The Hindu : New Delhi News : Bhagat Singh’s collection of books rotting in Lahore

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Friday, Sep 28, 2007
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Bhagat Singh’s collection of books rotting in Lahore

Photo: PTI

Homage to the hero: Young men pay tributes to Bhagat Singh on the eve of his 100th birth anniversary at Jallianwala Bagh in Amritsar on Thursday.

New Delhi: Bhagat Singh’s collection of books that was confiscated and used as evidence to award capital punishment to the revolutionary leader in the 1929 Lahore Conspiracy case, is currently lying in a state of neglect in Lahore.

“This heritage of our great freedom struggle still lying as ‘Malkhana Record’ in a Lower Trial Court of Lahore,” Prof Jagmohan Singh, nephew of Bhagat Singh said adding that efforts are being made to ensure that the books are preserved and are made available to Indians.

“Shaheed-E-Azam had a library of 175 books by around 70 authors in his office located at Nai Ki Mandi in Agra. These were confiscated by the British police to be used as evidence in the case for murdering police officer Saunders,” said Prof Singh during the release of the book ‘To Make The Deaf Hear’ written by S. Irfan Habib, in the Capital.

Bhagat Singh, according to Prof. Jagmohan, was a serious reader. He made an exhaustive study of history, politics, science, and different religious texts.

“In fact his full-throated cry for ‘Long live the Revolution’ during India’s struggle for Independence was derived from his serious and scientific reading of diverse subjects.” Prof Singh said adding that Bhagat Singh was never in favour of violence contrary to the general notion spread by his ideological opponents.

Prof Singh, Secretary of Shaheed Bhagat Singh Research Committee said Bhagat Singh’s call for the revolution was a product of his long cherished socio-political ideology to work for the welfare of unprivileged people, not an outcome of his romantic fancies about communism. According to Prof Singh, many aspects of Bhagat Singh’s multifaceted personality were yet to be explored and the collection of his books and notes can help a long way to understand the thoughts and deeds of the martyr.

“We have requested to the management of Dayal Singh Library, Lahore to get possession of this heritage, equally valuable to the people of both countries, and do proper arrangements to preserve it,” Prof Singh said. -- PTI

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