Question

Read the given source carefully and answer the questions that follow:

‘To the altar of this revolution we have brought our youth as incense’ Many nationalists thought that the struggle against the British could not be won through non-violence. In the year 1928, the Hindustan Socialist Republican Army (HSRA) was founded at a meeting in Ferozeshah Kotla ground in Delhi. Amongst its leaders were Bhagat Singh, Jatin Das and Ajoy Ghosh. In a series of dramatic actions in different parts of India, the HSRA targeted some of the symbols of British power. In April 1929, Bhagat Singh and Batukeshwar Dutta threw a bomb in the Legislative Assembly. In the same year there was an attempt to blow up the train that Lord Irwin was travelling in. Bhagat Singh was 23 when he was tried and executed by the colonial government. During his trial, Bhagat Singh stated that he did not wish to glorify ‘the cult of the bomb and pistol’ but wanted a revolution in society- ‘Revolution is the inalienable right of mankind. Freedom is the imprescriptible birthright of all. The labourer is the real sustainer of society. To the altar of this revolution we have brought our youth as incense, for no sacrifice is too great for so magnificent a cause. We are content. We await the advent of revolution. Inquilab Zindabad!’

1. Why is the formation of ‘Hindustan Socialist Republican Army (HSRA)’ considered as a turning point in the freedom struggle of India? (1)
2. How did Bhagat Singh’s trial speeches transform him from a revolutionary to a philosopher of freedom? (1)
3. In what way did Bhagat Singh redefine the meaning of ‘revolution’ for his generation? Explain. (2)

Answer 1

1. The formation of the Hindustan Socialist Republican Army (HSRA) in 1928 marked a turning point because it indicated a shift away from nonviolence. It introduced a socialist ideology in the movement and emphasised dramatic, organised actions such as assaulting symbols of British power to inspire a broad public uprising.
2. During his trial, Bhagat Singh moved from the “cult of the bomb and pistol.” Rather than simply discussing aggressive acts, he used his speeches to convey deeply held ideological convictions, characterising freedom as an “imprescriptible birthright” and revolution as a fundamental, “inalienable right of mankind”.
3. Bhagat Singh redefined revolution from a simple act of violence into a social transformation.
   • The Labourer’s Role: He emphasised that the labourer is the “real sustainer of society,” directing the battle toward social and economic justice.
   • A Magnificent Cause: He defined revolution as a necessary sacrifice for a “magnificent cause”, the complete freedom of the human spirit. and the reconstruction of society to stop exploitation.