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Sh. Bhagwant Mann
Hon’ble Chief Minister Punjab
Subject: Some recommendations regarding Shaheed Bhagat Singh
Honorable Chief Ministers and Deputy CM,
As Honorable advisor to Bhagat Singh Archives and Resource Centre, Delhi Archives, New Delhi, I have some common suggestions for Punjab and Delhi Governments, which have adopted Shaheed Bhagat Singh and Dr. Ambedkar as official icons of the two governments.
1. Bhagat Singh Archives and Resource Centre was inaugurated on 23rd March 2018 in Delhi Archives complex by Delhi Govt. Minister Sh. Gopal Rai. Same day the renovated Bhagat Singh Museum in Khatkar Kalan was also inaugurated by then Punjab Government.
2. While Bhagat Singh Archives and Resource Centre (BSARC) Delhi has an advisory committee led by Sh. Manish Sisodia, Deputy CM Delhi. Shaheed Bhagat Singh Museum in Khatkar Kalan has no such committee as the family members of Bhagat Singh, who had gifted their ancestral haveli and property to Punjab Government probably did not ask for it. But it would be good to have an advisory committee including some family members of Bhagat Singh and some scholars studying Bhagat Singh role in freedom struggle, should be included in that committee, which may be led by Hon’ble CM, Punjab.
3. BSARC in Delhi Archives and Shaheed Bhagat Singh Museum in Khatkar Kalan should have interactive relations with each other.
4. Since the painting of Shaheed Bhagat Singh which is being used in Delhi and Punjab Government offices was got made during the time of Punjab Chief Minister Giani Zail Singh, grand uncle of present Speaker of Punjab Assembly Sh. Kulwant Singh Sandhwan, for which artist Amar Singh was honored by then Punjab Governor B D Pandey. (Photograph attached courtesy London based Punjabi poet Amarjit Chandan) . S. Tarlochan Singh former MP and OSD to Giani Zail Singh at that time, can confirm this fact. It is appropriate to acknowledge the artist Amar Singh in this regard and his initials at the painting should be highlighted from the original painting, which should be in Raj Bhavan or some other office of the Punjab Government. The original painting must be recovered from Punjab Government records and preserved as master copy for making the bulk photographs now in use in Punjab and Delhi offices.
5. Universities in Delhi and Punjab should be named after Shaheed Bhagat Singh to inspire the young students towards ideas and patriotism of Bhagat Singh. Central University of Punjab should be named on Shaheed Bhagat Singh Central University of Punjab, Bathinda and in Delhi, out of three unnamed Universities, one should be named on the name of Shaheed Bhagat Singh.
- In Punjab, the last Government named sports University on the name of Bhupindra Singh, who was pro-British king of Patiala and who was responsible for the martyrdom of great patriot and nationalist Shaheed Sewa Singh Thikriwala. A Government University should be named only on the name of a patriotic martyr. Sewa Singh Thikriwala was martyred in Bhupindra Singh’s Jail in Patiala on midnight of 19-20 January 1935. Thikriwala was fighting for the cause of Punjab farmers and against colonial and feudal collaborators of British colonialism., I strongly urge Punjab Government to rename Bhupindra Singh Sports University Patiala in the name of Patiala’s greatest martyr Shaheed Sewa Singh Thikriwala, so that young students must get inspiration of patriotism and not follow the feudal and pro-colonial ideas and conduct of a feudal, pro-colonial and oppressive king Bhupindra Singh.
- A trip to martyr’s memorials for school students should be organized once in three months covering Shaheed Bhagat Singh Khatkar Kalan Museum, Ludhiana Shaheed Sukhdev house and Kartar Singh Sarabha memorial in Sarabha village to Amritsar Jallianwala Bagh and Madan Lal Dhingra memorial, Sunam Shaheed Udham Singh memorial to Hussaini wala Shaheed Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev, BK Dutt and Mata Vidyawati memorial.
- Few years ago, Sh. Bhagwant Mann along with Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi had met Cuban Ambassador in India at Delhi and offered to gift a statue/bust of Bhagat Singh to be placed among anti-colonial martyrs of Latin America, Africa, Asia and other countries at a particular road in Cuban capital Havana. Punjab and Delhi Governments shall pursue it again and offer Shaheed Bhagat Singh statue/bust to be placed in Havana and in return Cuban revolutionary martyr Che Guevara bust/statue may be placed in Delhi or Chandigarh.
Campaign for Bhagat Singh bust in Cuba | India News - Times of India (indiatimes.com)
- I am copying this letter to some MPs of Punjab, so that they can support Bhagat Singh Archives in Delhi with lump sum financial support from their MP funds, to buy new books every year and other help like acquiring a Photo Copier machine and support for staff in BSARC. Since the inauguration of BSARC in 2018, not a single book has been bought by Delhi Govt. despite my recommendations. Whatever new books I buy or get as gift, I deposit to BSARC! I would urge Punjab Rajya Sabha members to visit BSARC in Delhi Archives.
- There are 134 case files relating to Bhagat Singh and other revolutionaries lying in Punjab Archives Lahore. A copy of these files of as historic records should be brought to Punjab Government Chandigarh. A digital copy of these files fmay also be kept at BSARCm Delhi Archives.
- To propagate the ideas of Shaheed Bhagat Singh, the standard books relating to writings of Bhagat Singh and some standard biographies of Bhagat Singh should be purchased in bulk and supplied to all the libraries of schools/colleges and public libraries of Delhi and Punjab. The list of books-
Important Books on Bhagat Singh for libraries
1. First and banned biography of Bhagat Singh by Jitender Nath Sanyal-1931. Jitender Nath Sanyal was acquitted in main Lahore conspiracy case on 7th October 1930. His biography of Bhagat Singh was published after few months of execution of Bhagat Singh. It was being serialized in Bhavishya-Hindi journal edited by Ramrakh Singh Sehgal. English edition of biography and Bhavishya both were proscribed. Jatinder Nath Sanyal was convicted and imprisoned for two years for writing this biography. Ramrakh Singh Sehgal was also imprisoned for few months and heavily penalized. It is one of the best and early authentic biography of Bhagat Singh. Now it is published by Vishav Bharti Prakashan Nagpur and by NBT, Bew Delhi in Hindi and Punjabi.
2. 1968 first edition of Virender Sindhu Book-Foreword was written by then Home Minister of India Y B Chavan. Written by Bhagat Singh’s niece Virender Sindhu, this is authentic biography of three generations of Bhagat Singh family-from Bhagat Singh grandfather Arjun Singh to Bhagat Singh Father Kishan Singh and Uncles Ajit Singh/Swarn Singh to Bhagat Singh himself. It was published by Bhartiya Gyanpeeth then from Banaras, now published by Rajpal& sons Delhi as Bhagat Singh aur unke Mrityuanjay Purkhe. This book was translated in Punjabi by Languages Dept. Punjab, Patiala, but now not even a single copy is available there. It should be reprinted, while a private publisher has been publishing it without author or Language dept. permission and selling it.
3. Bhagat Singh’s writings first collection in book form came out in Punjabi in 1974. Though his writings were being published from his life time before 1931 in various journals, but in collected form it came out only in 1974. It was edited by Punjabi poet Amarjit Chandan, but he remained anonymous on book title. First time 28 writings of Bhagat Singh were put together. Now Bhagat Singh nephew Prof. Jagmohan Singh edited-Bhagat Singh ate Uhna de Sathian dian Likhtan is available from Chetna Prakashan, Ludhiana.
4. Hindi journal from Allahabad-Chand-Fansi issue with 37 articles by Bhagat Singh was published in November 1928. The journal was edited by Ramrakh Singh Sehgal, but Fansi issue as special issue was edited by Hindi novelist Acharya Chatursen Shastri, as guest editor, who had later to appear for evidence in Lahore Conspiracy case. Now available with Radhakrishan Prakashan New Delhi.
5. Bhagat Singh Complete writings in Hindi-edited by Chaman Lal, 2007/2020 by Publications Division Delhi. First single volume edition was published in Bhagat Singh birth centenary year in 2007. Updated and enlarged four volume edition published in 2020. It includes all 130 writings and Jail Notebook of Bhagat Singh.
6. Complete writings of Bhagat Singh in Urdu published in 2014 by Publications Division Delhi. Updated translation of 2007 Hindi edition.
7. Bhagat Singh Jail Notebook translation in Bengali, published in 2012
8. Bhagat Singh Jail Notebook translation published in Kannada in 2015
9. Complete writings-of Bhagat Singh published in Marathi in 2008 and 2016
10. Telugu Translation of Bhagat Singh selected writings published in 1986 and 2004.
11. Tamil edition of Why I am an Atheist by Bhagat Singh published first in 1934, the first ever translation got done by E V Ramaswamy Naicker Periyar from P. Jeevanandam. More than 30 editions published by now.
12. French translation of Why I am an Atheist published from Paris in 2016
13. Different editions of Bhagat Singh Jail Note Book in Punjabi by Punjab Govt first published in Bhagat Singh birth centenary year 2007 for free distribution.
14. Hindi translation of Bhagat Singh Jail Note Book published by Haryana Govt. in 2008 for free distribution.
15. Shiv Verma edited first collection of Bhagat Singh writings in English published in 1986. It includes 29 writings of Bhagat Singh, published by National Book Centre Calcutta.
16. Complete writings of Bhagat Singh edited by Chaman Lal published in The Bhagat Singh Reader published by HarperCollins India as international edition in 2019. It includes all 130 writings and Jail Notebook of Bhagat Singh
17. Comrade Ramchandra Book- authentic history of Naujwan Bharat Sabha and HSRA of organizations of Bhagat Singh movement. Comrade Ramchandra was among founders of Naujwan Bharat Sabha with Bhagat Singh and remained its President too, was part of HSRA as well. In later life he remained MLA of pre-partition and post-partition Punjab legislative assemblies at Lahore and Chandigarh and also MLA in Himachal Pradesh Assembly. He authored three books on freedom struggle and self-financed their publications. Punjab Govt. should publish these books as a private publisher is selling one book without author family permission.
18. A G Noorani book-The Trial of Bhagat Singh, now available with Oxford University Press, New Delhi.
19. Kartar Singh Duggal’s Bhagat Singh biography in Punjabi language by Publication Division, Govt. of India priced just Three rupees. It should be bought in thousands.
20. Bhagat Singh de Siasi Dastavez in Punjabi, edited by Chaman Lal, published by National Book Trust New Delhi.
21. Bhagat Singh ke Sampuran Dastavez edited by Chaman Lal, published by Aadhar Prakashan Panchkula.
22. The Legend and Life of Bhagat Singh: A Pictorial biography of Bhagat Singh by Chaman Lal, expected by September end 2022 from Publication Division, Govt. of India in English.
23. Bhagat Singh: The Political Reader, edited by Michael D Yates and Chaman Lal in an international edition by Monthlyu Review Press New York and Leftword Press New Delhi, expected in September 2022
24. Banned Publications on Bhagat Singh, edited by Gurdev Singh, published by Leftword Publications New Delhi in 2022.
25. India’s Revolutionary Inheritance by Chris Moffat, published by Cambridge University Press London/Delhi
I think is some of these suggestions are accepted and implemented, it will not cause much finances and it will prove to be more useful in spreading the ideas of Bhagat Singh, which I think is the purpose of Punjab and Delhi Governments by adopting Shaheed Bhagat Singh as official icon.
I shall be available for discussion on these suggestions as and when both Chief Ministers can spare some time together or separately.
With best regards
(Chaman Lal)
Copy to concerned officials of Delhi and Punjab Governments
Copy to concerned Rajya Sabha members from Punjab.
Copy to the advisory committee members of BSARC.
Annexures
1. Painting of Bhagat Singh by artist Amar Singh
2. Artist Amar Singh being honoured by Governor Punjab
3. Clippings of Deputy CM Meeting with Cuban Ambassador
H.no.2690, Urban Estate, Phase-2, PATIALA (Punjab)-147002
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