LUDHIANA: The International Human Rights Organization (IHRO) Aug. 12th released to the Press two historic documents regarding Shaheed Udham Singh. These records had remained part of the secret record of the British Government for the past 50 years. One of them is his confession written by Divisional Detective Inspector John Swain in the presence of Superintendent Sands of the British Police. The confession was signed by Shaheed Udham Singh as M.S. Azad for as he put it: “All over the world I am called Mohamed Singh Azad.” The second document comprises shorthand notes of the statement made by the martyr after the Judge, Justice Atkinson, had asked him if he had anything to say on why the sentence should not be passed upon him according to the law. These documents had recently been procured from the British Home office by the Indian Workers Association (Great Britain) and Lalkar newspaper. Members of these organizations had asked the IHRO Chairperson, Mr. D.S. Gill, to release them to the Press on their behalf, according to IHRO general secretary Mohinder Singh Grewal. “I took the revolver from my pocket and shot at the wall in protest. I have seen people starving in India under British imperialism. The pistol went off three or four times. I am not sorry for protesting. It was my duty to do so. I do not mind what sentence I am given. I have done my duty. Facing the Judge, Shaheed Udham Singh had exclaimed: “T say, down with British imperialism. If you have my human decency, you should die with shame. “You may take it that nothing will be published of what you say. You must speak to the point.” At this Shaheed Udham Singh said: “I do not care about a death sentence. I do not worry about it at all as I am dying for a purpose.”

Thumping the rail of the dock, he exclaimed: “I am not afraid to die. I am proud to die and have to free my native land and I hope when I am gone my countrymen will come to my place and drive you dirty dogs out.” “You people go to India and when you come back you are given a prize and put in the House of Commons. We come to England, and we are sentenced to death. But when you will be cleared out of India, all your British imperialism will be smashed,” he said. “Machineguns on the streets of India now down thousands of poor women and children wherever your so-called flag of democracy and Christianity files. Lam talking about the British Government, I have nothing against the English at all,” he added.

The Judge said: “I am not going to hear any more.” Shaheed Udham Singh replied: “You asked me what I had to say. You do not want to hear what you are doing in India.” Returning his spectacles back into his pockets, Shaheed Udham Singh exclaimed three words in Hindi and shouted: “Down with British imperialism, down with the British.” Ashe turned to leave the dock, the accused spat at the solicitors table. After he had left the dock, the Judge turned to the Press and said: “I give a direction to the Press not to report any of the statements made by the accused in the dock. You understand members of the Press?”

It was not surprising for India was providing massive aid in terms of men and material to the war effort at that time and the British government did not want this messy debate to be revived by the publication of Shaheed Udham Singh’s speech from the dock, a film maker, Horace Ove, said on the BBC. The film maker wanted to make full fledge film by digging deep into the incident. The 37yearold Udham Singh had shot dead Sit Michael O’ Dwyer, former Lieutenant Governor of Punjab, on March 13, 1940, to avenge the Amritsar massacre of 1919. He was 16yearsold water Cartier at the time and had sworn to avenge the deaths of his countrymen. Twenty-one years later he carried out his vow.

Article extracted from this publication >>  August 14, 1996