Indian revolutionary and a major figure in the Indian independence movement of the early Twentieth Century. Singh was active in revolutionary struggle from an early age and he was briefly affiliated with the Mohandas Ghandi’s “Non-Cooperation” movement, although Singh would break with Ghandi’s philosophy of non-violent resistance later in life.
Singh embraced atheism and Marxism-Leninism and integrated these key components into his philosophy of revolutionary struggle. Under his leadership, the Kirti Kissan Party was renamed the Hindustan Socialist Republican Organization. As Singh and his organization rose to new prominence in the Indian independence movement, they became the focus of public criticism from Ghandi himself, who disagreed with their belief that violence was a necessary and vital component of revolutionary struggle.
Singh’s secularism was perhaps his most important contribution to the socialist and independence struggles. During those turbulent times, British Imperialism used every tactic to create antagonism among the different religions of India, especially between Hindus and Muslims. The Sanghatan and Shuddi Movements among Hindus; and tableegh and many sectarian movements in Muslims bear witness to the effects of this tactic. Bhagat Singh removed his beard which was a violation of Sikh religion, because he did not want to create before the public the image of a ‘Sikh’ freedom fighter. Nor did he want to be held up as a hero by the followers of this religion. He wanted to teach the people that British Imperialism was their common enemy and they must be united against it to win freedom.
On April 8, 1924, Baghat Singh and his compatriot B. K. Dutt hurled two bombs on to the floor of the Central Delhi Hall in New Delhi. The bombs were tossed away from individuals so as not to harm anyone and, in fact, no one was harmed in the ensuing explosions. Following the explosions, Singh and Dutt showered the hall with copies of a leaflet that later was to be known as “The Red Pamphlet.” The pamphlet began with a passage which was to become legendary in the Indian revolutionary struggle:
“It takes a loud voice to make the deaf hear, with these immortal words uttered on a similar occasion by Vaillant, a French anarchist martyr, do we strongly justify this action of ours.”
Singh and Dutt concluded the pamphlet with the phrase “Long Live the Revolution!” This phrase (translated from “Inquilab Zindabad!” became one of the most enduring slogans of the Indian Independence Movement.
Singh and Dutt turned themselves in following the bombing incident. Following the trial, they were sentenced to “transportation for life” and while imprisoned, Singh and Dutt became outspoken critics of the Indian penal system, embarking on hunger strikes and engaging in agitation and propaganda from within the confines of the prison. Shortly after the commencement of his prison sentence, Singh was implicated in the 1928 death of a Deputy Police Superintendent. Singh acknowledged involvement in the death and he was executed by hanging on 23 March 1931.
Bhagat Singh is widely hailed as a martyr as a result of his execution at the hands of oppressors and, as such, he is often referred to as “Shaheed (Martyr) Bhagat Singh.”
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I’ve got this new coworker whos a full on fascist and keeps ranting about the cities being warzones. I’m not looking forward to going to work today where he’ll inevitably talk about the philly looting/rioting after that cop’s charges were dropped.
The DA even re-filed the charges. All these kids went out there and busted their riot nut before the clothes were fully off. Like c’mon it wasn’t over.
You could always try my technique: talk over them about how you could not possibly give less of a fuck about property damage and whatabout the subject to something actually important
It is not well-received, but in a sometimes-useful way
This might be my autism shining through but one of the things that I do when people rant to me about the same topic which is something that is neither based in fact nor welcomed by me is to reply by going on the same lecture disputing their claims and debunking their talking points without taking a breath every time. Basically just one long sentence that is intentionally uncomfortable and tedious for them.
I will repeat that same lecture point by point every time they decide to rant to me about that same topic so that they walk away thinking to themselves that I’m insufferable and I keep on ranting about the same damn thing.
Typically the type of person who does this doesn’t have enough insight to recognise the common denominator in the situation (it’s them and their rant) but idc because I’m giving that person a classical conditioning-style aversion to ever even considering bringing up that rant around me in future.
Hah, yeah that’s my goal too. I spent about a decade trying to get through to people in my life on a basis of common ground. Never saw a single bit of improvement, although that’s possibly influenced by an overwhelmingly reactionary local culture
Eventually I started taking an antidepressant, and suddenly I couldn’t tolerate their shit anymore without a huge amount of effort. Now they don’t listen to what I shout any more than they used to listen to what I said, but they’re more careful to avoid getting my attention with their bigotry. Meanwhile, I’ve seen a couple of apparent ‘apoliticals’ who seemed to find something satisfying in righteous anger.
They’ll probably quiet their minds and log back into /r/RickyMorty or whatever, but who knows, maybe someone’s interest will be piqued by hearing a regular person actually give a shit
Rioting is good, though. Sacrificing one or two pigs now and then doesn’t change anything.
An older co-worker at my new job is often remarking on how much I’m in danger in my apartment building, because he once saw a fight outside the same building when he lived there a quarter-century ago. I keep telling him that the area is gentrified as fuck these days and I’m in more danger on my daily commute but he’s locked into his paranoia.