Mainstream WeeklyShahid (Martyr) Bhagat Singh is one of the most inspiring freedom fighters of the liberation struggles of countries which fought against colonial rule for centuries. Over 95 years after he sacrificed his life together with other valiant freedom fighters of India like Sukhdev and Rajguru, his inspirational role extends much beyond his country India.
So it is not at all surprising that several people dedicated to justice in the neighboring country of Pakistan are also among those who regard Bhagat Singh as an inspirational model. This is particularly true of several people in the leading Pakistani city of Lahore which was the center of many inspiring activities of Bhagat Singh (much before the partition of India).
Among those who have strived hard to keep alive the memory of Shahid Bhagat Singh in difficult conditions in Lahore, the name of Imtiaz Rasheed Qureshi stands out. He has been making efforts for several years to keep alive the ideals of Bhagat Singh and promote the values of inter-faith harmony, humanity, justice, peace in South Asia and improving people to people relations among people of South Asia. He is the chairman of the Pakistan based Bhagat Singh Memorial Foundation. As an advocate he had moved the court which had sentenced three young patriots and freedom fighters (Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev and Rajguru) to death much earlier in colonial times to review whether this judgment was in error.
It is extremely unfortunate that as per his statements (as reported in The Times of India, Chandigarh edition, September 5, report by Neel Kamal titled ‘Bhagat Singh Memorial chief alleges abduction and torture in Lahore), at around 8 pm on September 3 when Qureshi was on his way home in Lahore, some unidentified men travelling in a car intercepted him, bundled him into their vehicle, tortured and injured him. While beating him these assaulters kept telling him—we will teach you a lesson for working on Bhagat Singh, for helping India and harming Pakistan. They also threatened to kill him if he did not stop his work related to the memories and inspiration of Shahid Bhagat Singh. After keeping him in his captivity for several hours, these assaulters then abandoned him before fleeing.
Qureshi, who has never done anything to harm his country, people or religion, may have been targeted for challenging the opinion of a very powerful person in Pakistan who had insisted on labeling Shahid Bhagat Singh as a terrorist. This powerful person had stated this in the context of the desire of several people committed to justice to rename a heritage place in Lahore in the memory of Bhagat Singh.
However as any serious student of the life and writings of Bhagat Singh knows, while in certain circumstances he may have participated in very selective violent acts, sometimes planned in such a way deliberately to cause less harm, but at the same time he emphasised the importance of nonviolence, world peace and fraternity. Bhagat Singh wrote very clearly “nonviolence as a policy indispensable for all mass movements’ while use of force is justified only when “resorted to as a matter of terrible necessity’.
During their trial Bhagat Singh and his equally respected comrade and close friend B.K.Dutt stated, “We hold human life sacred beyond words.” When asked to define revolution they said that this was certainly not the cult of bomb or pistol. Bhagat Singh in a message to students and youth said that he’ll not advise them to take up guns, instead he wants them to work among farmers and workers. He also said that the concept of the fraternity of all people of world is a very noble concept. He and his colleagues repeatedly emphasized the harmony and peace among people of different faiths and religions.
All this is far, far away from terrorism of any kind. On the other hand, Bhagat Singh was a very firm and courageous opponent of imperialism and an equally firm supporter of re-creating human society based on justice and equality and this again is something which remains highly relevant today.
Therefore those who tried to oppose creating memorials in his name in Lahore or elsewhere should take back their opposition after carefully learning the reality of what Bhagat Singh and his colleagues stood for. Lahore is a city of central importance in the life of Bhagat Singh—he was educated here, he formed youth organisations here, a lot of his work was done here and finally there was the memorable jail life and trial, which he and his colleagues used in such inspiring ways to expose the injustices of the colonial rule, to mobilise people and to strengthen the freedom movement.
So the efforts of Qureshi Sahib to strengthen the memories of Bhagat Singh are certainly relevant and important and should get wide support. It was good in the recent past to open the Bhagat Singh Gallery to public and this initiative should be carried further.
Meanwhile Imtiaz Qureshi has stated that he’ll not give up his work due to intimidation or threats. He has also called upon the government and human rights organisations to conduct an independent and transparent investigation into the assault incident. All necessary steps should be taken for his protection by the concerned authorities, and support for his protection should be widely expressed.
(Authors: Prof Jagmohan Singh is Chairman, Shahid Bhagat Singh Centenary Foundation. He is a nephew of Bhagat Singh. Bharat Dogra is Honorary Convener, Campaign to Save Earth Now)