SentimentalDisenchantment
24th March 2016, 10:02
Well yesterday, 23rd March was the day Bhagat Singh was executed by the British Government in the year 1931. I wanted to post yesterday but for the forum status.
I just wanted to post about him because I find him more or less forgotten on these forums. His importance in India though, in itself is a very ambiguous. Strangely enough, the far right uses him as a tool for their propaganda of jingoism. The Marxists-Leninists use his legacy as their own.
His model was very Leninist, although he appeared to be influenced by Bakunin and anarchism. But this excerpt here, confirms that he was a strong admirer and student of Lenin:
THE PROGRAMME.
The need of hour is therefore for a clear, honest programme for the revolution, and determined action for realization of the programme.
In 1917 before the October Revolution had come off Lenin , still in hiding in Moscow , wrote that for a successful revolution three condition are essential :--
1 A political- economic situation
2 A rebellious mass mind , and
3 A party of revolutionaries , trained and determined to lead the masses when the hour of trial arrives.
And also,
ON LENIN DAY WE SEND HEARTY GREETINGS TO ALL who are doing something for carrying forward the ideas of the great Lenin. We wish success to the great experiment Russia is carrying out. We join our voice to that of the international working class movement. The proletariat will win. Capitalism will be defeated. Death to Imperialism.
On Gandhi and Gandhism,
We should not have any illusion about the possibilities, failures and achievements of Congress movement, which should be, as it is to-day, be better stamped Gandhism . It does not stand for freedom avowedly ; it is in favour of “Partnership” – a strange interpretation of what “ complete independence” signifies. Its method is novel, and but for the helplessness of the people. Gandhism would gain no adherent for the Saint of Sabarmati . It has fulfilled and is fulfilling the role of an intermediate party of Liberal Radical combination fighting shy of reality of the situation and controlled mostly by men with stakes in the country, who prize their stakes with bourgeoise tenacity, and it is bound to stagnate unless rescued from its own fate by an infusion of Revolutionary blood. It must be saved from its friends.
On Revolution:
What we mean by Revolution is quite plan. In this century it can mean only one thing -the capture of the political power by the masses for the masses. It is in fact The Revolution. Other risings attempt a mere change of your lordships, trying to perpetuate the rotting capitalistic order No amount of profession of sympathy for the people and the popular cause can ultimately hoodwink the masses about the true nature and portent of such superficial replacement . In India too, we want nothing less then the regime of the Indian proletariat in the place of the Indian Imperialists and their native allies who are barricaded behind the same economic system of exploration . We can suffer no black evil to replace the white evil . The evils have a community of interest to do any such thing . The proletariat revolution is the only weapon of India to dislodge the Imperialist. Nothing else can attain this object
Anyways,
One of the omnipresent quotes that are present on many of his articles is this one which I believe to be representative of our struggle:
"We are sorry to admit that we who attach so great a sanctity to human life, who dream of a glorious future, when man will be enjoying perfect peace and full liberty, have been forced to shed human blood. But the sacrifice of individuals at the altar of the 'Great Revolution' that will bring freedom to all, rendering the exploitation of man by man impossible, is inevitable. "
He ended most of his pamphlets with the words: INQUILAB ZINDABAD (een-kuh-laab Zeen-daa-baad) meaning - LONG LIVE THE REVOLUTION! The slogan remains powerful even today in India.
Whatever his ideas were, he remains a true friend of the working class and an enemy of Imperialism and Capitalism. He wasn't an intellectual and/or original in his thoughts but he had immense courage. The description "Che Guevara of South Asia" fits him well, considering that he was only 23 when he was executed. Who knows what his thoughts would have been later had he lived longer?
I just wanted to post about him because I find him more or less forgotten on these forums. His importance in India though, in itself is a very ambiguous. Strangely enough, the far right uses him as a tool for their propaganda of jingoism. The Marxists-Leninists use his legacy as their own.
His model was very Leninist, although he appeared to be influenced by Bakunin and anarchism. But this excerpt here, confirms that he was a strong admirer and student of Lenin:
THE PROGRAMME.
The need of hour is therefore for a clear, honest programme for the revolution, and determined action for realization of the programme.
In 1917 before the October Revolution had come off Lenin , still in hiding in Moscow , wrote that for a successful revolution three condition are essential :--
1 A political- economic situation
2 A rebellious mass mind , and
3 A party of revolutionaries , trained and determined to lead the masses when the hour of trial arrives.
And also,
ON LENIN DAY WE SEND HEARTY GREETINGS TO ALL who are doing something for carrying forward the ideas of the great Lenin. We wish success to the great experiment Russia is carrying out. We join our voice to that of the international working class movement. The proletariat will win. Capitalism will be defeated. Death to Imperialism.
On Gandhi and Gandhism,
We should not have any illusion about the possibilities, failures and achievements of Congress movement, which should be, as it is to-day, be better stamped Gandhism . It does not stand for freedom avowedly ; it is in favour of “Partnership” – a strange interpretation of what “ complete independence” signifies. Its method is novel, and but for the helplessness of the people. Gandhism would gain no adherent for the Saint of Sabarmati . It has fulfilled and is fulfilling the role of an intermediate party of Liberal Radical combination fighting shy of reality of the situation and controlled mostly by men with stakes in the country, who prize their stakes with bourgeoise tenacity, and it is bound to stagnate unless rescued from its own fate by an infusion of Revolutionary blood. It must be saved from its friends.
On Revolution:
What we mean by Revolution is quite plan. In this century it can mean only one thing -the capture of the political power by the masses for the masses. It is in fact The Revolution. Other risings attempt a mere change of your lordships, trying to perpetuate the rotting capitalistic order No amount of profession of sympathy for the people and the popular cause can ultimately hoodwink the masses about the true nature and portent of such superficial replacement . In India too, we want nothing less then the regime of the Indian proletariat in the place of the Indian Imperialists and their native allies who are barricaded behind the same economic system of exploration . We can suffer no black evil to replace the white evil . The evils have a community of interest to do any such thing . The proletariat revolution is the only weapon of India to dislodge the Imperialist. Nothing else can attain this object
Anyways,
One of the omnipresent quotes that are present on many of his articles is this one which I believe to be representative of our struggle:
"We are sorry to admit that we who attach so great a sanctity to human life, who dream of a glorious future, when man will be enjoying perfect peace and full liberty, have been forced to shed human blood. But the sacrifice of individuals at the altar of the 'Great Revolution' that will bring freedom to all, rendering the exploitation of man by man impossible, is inevitable. "
He ended most of his pamphlets with the words: INQUILAB ZINDABAD (een-kuh-laab Zeen-daa-baad) meaning - LONG LIVE THE REVOLUTION! The slogan remains powerful even today in India.
Whatever his ideas were, he remains a true friend of the working class and an enemy of Imperialism and Capitalism. He wasn't an intellectual and/or original in his thoughts but he had immense courage. The description "Che Guevara of South Asia" fits him well, considering that he was only 23 when he was executed. Who knows what his thoughts would have been later had he lived longer?