू कहाँ होगा
वतन की आबरू का पास देखें कौन करता है
सुना है आज मक़तल में हमारा इम्तिहाँ होगा
शहीदों की चिताओं पर लगेगें हर बरस मेले
वतन पर मरनेवालों का यही बाक़ी निशाँ होगा
कभी वह दिन भी आएगा जब अपना राज देखेंगे
जब अपनी ही ज़मीं होगी और अपना आसमाँ होगा”
रचना जगदंबा प्रसाद मिश्र ‘हितैषी’
रचनाकाल : 1916

Bhagat Singh commonly bestowed with the title “Shaheed-e- Azam” ,was born at Banga in Punjab in 1907 to Sardar Kishan Singh Sandhu & Vidyavati, is believed to be the chief architect of Indian Independence movement forcing British rulers out of India with his associates. Ajit Singh was one of his uncles.

Bhagat Singh initially drew inspiration from his uncle Ajit Singh who openly opposed anti-farmers laws imposed by the British Rulers. He continued to raise his voice against the British Regime following which he was arrested. He reportedly escaped from the prison & never returned. This prompted Bhagat Singh to take the torch of Justice in his hands to fight out the Britishers. Ajit Singh died on 15 August 1947.

John Saunders, British Assistant Superintendent of Police, is said have mistakenly been done away by Bhagat Singh and Shivaram Rajguru following attack and subsequent death of Lala Lajpat Rai in 1928. A case was registered against them. The trio comprising Bhagat Singh Sukhdev & Rajguru were executed in Lahore jail in 1931 a day earlier to avoid public anger & outburst of the countrymen. My father attended his funeral.

Pakistani Lawyer Imran Rashid Qureshi had moved the Lahore High Court seeking reopening of the Saunders’ murder case to prove that Bhagat Singh was ‘innocent’. He claimed that the FIR did not have his name. Kudos Mr. Qureshi . Your perseverance paid rich dividend in the end. Also Rich tributes to “Shaheed-E- Azam” Bhagat Singh for his struggle to free India from the clutches of British Rulers. Many feature films & documentaries highlighted his martyrdom. Surprisingly & shamefully, too, the martyr has been denied what he indeed deserved. There is no mention of the the title “Shaheed-e-Azam” bestowed upon him in the Indian Constitution, as revealed in an RTI.

Scheduled Date of Execution was 24 March,1931