Regrettably, religion has been instrumentalized into a biggest politico market, whereas these revolutionaries stood for an egalitarian, pluralist and rational India — a vision of the utmost urgency today!
(Dr.) P. R. Kalia
One of the prominent Indian revolutionaries, Rajguru was remembered on 24 th August while celebrating his 116 th Birth Anniversary. Well versed in Indian scriptures, Shivaram Hari Rajguru (1908-1931) had a very short-lived yet inspiring
life. Born at Khed, near Pune, Maharashtra, into a middle-class family, he was hanged to death along with legendary revolutionaries Bhagat Singh and Sukhdev for the freedom of their motherland.
Since his childhood days, Rajguru had witnessed the brutal atrocities that the
colonial British Raj inflicted on India and her people. It turned him to believe in
militant nationalism and did not have faith in Mahatma Gandhi’s non-violent
Satyagraha. This instilled within him a strong urge to join hands with the
revolutionaries, so he joined the Hindustan Socialist Republican Association
(HSRA). He was referred to as the ‘Gunman of HSRA’, as he possessed great
shooting skills. In the organisation, he went by the name of Raghunath.
One of the most notable events in Rajguru’s life was his involvement in the
bombing of the Central Legislative Assembly Hall in Delhi (April 8, 1929) along
with Bhagat Singh and Batukeshwar Dutt. The intention behind this action was not
to cause casualties but to draw attention to the repressive nature of colonial laws.
The revolutionaries wanted to use the trial that would follow to promote their
cause.
The youthful revolutionaries, Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, and Sukhdev had avenged
the death of Lala Lajpat Rai, who had passed away due to injuries sustained in a
severe police baton charge amid protests against the Simon Commission. They
aimed at James A. Scott, the police official responsible for ordering the baton
charge, but shoot JP Saunders, a British Police Officer, due to a case of mistaken
identity.
Following the assassination, on the 23rd of March 1931, at 7:30 PM in Lahore,
Rajguru and his comrades were executed by hanging. Rajguru was just 22 years
old at the time of his martyrdom. 23rd of March is commemorated as Martyrs’
Day in India.
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Shivaram Hari Rajguru, along with Bhagat Singh and Sukhdev are associated with
the famous slogans of Inquilab Zindabad and Samrajvad Murdabad. The freedom
fighters chanted this slogan before being finally hanged in Lahore Jail. Their
martyrdom remains a poignant symbol of patriotism and selfless devotion to the
nation, inspiring generations of Indians in their quest for freedom and justice.
Rajguru’s birthplace has been rechristened as Rajgurunagar, an enduring tribute to
his legacy. Additionally, his ancestral home now bears the name Rajguru Wada.
Each year, the Hutatma Rajguru Samarak Samiti (HRSS) unfurls the national flag
at Rajguru Wada on Republic Day, marking a solemn and patriotic tradition that
honours his memory and the sacrifices he made for India’s freedom.
In essence, Shivaram Hari Rajguru’s life and sacrifices continue to inspire and
guide those who seek a more just and free society….
Paying tribute to the freedom fighter, the Progressive Peoples Foundation of
Edmonton believed that in the prevailing economic inequality and social
discrimination, the Indian democracy needs space to endure the spirit of our
freedom fighters. Regrettably, religion has been instrumentalized into a
biggest politico market, whereas these revolutionaries stood for an egalitarian,
pluralist and rational India — a vision of the utmost urgency today!
