Shaheed Diwas is observed on the death anniversaries of Shaheed Bhagat Singh, Shivaram Rajguru and Sukhdev Thapar were hanged to death by the British in 1931. The arrest of the three in the Lahore conspiracy case, subsequent hanging and cremation in Sutlej River provided ammunition to the burning pyre of revolution.
Shaheed Diwas 2020: Significance
People across the nation remember the sacrifice made by young inspirational souls like Bhagat Singh on this day. Schools and colleges hold events on poetry, speech or drama to pay tribute to the revolutionaries, who were not deterred even in the face of death.
History Shaheed Diwas 2020
The Simon Commission set up by the British government under the leadership of Sir John Simon to report on the political situation in India was met with protest when it visited Lahore on 30 October, 1928. The Indian political parties were against this Commission as it did not include a single Indian member.
Upon its arrival in Lahore, it faced protests with Lajpat Rai leading non-violent marches. Frustrated by the protests, superintendent of police James A Scott ordered lathi charge on protestors and personally assaulted Rai. Due to the assault, Rai suffered injuries and succumbed to it on 17 November, 1928.
The killing of Rai infuriated Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev and Rajguru and the three decided to avenge the senior leader’s death by killing Scott. However, things did not go as per their plan and they shot Saunders by mistake while he was leaving the district police headquarters in Lahore on 17 December, 1928.
As a punishment for killing Saunders, the hanging of the three freedom fighters was ordered.
Quotes By Revolutionary Freedom Fighter Bhagat Singh
Below are the Quotes for Shaheed Diwas 2020 by Bhagat Singh which are too apt and applicable in contemporary time. You can share these quotes on the occasion of Shaheed Diwas in India.
- “Non-violence is backed by the theory of soul-force in which suffering is courted in the hope of ultimately winning over the opponent. But what happens when such an attempt fail to achieve the object? It is here that soul-force has to be combined with physical force so as not to remain at the mercy of tyrannical and ruthless enemy.”
- “It is beyond the power of any man to make a revolution. Neither can it be brought about on any appointed date. It is brought about by special environments, social and economic. The function of an organised party is to utilise any such opportunity offered by these circumstances.”
- “The sword of revolution is sharpened on the whetting stone of ideas-Bhagat Singh in court during his trial, India’s struggle for freedom”
- “Merciless criticism and independent thinking are the two necessary traits of revolutionary thinking.”
- “But man’s duty is to try and endeavour, success depends upon chance and environments.”
- “Love always elevates the character of man. It never lowers him, provided love be love.”
- “Philosophy is the outcome of human weakness or limitation of knowledge”.
Read Bhagat Singh Essay Why I am an Atheist
We pay a tribute to all the martyr who has sacrificed their life for the Freedom of India on this Shaheed Diwas 2020.