Bhagat Singh Martyrdom Day

Bhagat Singh and his associate Shivaram Rajguru shot a 21-year-old police office officer, John Saunders, in December 1928. However, their main intention was to assassinate James Scott. They believed that Scott was the main figure behind Lala Lajpat Rai's death. Lajpat Rai was one of the prominent freedom fighters who died after succumbing to the injuries he underwent after a British battalion allegedly led by Scott lathi-charged the protesters.

After evading the British police for the next few months, Bhagat Singh along with another freedom fighter and revolutionary, Batukeshwar Dutt, appeared at the Legislative Assembly and caused explosions by detonating two bombs. However, the main reason to cause the explosions was to garner the British Government's attention and not to harm anyone. They raised pro-freedom slogans in the assembly, showered leaflets bearing their manifesto, and later surrendered themselves.

While in jail, Bhagat Singh joined educationist and freedom fighter Jatin Das's hunger strike movement, demanding better prison conditions for Indian prisoners. Jatin Das died from starvation while in the jail in September 1929. Bhagat Singh was later convicted and hanged in March 1931.

Singh's popularity has grown over the past few decades. He was a learned man, an atheist, and a proponent of class struggle. To pay homage to Singh's contribution in India's freedom struggle, May 23rd is observed as Martyrdom Day. Other than Singh, people also pay respect to Sukhdev Thapar and Shivaram Rajguru, Bhagat Singh's two other associates who were hanged to death on the same day.

A good credit score can help you secure lower interest rates on loans and credit cards.

Get Free Credit Score