SHAHEED DIWAS: BHAGAT SINGH, RAJGURU AND SUKHDEV | UPSC Current Affairs

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Context: India is observing ‘Shaheed Diwas’ to mark the death anniversary of Bhagat Singh, Shivaram Hari Rajguru and Sukhdev Thapar, the revolutionary leaders who were hanged at the Lahore Central Jail in Lahore on March 23, 1931.

Details:

Lahore Conspiracy Case:

1928: Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev and Rajguru plotted the assassination of SP James Scott in Lahore to avenge the death of Lala Lajpat Rai, the nationalist leader of the famous Lal-Bal-Pal trio.
Instead, assistant superintendent of police John Saunders was shot dead.
1929: Bhagat Singh and Batukeshwar Dutt hurled bombs in the Central Assembly Hall in Delhi
They were later arrested.
March 23, 1931: Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev were hanged to death.

About Bhagat Singh:

He was a socialist freedom fighter.
Born in Banga village of Faisalabad district in 1907.
1923: joined the National College, Lahore (a swadeshi institution founded by Lala Lajpat Rai).
1924: became a member of the Hindustan Republican Association (started by Sachindranath Sanyal but organiser was Chandra Shekhar Azad).
1925: started Naujawan Bharat Sabha, a militant youth organisation.
1926: established Workers and Peasants Party with Sohan Singh Josh
1927: arrested on charges of association with the Kakori Case
1928: name of the Hindustan Republican Association changed to the Hindustan Socialist Republican Association (HSRA).
1930: Naujawan Bharat Sabha replaced HSRA in Punjab
1931: executed along with Rajguru and Sukhdev in Punjab’s Hussainwala (now in Pakistan).

About Rajguru:

Shivaram Rajguru was born in Khed.
He was well versed in Indian scriptures.
Joined the Hindustan Socialist Republican Association (HSRA) in his late teens. He was called the ‘Gunman’ of the Hindustan Socialist Republican Association (HSRA).
He was known as Raghunath in HSRA.
He was 22 when he achieved martyrdom.

About Sukhdev Thapar:

Born in 1907.
He joined the Naujawan Bharat Seva.
He actively participated in the activities of the Hindustan Socialist Republican Association (HSRA).

PRACTICE QUESTION

Q) Discuss the contribution of Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev and Rajguru to the Indian Freedom Struggle. (150 words)

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