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Furthertrialandexecution
In1929,theHSRAhadsetupbombfactoriesinLahoreandSaharanpur.On15April1929,theLahorebomb
factorywasdiscoveredbythepolice,leadingtothearrestofothermembersofHSRA,includingSukhdev,Kishori
Lal,andJaiGopal.Notlongafterthis,theSaharanpurfactorywasalsoraidedandsomeoftheconspirators
becameinformants.Withthenewinformationavailable,thepolicewereabletoconnectthethreestrandsofthe
Saundersmurder,Assemblybombing,andbombmanufacture.[42]Singh,Sukhdev,Rajguru,andtwentyone
otherswerechargedwiththeSaundersmurder.[43]
HungerstrikeandLahoreconspiracycase
SinghwasrearrestedformurderingSaundersandChananSinghbasedonsubstantialevidenceagainsthim,
includingstatementsbyhisassociates,HansRajVohraandJaiGopal.[40]HislifesentenceintheAssemblyBomb
casewasdeferreduntiltheSaunderscasewasdecided.[41]HewassenttoCentralJailMianwalifromtheDelhi
jail.[38]TherehewitnesseddiscriminationbetweenEuropeanandIndianprisoners.Heconsideredhimself,along
withothers,tobeapoliticalprisoner.HenotedthathehadreceivedanenhanceddietatDelhiwhichwasnot
beingprovidedatMianwali.HeledotherIndian,selfidentifiedpoliticalprisonershefeltwerebeingtreatedas
commoncriminalsinahungerstrike.Theydemandedequalityinfoodstandards,clothing,toiletries,andother
hygienicnecessities,aswellasaccesstobooksandadailynewspaper.Theyarguedthattheyshouldnotbe
forcedtodomanuallabouroranyundignifiedworkinthejail.[44][24]
ThehungerstrikeinspiredariseinpublicsupportforSinghandhiscolleaguesfromaroundJune1929.The
Tribunenewspaperwasparticularlyprominentinthismovementandreportedonmassmeetingsinplacessuchas
LahoreandAmritsar.ThegovernmenthadtoapplySection144ofthecriminalcodeinanattempttolimit
gatherings.[24]
JawaharlalNehrumetSinghandtheotherstrikersinMianwalijail.Afterthemeeting,contrarytohisdescendants,
hestated:
Iwasverymuchpainedtoseethedistressoftheheroes.Theyhavestakedtheirlivesinthisstruggle.
Theywantthosepoliticalprisonersshouldbetreatedaspoliticalprisoners.Iamquitehopefulthat
theirsacrificewouldbecrownedwithsuccess.[45]
MuhammadAliJinnahspokeinsupportofthestrikersintheAssembly,saying:
Themanwhogoesonhungerstrikehasasoul.Heismovedbythatsoul,andhebelievesinthe
justiceofhiscause...howevermuchyoudeplorethemand,however,muchyousaytheyare
misguided,itisthesystem,thisdamnablesystemofgovernance,whichisresentedbythepeople.[46]
Thegovernmenttriedtobreakthestrikebyplacingdifferentfooditemsintheprisoncellstotesttheprisoners'
resolve.Waterpitcherswerefilledwithmilksothateithertheprisonersremainedthirstyorbroketheirstrike
nobodyfalteredandtheimpassecontinued.Theauthoritiesthenattemptedforcefeedingtheprisonersbutthis
wasresisted.[47][f]Withthematterstillunresolved,theIndianViceroy,LordIrwin,cutshorthisvacationinSimlato
discussthesituationwithjailauthorities.[49]Sincetheactivitiesofthehungerstrikershadgainedpopularityand
attentionamongstthepeoplenationwide,thegovernmentdecidedtoadvancethestartoftheSaundersmurder
trial,whichwashenceforthcalledtheLahoreConspiracyCase.SinghwastransportedtoBorstalJail,
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Lahore,[50]andthetrialbeganthereon10July1929.InadditiontochargingthemwiththemurderofSaunders,
SinghandthetwentysevenotherprisonerswerechargedwithplottingaconspiracytomurderScott,andwaging
awaragainsttheKing.[40]Singh,stillonhungerstrike,hadtobecarriedtothecourthandcuffedonastretcherhe
hadlost14pounds(6.4kg)fromhisoriginalweightof133pounds(60kg)sincebeginningthestrike.[50]
Thegovernmentwasbeginningtomakeconcessionsbutrefusedtomoveonthecoreissueofrecognisingthe
classificationof"politicalprisoner".Intheeyesofofficials,ifsomeonebrokethelawthenthatwasapersonalact,
notapoliticalone,andtheywerecommoncriminals.[24]Bynow,theconditionofanotherhungerstriker,Jatindra
NathDas,lodgedinthesamejail,haddeterioratedconsiderably.TheJailcommitteerecommendedhis
unconditionalrelease,butthegovernmentrejectedthesuggestionandofferedtoreleasehimonbail.On13
September1929,Dasdiedaftera63dayhungerstrike.[50]Almostallthenationalistleadersinthecountrypaid
tributetoDas'death.MohammadAlamandGopiChandBhargavaresignedfromthePunjabLegislativeCouncilin
protest,andNehrumovedasuccessfuladjournmentmotionintheCentralAssemblyasacensureagainstthe
"inhumanetreatment"oftheLahoreprisoners.[51]SinghfinallyheededaresolutionoftheCongressparty,anda
requestbyhisfather,endinghishungerstrikeon5October1929after116days.[40]Duringthisperiod,Singh's
popularityamongcommonIndiansextendedbeyondthePunjab.[24][52]
Singh'sattentionnowturnedtohistrial,wherehewastofaceaCrownprosecutionteamcomprisingC.H.
CardenNoad,KalandarAliKhan,JaiGopalLal,andtheprosecutinginspector,BakshiDinaNath.[40]Thedefence
wascomposedofeightlawyers.PremDuttVerma,theyoungestamongstthetwentysevenaccused,threwhis
slipperatGopalwhenheturnedandbecameaprosecutionwitnessincourt.Asaresult,themagistrateordered
thatalltheaccusedshouldbehandcuffed.[40]Singhandothersrefusedtobehandcuffedandweresubjectedto
brutalbeating.[53]TherevolutionariesrefusedtoattendthecourtandSinghwrotealettertothemagistrateciting
variousreasonsfortheirrefusal.[54]Themagistrateorderedthetrialtoproceedwithouttheaccusedormembers
oftheHSRA.ThiswasasetbackforSinghashecouldnolongerusethetrialasaforumtopublicisehisviews.[55]
SpecialTribunal
Tospeeduptheslowtrial,theViceroy,LordIrwin,declaredanemergencyon1May1930,andpromulgatedan
ordinance,theLahoreConspiracyCaseOrdinanceNo.3of1930,settingupaspecialtribunalcomposedofthree
highcourtjudgesforthiscase.Theordinancecutshortthenormalprocessofjusticeastheonlyappealafterthe
tribunalwastothePrivyCouncillocatedinEngland.[40]TheTribunalwasauthorisedtofunctionwithoutthe
presenceofanyoftheaccusedincourt,andtoacceptthedeathofthepersonsgivingevidenceasaconcession
tothedefence.Asaresultoftheordinance,thetrialwastransferredfromKishan'scourttothetribunal,which
comprisedJusticeJ.Coldstream,JusticeG.C.HiltonandJusticeAghaHyder.[56]
Thecaseproceedingscommencedon5May1930inPoonchHouse,Lahoreagainsteighteenaccused.On20
June1930,themakeupoftheSpecialTribunalwaschangedtoJusticeG.C.Hilton(president),JusticeJ.K.Tapp,
andJusticeSirAbdulQadir.[57]On2July1930,ahabeascorpuspetitionwasfiledintheHighCourtchallenging
theordinanceonthegroundsthatitwasultraviresand,therefore,illegaltheViceroyhadnopowerstoshorten
thecustomaryprocessofdeterminingjustice.[40]ThepetitionarguedthattheDefenceofIndiaAct1915allowed
theViceroytointroduceanordinance,andsetupsuchatribunal,onlyunderconditionsofabreakdownoflaw
andorder,which,itwasclaimedinthiscase,hadnotoccurred.However,thepetitionwasdismissedasbeing
premature.[58]
CardenNoadpresentedthegovernment'schargesofconductingrobberies,andtheillegalacquisitionofarmsand
ammunitionamongothers.[40]TheevidenceofG.T.H.HamiltonHarding,theLahoresuperintendentofpolice,
shockedthecourt.Hestatedthathehadfiledthefirstinformationreportagainsttheaccusedunderspecific
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ordersfromthechiefsecretarytothegovernorofPunjabandthathewasunawareofthedetailsofthecase.The
prosecutiondependedmainlyontheevidenceofP.N.Ghosh,HansRajVohra,andJaiGopalwhohadbeen
Singh'sassociatesintheHSRA.On10July1930,thetribunaldecidedtopresschargesagainstonlyfifteenofthe
eighteenaccusedandallowedtheirpetitionstobetakenupforhearingthenextday.Thetrialendedon30
September1930.[40]Thethreeaccused,whosechargeswerewithdrawn,includedDuttwhohadalreadybeen
givenalifesentenceintheAssemblybombcase.[59]
Theordinance(andthetribunal)wouldlapseon31October1930asithadnotbeenpassedbytheCentral
AssemblyortheBritishParliament.On7October1930,thetribunaldeliveredits300pagejudgementbasedonall
theevidenceandconcludedthattheparticipationofSingh,Sukhdev,andRajguruinSaunder'smurderwas
provedbeyondreasonabledoubt.Theyweresentencedtodeathbyhanging.[40]Theremainingtwelveaccused
wereallsentencedtolifeimprisonment.[60]
AppealtothePrivyCouncil
InPunjabprovince,adefencecommitteedrewupaplantoappealtothePrivyCouncil.Singhwasinitiallyagainst
theappealbutlateragreedtoitinthehopethattheappealwouldpopularisetheHSRAinBritain.Theappellants
claimedthattheordinancewhichcreatedthetribunalwasinvalidwhilethegovernmentcounteredthattheViceroy
wascompletelyempoweredtocreatesuchatribunal.TheappealwasdismissedbyJudgeViscountDunedin.[61]
Reactionstothejudgement
AftertherejectionoftheappealtothePrivyCouncil,CongresspartypresidentMadanMohanMalviyafileda
mercyappealbeforeIrwinon14February1931.[62]SomeprisonerssentMahatmaGandhianappealto
intervene.[40]Inhisnotesdated19March1931,theViceroyrecorded:
WhilereturningGandhijiaskedmeifhecouldtalkaboutthecaseofBhagatSinghbecause
newspapershadcomeoutwiththenewsofhisslatedhangingonMarch24th.Itwouldbeavery
unfortunatedaybecauseonthatdaythenewpresidentoftheCongresshadtoreachKarachiand
therewouldbealotofhotdiscussions.IexplainedtohimthatIhadgivenaverycarefulthoughttoit
butIdidnotfindanybasistoconvincemyselftocommutethesentence.Itappearedhefoundmy
reasoningweighty.[63]
TheCommunistPartyofGreatBritainexpresseditsreactiontothecase:
Thehistoryofthiscase,ofwhichwedonotcomeacrossanyexampleinrelationtothepolitical
cases,reflectsthesymptomsofcallousnessandcrueltywhichistheoutcomeofbloateddesireofthe
imperialistgovernmentofBritainsothatfearcanbeinstilledintheheartsoftherepressedpeople.[62]
AplantorescueSinghandfellowHSRAinmatesfromthejailfailed.HSRAmemberDurgaDevi'shusband,
BhagwatiCharanVohra,attemptedtomanufacturebombsforthepurpose,butdiedwhentheyexploded
accidentally.[64]
Execution
Singh,RajguruandSukhdevweresentencedtodeathintheLahoreconspiracycaseandorderedtobehanged
on24March1931.Theschedulewasmovedforwardby11hoursandthethreewerehangedon23March1931
at7:30pm[65]intheLahorejail.ItisreportedthatnomagistrateatthetimewaswillingtosuperviseSingh's
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hangingaswasrequiredbylaw.Theexecutionwassupervisedinsteadbyan
honoraryjudge,whoalsosignedthethreedeathwarrants,astheiroriginalwarrants
hadexpired.[66]Thejailauthoritiesthenbrokeaholeintherearwallofthejail,
removedthebodies,andsecretlycrematedthethreemenundercoverofdarkness
outsideGandaSinghWalavillage,andthenthrewtheashesintotheSutlejriver,
about10kilometres(6.2mi)fromFerozepore.[67]
Criticismofthetribunaltrial
Singh'strialhasbeendescribedbytheSupremeCourtas"contrarytothefundamentaldoctrineofcriminal
jurisprudence"becausetherewasnoopportunityfortheaccusedtodefendthemselves.[68]TheSpecialTribunal
wasadeparturefromthenormalprocedureadoptedforatrialanditsdecisioncouldonlybeappealedtothePrivy
CouncillocatedinBritain.[40]Theaccusedwereabsentfromthecourtandthejudgementwaspassedex
parte.[55]Theordinance,whichwasintroducedbytheViceroytoformtheSpecialTribunal,wasneverapproved
bytheCentralAssemblyortheBritishParliament,anditeventuallylapsedwithoutanylegalorconstitutional
sanctity.[69]
Reactionstotheexecutions
Theexecutionswerereportedwidelybythepress,especiallyasthey
tookplaceontheeveoftheannualconventionoftheCongress
partyatKarachi.[70]Gandhifacedblackflagdemonstrationsbyangry
youthswhoshouted"DownwithGandhi".[19]TheNewYork
Timesreported:
AreignofterrorinthecityofCawnporeintheUnited
ProvincesandanattackonMahatmaGandhibyayouth
outsideKarachiwereamongtheanswersoftheIndian
extremiststodaytothehangingofBhagatSinghandtwo
fellowassassins.[71]
Hartalsandstrikesofmourningwerecalled.[72]TheCongressparty,
duringtheKarachisession,declared:
Whiledisassociatingitselffromanddisapprovingof
politicalviolenceinanyshapeorform,thisCongress
placesonrecorditsadmirationofthebraveryand
sacrificeofBhagatSingh,SukhDevandRajGuruand

FrontpageofTheTribuneannouncing
theexecutions

mournswiththeirbereavedfamiliesthelossofthese
lives.TheCongressisoftheopinionthattheirtriple
executionwasanactofwantonvengeanceanda
deliberatefloutingoftheunanimousdemandofthe
nationforcommutation.ThisCongressisfurtherofthe
opinionthatthe[British]Governmentlostagolden
opportunityforpromotinggoodwillbetweenthetwo
nations,admittedlyheldtobecrucialatthisjuncture,and
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forwinningovertomethodsofpeaceapartywhich,
driventodespair,resortstopoliticalviolence.[73]
IntheissueofYoungIndiaof29March1931,Gandhiwrote:
BhagatSinghandhistwoassociateshavebeenhanged.TheCongressmademanyattemptstosave
theirlivesandtheGovernmententertainedmanyhopesofit,butallhasbeeninavain.
BhagatSinghdidnotwishtolive.Herefusedtoapologise,orevenfileanappeal.BhagatSinghwas
notadevoteeofnonviolence,buthedidnotsubscribetothereligionofviolence.Hetooktoviolence
duetohelplessnessandtodefendhishomeland.Inhislastletter,BhagatSinghwrote,"Ihavebeen
arrestedwhilewagingawar.Formetherecanbenogallows.Putmeintothemouthofacannonand
blowmeoff."Theseheroeshadconqueredthefearofdeath.Letusbowtothemathousandtimes
fortheirheroism.
Butweshouldnotimitatetheiract.Inourlandofmillionsofdestituteandcrippledpeople,ifwetake
tothepracticeofseekingjusticethroughmurder,therewillbeaterrifyingsituation.Ourpoorpeople
willbecomevictimsofouratrocities.Bymakingadharmaofviolence,weshallbereapingthefruitof
ourownactions.
Hence,thoughwepraisethecourageofthesebravemen,weshouldnevercountenancetheir
activities.Ourdharmaistoswallowouranger,abidebythedisciplineofnonviolenceandcarryout
ourduty.[74]
Gandhicontroversy
TherehavebeensuggestionsthatMohandasKaramchandGandhihadanopportunitytostopSingh'sexecution
butrefrainedfromdoingso.AnothertheoryisthatGandhiactivelyconspiredwiththeBritishtohaveSingh
executed.Incontrast,Gandhi'ssupportersarguethathedidnothaveenoughinfluencewiththeBritishtostopthe
execution,muchlessarrangeit,[75]butclaimthathedidhisbesttosaveSingh'slife.[76]Theyalsoassertthat
Singh'sroleintheindependencemovementwasnothreattoGandhi'sroleasitsleader,sohewouldhaveno
reasontowanthimdead.[26]DuringhislifetimeGandhialwaysmaintainedthathewasagreatadmirerofSingh's
patriotism.HealsostatedthathewasopposedtoSingh'sexecution(andforthatmatter,capitalpunishmentin
general)andproclaimedthathehadnopowertostopit.[75]OfSingh'sexecutionGandhisaid:"Thegovernment
certainlyhadtherighttohangthesemen.However,therearesomerightswhichdocredittothosewhopossess
themonlyiftheyareenjoyedinnameonly."[77]Gandhialsoonceremarkedaboutcapitalpunishment:"Icannotin
allconscienceagreetoanyonebeingsenttothegallows.Godalonecantakelife,becausehealonegives
it."[78]Gandhihadmanagedtohave90,000politicalprisoners,whowerenotmembersof
hisSatyagrahamovement,releasedundertheGandhiIrwinPact.[26]AccordingtoareportintheIndian
magazineFrontline,hedidpleadseveraltimesforthecommutationofthedeathsentencesofSingh,Rajguruand
Sukhdev,includingapersonalvisiton19March1931.InalettertotheViceroyonthedayoftheirexecution,he
pleadedferventlyforcommutation,notknowingthattheletterwouldarrivetoolate.[26]LordIrwin,theViceroy,later
said:
AsIlistenedtoMr.Gandhiputtingthecaseforcommutationbeforeme,Ireflectedfirstonwhat
significanceitsurelywasthattheapostleofnonviolenceshouldsoearnestlybepleadingthecause
ofthedevoteesofacreedsofundamentallyopposedtohisown,butIshouldregarditaswholly
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wrongtoallowmyjudgementtobeinfluencedbypurelypoliticalconsiderations.Icouldnotimaginea
caseinwhichunderthelaw,penaltyhadbeenmoredirectlydeserved.[26]

Idealsandopinions
Singh'sidealwasKartarSinghSarabha.HeregardedKartarSingh,thefoundingmemberoftheGhadarPartyas
hishero.BhagatwasalsoinspiredbyBhaiParmanand,anotherfoundingmemberoftheGhadarParty.[79]Singh
wasattractedtoanarchismandcommunism.[80]HewasanavidreaderoftheteachingsofMikhailBakuninand
alsoreadKarlMarx,VladimirLeninandLeonTrotsky.[81]Inhislasttestament,"ToYoungPoliticalWorkers",he
declareshisidealasthe"Socialreconstructiononnew,i.e.,Marxist,basis".[82]Singhdidnotbelievein
theGandhianideologywhichadvocatedSatyagrahaandotherformsofnonviolentresistance,andfeltthatsuch
politicswouldreplaceonesetofexploiterswithanother.[83]
FromMaytoSeptember1928,SinghpublishedaseriesofarticlesonanarchisminKirti.Hewasconcernedthat
thepublicmisunderstoodtheconceptofanarchism,writingthat:"Thepeoplearescaredofthewordanarchism.
ThewordanarchismhasbeenabusedsomuchthateveninIndiarevolutionarieshavebeencalledanarchistto
makethemunpopular."Inhisopinion,anarchismreferstotheabsenceofarulerandabolitionofthestate,notthe
absenceoforder,and:"IthinkinIndiatheideaofuniversalbrotherhood,theSanskritsentencevasudhaiva
kutumbakametc.,hasthesamemeaning."Hebelievedthat:
TheultimategoalofAnarchismiscompleteindependence,accordingtowhichnoonewillbe
obsessedwithGodorreligion,norwillanybodybecrazyformoneyorotherworldlydesires.There
willbenochainsonthebodyorcontrolbythestate.Thismeansthattheywanttoeliminate:the
Church,GodandReligionthestatePrivateproperty.[80]
HistorianK.N.PanikkardescribedSinghasoneoftheearlyMarxistsinIndia,althoughothershavesaidthathe
waslessinterestedinclassorcommunalbasedissuesthanyouthbasedones.[83]ThepoliticaltheoristJason
AdamsnotesthathewaslessenamouredwithMarxthanwithLenin.[81]From1926onward,hestudiedthehistory
oftherevolutionarymovementsinIndiaandabroad.Inhisprisonnotebooks,hequotedLenininreferenceto
imperialismandcapitalismandalsotherevolutionarythoughtsofTrotsky.[80]Whenaskedwhathislastwishwas,
SinghrepliedthathewasstudyingthelifeofLeninandhewantedtofinishitbeforehisdeath.[84]Inspiteofhis
beliefinMarxistidealshowever,SinghneverjoinedtheCommunistPartyofIndia.[81]

Atheism

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