It is rightly said, “For every O’Dwyer, there is a Shaheed Udham Singh.”
Udham Singh, a freedom fighter who belonged to the Gadar Party, was hanged to death on July 31, 1940, after being found guilty of committing murder. Shaheed Udham Singh killed Michael O’Dwyer, former lieutenant governor of Punjab, India, in London to avenge the Jallianwala Bagh massacre in Amritsar.
In October 1995, Udham Singh Nagar, a district of Uttarakhand, was named after the then Chief Minister of undivided Uttar Pradesh, Mayawati.
Through this article, let us delve into the life of Shaheed Udham Singh, the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, the murder of O’Dwyer and his ashes in Jallianwala Bagh.
Udham Singh: Birth and early life
Udham Singh was born on 26 December 1899 in Sunam, Sangrur district of Punjab, India, son of Sardar Tehal Singh Jammu and Mata Narain Kaur. His father was a farmer and also worked as a railway crossing watchman in Upali village.
After the death of their father, Udham Singh and his elder brother, Mukta Singh, were raised at the Khalsa Putlighar Central Orphanage in Amritsar. In the year 1918, Udham Singh passed his matriculation examination and left the orphanage in the year 1919.
Udham Singh: Jallianwala Bagh massacre
On 10 April 1919, the leaders of the Indian National Congress were arrested under the Rowlatt Act. This, in turn, sparked a widespread protest at Jallianwala Bagh on April 13, 1919. More than 20,000 unarmed people took part in the protest. At that time, Udham Singh and his friends from the orphanage were serving water to the protesters. General O’Dwyer along with his troops entered Jallianwala Bagh, blocked the main entrance, took position on a raised bench and, without warning, opened fire on the crowd for about 10 minutes until the ammunition supply was almost exhausted. exhausted.
After this incident, Udham Singh was involved in revolutionary politics and was influenced by freedom fighter Bhagat Singh. In the year 1924, Udham Singh joined the Ghadar Party to overthrow British rule in India and organized overseas Indians for the same. In 1927, after receiving orders from Bhagat Singh, Udham Singh returned to India, bringing 25 companions and ammunition. However, he was soon arrested by the 25 associates. At the time of his arrest, evolutions, ammunition and copies of a banned Ghadar Party newspaper called “Ghadr-i-Gunj” were confiscated, resulting in a five-year prison sentence.
Udham Singh: Murder of O’Dwyer
In 1931, Udham Singh was released from prison, but his movements were monitored by the Punjab police. However, he was able to evade the Punjab police and reached Germany via Kashmir. In 1935 he arrived in London and worked as an engineer. He made plans to kill O’Dwyer, responsible for killing hundreds of peaceful protesters in Jalianwala Bagh.
On 13 March 1940, Michael O’Dwyer was scheduled to speak at a joint meeting of the East India Association and the Central Asian Society (now the Royal Society for Asian Affairs) at Caxton Hall, London. Udham Singh concealed a revolver in his jacket pocket and entered the assembly area. Once the meeting concluded, Udham Singh began to advance towards the stage and shot O’Dwyer twice, killing him instantly. In addition to O’Dwyer, others wounded in the event were: Louis Dane, Lawrence Dundas, 2nd Marquess of Zetland, and Charles Cochrane-Baillie, 2nd Baron Lamington. Udham Singh was immediately arrested by officials for killing O’Dwyer.
Udham Singh: trial and execution
Almost twenty days after the murder of Michael O’Dwyer on 1 April 1940, Udham Singh faced formal charges and remained in custody in Brixton Prison.
According to Udham Singh, after murdering O’Dwyer, “I did it because I had a grudge against him.” He deserved it. I don’t belong to society or anything else. I don’t mind. I don’t mind dying. What’s the point of waiting until you’re old? Is Zetland dead? He should be. Did I put two? I bought the revolver from a soldier in a tavern. My parents died when I was three or four years old. Just one dead person? I thought he might get more.’
While in custody in Brixton, Udham Singh called himself “Ram Mohammad Singh Azad”, with the first three words representing the three main religions of Punjab (Hindu, Muslim and Sikh) and the last word representing his anti-colonial sentiment. The word Azad means “Free”.
In prison, awaiting trial, Singh went on a hunger strike that was broken on the 42nd day after prison authorities force-fed him. On 4 June 1940, Singh’s trial began at the Central Criminal Court, Old Bailey, before Mr Justice Atkinson, with VK Krishna Menon and St John Hutchinson representing him. GB McClure was the prosecuting attorney. He was asked about the motive for O’Dwyer’s murder, to which he replied: “I did it because I had a grudge against him.” He deserved it. He was the real culprit. He wanted to crush the spirit of my people, that’s why I crushed him. For the 21 years I have been trying to seek revenge. I’m happy I did the work. I do not fear of death. I’m dying for my country. I have seen my people die of hunger in India under British rule. I have protested against this, it was my duty. What greater honor could I bestow than death for the good of my country?
He was convicted of murder and sentenced to death. On July 31, 1940 he was hanged in Pentonville Prison. On this day every year, i.e. July 31, various organizations pay tribute to Singh.
Udham Singh: stays at Jallianwala Bagh
At the request of the then MLA Sadhu Singh Thind, Singh’s mortal remains were exhumed and repatriated to India in the year 1974. The coffin was received by the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, the then President Shankar Dayal Sharma and the seventh President of the India, Zail Singh.
Shaheed-i-Azam Udham Singh was cremated in Sunam, Punjab, while his ashes were scattered in the Sutlej River. Some of his ashes were retained and kept inside a sealed urn at Jallianwala Bagh.
Udham Singh: legacy
1- A charity is dedicated to Udham Singh and operates in Soho Road, Birmingham.
2- A museum located near Jallianwala Bagh in Amritsar has also been dedicated to him.
3- Singh’s weapons, his knife, his diary and a bullet from the shooting are kept in his honor at Scotland Yard’s Black Museum.
4- Several films have been performed on him: Jallian Wala Bagh (1977), Shaheed Uddham Singh (1977) and Shaheed Uddham Singh (2000).
5- Udham Singh Nagar district in Uttarakhand is named after Udham Singh, by order of the then Chief Minister of undivided Uttar Pradesh.
6- Singh is the subject of the 1998 song “Assassin” by the Asian Dub Foundation.
7- A chowk is named after him in Anupgarh, Rajasthan: Shaheed Udham Singh Chowk.
8- The day of his execution is a holiday in Punjab and Haryana.
9- Singh is the subject of the 2015 music video and the song “Frank Brazil” by The Ska Vengers.
10- On March 13, 2018, International Sarv Kamboj Samaj installed a 10 feet tall statue of Udham Singh at the main entrance of Jallianwala Bagh, Amritsar. The statue was inaugurated by the then Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh.
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Categories: Optical Illusion
Source: ptivs2.edu.vn