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Counterposing Saheed Bhagat Singh Against Valentine Day -
Is It Not An Insult To Founders Of Our Indian Nation?

By Dhirendra Panda

15 February, 2016
Countercurrents.org

The motives and actions of Sangh Parivar in opposing Valentine Day is understood. But, it is difficult to understand why they want to insult to the memory of Saheed-e-Azam Bhagat Singh. It is a well-established fact that he was martyred on 23rd March 1931, hundreds documents/references are available with the Government of India and with the Supreme Court. Unfortunately, they are propagating that Bhagat Singh was hanged on 14th February. Why are they creating confusion and controversy on the Saheed Dibas ? Keeping aside the controversies and violence relating to Valentine day observation, it is a matter of regret and shameful for all of us that a group of fundamentalists use the Memory of the Great Martyr to counterpose Valentine Day. Are they not demeaning our freedom struggle, our national pride? It seems, it is a sinister design to dilute the great teachings and contributions of martyrs and leaders of our freedom struggle those who established a foundation for a democratic, secular and socialistic republic.

The fundamentalist forces murdered Gandhiji and continuing decades of counter propaganda targeting him and his thoughts, but they failed to downgrade/erase Gandhiji from the collective memory of the Nation. After coming to power, they realized that Gandhiji cannot be obliterated from national culture and traditions. Now, they are trying to dilute his ideals and to limit the memory of Mahatma Gandhi with Swachh Bharat (clean India campaign) only. (Of course, their cohorts are promoting Godse as a nationalist in contrast with Gandhiji). Nobody must have heard of the present Prime Minister telling anytime about Gandhiji’s concept of Indian Nation.

Saheed Bhagat Singh had struggled against British with a dream for a Nation with socialist, secular and democratic republic values and practices, which is completely incompatible with the concept of ‘Hindu Nation’. He had joined a revolutionary group as Hindustan Socialistic Republican Association and wrote the famous book ‘Why I am an Atheist’. Undoubtedly, he was a leftist and was getting closer with Marxian thoughts. Also, the DNA (I borrowed the term from BJP leaders during Bihar election) of fundamentalists working for a Hindu Rashtra is against the ideals of Secular, Socialistic and Democratic Nation. In no case, they will promote the ideals of Saheed Bhagat Singh, Gandhiji, Netaji, Ambedkar and others; but, they need to coopt their image (their image carrying utmost love and respect of majority of Indians & others) and popularity, otherwise people will not trust them. As they cannot ignore, they’ll speak superficially of these great sons of India, but will not talk anything for their ideas of Indian Nation. They use ‘Bhagat Singh’ to counter Valentine Day, use ‘Netaji’ to counter Nehru family, use ‘Ambedkar’ to counter Aamir Khan’s statement on intolerance only. Is it not humiliating for our Nation and its citizens? It is a naked truth that, the fundamentalists cannot accept the thoughts, ideals and teachings of these great leaders as their concept of Indian Nation and Hindu Rashtra can never go together. For nation building, political discourses and social mobilization, they have been following up RSS leaders like Savarkar, Golwalkar and Godse.

Citizens of India need to strengthen the Indian Nation and discourage any attempt to undermine image of Bhagat Singh and our heroes of freedom struggle.

Dhirendra Panda is Convener ofCivil Society Forum on Human Rights (CSFHR) and
Secretary, Centre for the Sustainable use of Natural and Social Resources (CSNR) Bhubaneswar, Odisha



 



 

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