Bhagat Singh's books rotting in Lahore

Freedom fighter Bhagat Singh's collection of books that was confiscated and used as evidence to award capital punishment to the revolutionary leader in the 1929 Lahore Conspiracy case, is currently lying in a state of neglect in Lahore.

"This heritage of our great freedom struggle still lying as 'Malkhana Record' in a lower trial court of Lahore," Professor Jagmohan Singh, nephew of Bhagat Singh said adding that efforts are being made to ensure that the books are preserved and are made available to Indians.

"Shaheed-e-Azam had a library of 175 books by around 70 authors in his office located at Nai Ki Mandi in Agra. These were confiscated by the British police to be used as evidence in the case for murdering police officer Saunders, said Jagmohan Singh during the release of the book To Make The Deaf Hear written by S Irfan Habib, in New Delhi on Wednesday night.

Bhagat Singh, according to Jagmohan, was a serious reader. He made an exhaustive study of history, politics, science, and different religious texts. "In fact his full-throated cry of 'Long live the Revolution' during India's struggle for Independence was derived from his serious and scientific reading of diverse subjects." Prof Singh said adding that Bhagat Singh was never in favour of violence contrary to the general notion spread by his ideological opponents.

Prof Singh, secretary of the Shaheed Bhagat Singh Research Committee said Bhagat Singh's call for the revolution was a product of his long cherished socio-political ideology to work for the welfare of unprivileged people, not an outcome of his romantic fancies about Communism.

He cited a excerpt form Bhagat Singh's famous note on "Why I am An Atheist," where he writes, "Study was the cry that reverberated in the corridors of my mind. Study to enable yourself to face the arguments advanced by the opposition. Study to arm yourself with arguments in favour of your cult. I began to study."

According to Prof Singh, many aspects of Bhagat Singh's multifaceted personality were yet to be explored and the collection of his books and notes can help a long way to understand the thoughts and deeds of the martyr.

"We have requested to the management of Dayal Singh Library, Lahore to get possession of this heritage, equally valuable to the people of both countries, and make proper arrangements to preserve it," Prof Singh said.