Bhagat Singh's plea: Shoot us instead of hanging
This letter is a significant chapter in the immortal saga of these national heroes' talent, political acumen, courage, and valor.
We are war prisoners
Three days before being hanged, on March 20, 1931, Sardar Bhagat Singh and his associates Mr. Rajguru and Mr. Sukhdev collectively demanded through a letter to the Governor of Punjab that they be considered war prisoners and instead of being hanged, they should be shot. This letter is an important chapter in the immortal saga of the talent, political acumen, courage, and valor of these national heroes. In the letter, Sardar Bhagat Singh and his associates Mr. Rajguru and Mr. Sukhdev wrote:
March 20, 1931
To, The Governor of Punjab, Shimla
Dear Sir,
With due respect, we present the following points for your consideration –
The highest authority of the British government in India, the Viceroy, has issued a special ordinance to establish a special tribunal for the hearing of the Lahore Conspiracy Case, which sentenced us to death on October 7, 1930. The biggest charge against us is that we waged war against Emperor George V.
This court's decision makes two things clear –
First, there is a war going on between the British race and the Indian people. Second, we have certainly participated in this war. Therefore, we are war prisoners.
Although there has been considerable exaggeration in this interpretation, we cannot refrain from saying that we have been honored by this. Regarding the first point, we would like to elaborate a little. We do not believe that there is any direct battle taking place. We do not know what the court means by war breaking out? However, we accept this interpretation and wish to explain it in its proper context.
State of War
We wish to state that a war is ongoing and this struggle will continue as long as powerful individuals maintain their monopoly over the means of income of the Indian people and workers—whether such individuals are British capitalists or entirely Indian, they have together continued a plunder. Even if the poor are being exploited solely by Indian capitalists, there is no difference in this situation.
If your government succeeds in exerting influence over some leaders or heads of Indian society, gains some concessions, or reaches agreements, the situation cannot change, and its impact on the people is minimal. We are also not concerned that the youth have been deceived once again, nor are we afraid that our political leaders have gone astray and have forgotten these innocent, homeless, and helpless martyrs, who are unfortunately considered members of the revolutionary party. Our political leaders consider them enemies because they believe in violence, while our heroines have sacrificed everything.
They have sacrificed their husbands, brothers, and everything they had. They have even sacrificed themselves, but your government considers them rebels. Your agents may create false stories to defame them and attempt to harm the party's reputation, but this war will continue.
Different Forms of War
This struggle may take different forms under different circumstances. At times, this struggle may manifest openly, sometimes it may continue in secrecy, at times it may take a horrific form, sometimes it may persist at the level of farmers, and at other times it may become so severe that it becomes a matter of life and death.
Whatever the circumstances, it will affect you. It is your choice to select whichever circumstance you wish, but this struggle will continue. Minor issues will not be focused on. It is very likely that this war will take a terrible form. However, it will certainly not end until the current structure of society is dismantled, until every aspect undergoes change or revolution, and until a new era is ushered in human creation.
The Final War
In the near future, the final war will be fought, and this war will be decisive. Imperialism and capitalism are temporary guests. This is the struggle in which we have directly participated, and we take pride in the fact that we neither initiated this war nor will it end with our lives. Our services will be recorded in that chapter of history which has been particularly illuminated by the sacrifices of Yatindranath Das and Bhagwati Charan. Their sacrifices are great.
As far as our fate is concerned, we want to emphatically tell you that you have decided to hang us. You will do so; you have the power and the right. However, in doing so, you are adhering to the principle of might is right, and you are committed to it. The hearing of our case is sufficient to prove that we have never made any plea, and we do not now seek any mercy from you. We only wish to request that according to the decision of a court of your own government, there is a charge against us of continuing the war. In this situation, we are war prisoners, therefore, on this basis, we demand that we be treated as war prisoners and be shot instead of being hanged.
Now it is your job to prove that you believe in the decision made by your government’s court. You should provide proof of this through your actions. We humbly request that you order your military department to send a firing squad to shoot us.
Yours sincerely,