[Reader-list] Fwdfyi: [RR] Bhagat Singh: Promoting Terrorism?

[Patrice Riemens]

FollFollowing the posting on Bhagat Singh in Pakistan, here a rejoinder
fromPakistan that was sent to me by a Pakistani friend ...

Cheers, p+3D!


---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Khurram Ali Shafique <khurramsoffice at yahoo.com>
Date: Wed, Mar 31, 2010 at 2:58 AM
Subject: [RR] Bhagat Singh: Promoting Terrorism?
To: therepublicofrumi at yahoogroups.com




On March 23 this year, when most Pakistani celebrated the 70th anniversary
of Pakistan Resolution, some observed the death anniversary of Bhagat Singh
(1907-1931) who had been hanged on charges of terrorism on the same date in
1931. Especially under the present circumstances, an average Pakistani may
ask a few questions to be considered dispassionately.

Bhagat Singh was a member of HSRA, a leftist terrorist organization in India
in the 1920s ("when expediency will demand it the Party will unhesitatingly
enter into a desperate campaign of terrorism," said the party's manifesto;
see *Wikipedia
entry*<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hindustan_Socialist_Republican_Association#Objectives_and_Ideology>).
In 1928, Hindu leader Lala Lajpat Rai succumbed to injuries suffered from
baton charge by police during a public protest. Singh sought to avenge him
by assassinating the police chief but his bullet killed another police
officer instead. He fled the scene and later threw a bomb in the Central
Legislative Assembly that did not kill anyone but created panic. He got
arrested and defended his position throughout his trial. He was convicted
for murder and hanged on March 23, 1931.

In India, Singh is celebrated as a hero. Among Marxists, his pamphlet `Why I
am an Atheist' is especially popular as a tool for promoting atheism among
youth. Pakistan too has an association with him, since he was born in a
village near Lyallpur (now called Faisalabad) and got executed in Lahore. In
September 2007, Lt Gen (Retired) Khalid Maqool (governor of Punjab in the
Musharraf era) addressed a birth centenary seminar on Bhagat Singh, paid
tribute to him and promised a memorial (see *Daily
Times*<http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2007%5C09%5C02%5Cstory_2-9-2007_pg7_33>).


Showing due respect to Bhagat Singh as an icon respected by our neighboring
India is one thing. Preaching his ideas to our own youth and presenting him
as a role model for Pakistanis are different matters altogether. The country
is being accused of harboring terrorists. The international media,
especially Indian media, often seems to be giving an impression as if most
Pakistanis harbor a longing for becoming suicide bombers. What kind of image
shall we receive if at this time some of our lobbies are found to be
promoting a "hero" whose recorded statement after throwing a bomb in the
assembly was, "We are sorry to admit that we... have been forced to shed
human blood. But the sacrifice of individuals at the altar of the 'Great
Revolution'
 is inevitable."

The implications are:

   - Is this the kind of image we desire to associated with Pakistan?
   - Is this the message we want to give to our youth?
   - Precisely why did India release not one, but two, biopics about Bhagat
   Singh defending terrorism soon after 09/11 (both movies were released on
   June 7, 2002)?

However, the biggest question is that at a time when the country is already
combating terrorism, why on earth we need to promote terrorism? We may
compare the following excerpts from the pamphlet distributed by Singh after
bombing the assembly with the video messages released by the militants of
today:

"It takes a loud voice to make the deaf hear, with these immortal words
uttered on a similar occasion by Valiant, a French anarchist martyr, do we
strongly justify this action of ours
 In these extremely provocative
circumstances, the Hindustan Socialist Republican Association, in all
seriousness, realizing their full responsibility, had decided and ordered
its army to do this particular action
 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. Long Live the
Revolution."

Really, do you have to promote terrorism? This is an honest question which
the mainstream Pakistanis may be entitled to ask some of their leftist
brothers.

   *
   <http://khurramsdesk.blogspot.com/2010/03/bhagat-singh-promoting-terrorism.html>
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