The revolutionaries Ram Prasad Bismil, Ashfaqullah Khan and Thakur Roshan Singh were hanged by the Britishers on 19^th December, 1927. 99 years of the famous Kakori conspiracy and 97 years of the martyrdom of the freedom fighters. Bismil hanged at the Gorakhpur jail, Khan at the Faizabad jail and Roshan Singh at the Naini jail of Allahabad. The hot headed young men were well prepared with their plans and their deaths too…with a grin that sparked patriotism. Today we recall this date, the Kakori incident and the British play involved.

The Hindustan Republican Association (HRA) or the Hindustan Socialist Republican Association –

The HRA was a radical left wing organization that operated from underground. It was founded by Sachindranath Sanyal. The manifesto was titled as – The Revolutionary. After the sudden suspension of the Non- cooperation movement by Mahatma Gandhi in 1919, the youth leaders felt it was early. Moreover, the ideologies differed at a certain level. Leaders like Bismil were revolutionary in their approach and believed in overthrowing the British Raj through violence. They opposed Gandhi in the 37th session of the INC held in Bihar (1922). The INC was then divided into two groups – one of the liberals and the other of rebels. The latter was the HRA, that adopted violent revolutionary means against the Britishers. They wanted to attain freedom through armed revolutions.

HRA became The Hindustan Socialist Republican Association under the influence of Bhagat Singh.

The Kakori train robbery case:

Call it the Kakori conspiracy, Kakori incident, Kakori loot or the Kakori train robbery case. It was on Aug 9, 1925 when members of the Hindustan Republican Association (later known as the Hindustan Socialist Republican Association) executed a train robbery at the Kakori train station near Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh.

The mastermind behind is said to be Ram Prasad Bismil, the others who were majorly involved were Asfaqullah Khan, Chandrashekhar Azad, Rajendra Lahiri and Roshan Singh. Apart from the key attackers, there were Sachindra Bakshi, Manmathnath Gupta, Mukundi Lal, Keshab Chakravorty, Banwari Lal and Murali Lal.

There was a need of arms and ammunition to carry out the organization’s activities, thus in order to arrange for the funds members of the HRA decided to loot the government treasury. As the Sahranpur – Lucknow train approached Kakori station, the revolutionaries stormed inside it. It was believed that the Kakori mail was transporting the British treasury. Overthrowing the guards, they could loot Rs. 8000. No passenger was robbed or caused any harm (except for one).

What followed after:

The incident spurred horror around. However, it even encouraged more such revolutionaries to carry on such acts. The British Raj called for a manhunt against those involved in the tragic robbery. Nearly 40 people were arrested, all the key strategists except for Chandrashekhar Azad. They were arrested under multiple charges, including theft and attempted murder.

The trial started in May 1926. In its final verdict, the court sentenced Bismil, Ashfaqullah Khan, Roshan Singh and Lahiri to death. In jail, they went on a hunger strike demanding to be treated alike political prisoners. While outside, there was public dissatisfaction against the verdict. 78 members of the Central Legislative Assembly filed a petition to the Viceroy of India for the death sentence to be turned to life term. The Privy council and the British monarch were also sent the final appeal in this regard. But of no use. The three youth were hanged on the cold early morning of 19^th Dec 1927. Rajendra Lahiri was hanged two days earlier at the Gonda jail on 17^th Dec 1927.

Other facts:

It is also believed that the money looted was not to purchase arms and ammunition, rather for establishing printing press. They wanted to publish socialist literature for the youth.

HRA was working towards uniting the country. Asfaqullah Khan even addressed the countrymen to stay united when all the Britishers were trying to do was divide them on communal lines.

40 people were arrested when only 10 people were involved in the incident.

Know the leaders –

Ram Prasad Bismil –

The poet, writer and great revolutionary of India was born on 11^th June 1897. He belonged to Shahjahanpur district of then North western province of India. A Tomar Rajput, Bismil was associated with Arya Samaj at an early age. He was one of the initial members of the HRA. Bismil composed his poems in Hindi and Urdu, his pen names were Ram, Agyat and Bismil. He published a pamphlet called Deshvasiyon ke naam sandesh and a poem Mainpuri ki Pratigya. He carried out various underground activities, a poem titled Mann ki Lahar and translated two Bengali works. He drafted the yellow paper constitution of the HRA in 1923. Another work Kranti Geetanjali was published after his death in 1929. Not to forget the immortal poem- Sarfaroshi ki tamanna.

In his honor, The Amar Shaheed Bismil Smarak has been established. The Pt. Ram Prasad Bismil Railway station 11 kms away from Shahjahanpur. A memorial that honors the Kakori conspirists at Kakori which was inaugurated by then PM Indira Gandhi.

Asfaqullah Khan –

The revolutionary leader was born on 22^nd October 1900 in a Muslim Pathan family of Khyber tribe in Shahjahanpur. Khan met Ram Prasad Bismil and started working with him closely. He was an Urdu writer, writing in the name of Hasrat. He was inspired by the Lenin and Bolshevik revolutions in Russia. He firmly believed in socialist ideology. The freedom fighter was against religious communalism. Along with the others, he also got involved in the Kakori conspiracy.

Out of his many writings in the jail, what catches attention is –

“Brave dies once, cowards daily.”

“…you must read the proceedings of my case, then you will come to know to what extent I loved my motherland as a true Muslim.”

“Aye mere paak khuda, Hindustan ki sarzameen par Azadi ka suraj ab jald tulu farma.”

(Oh Almighty let the Sun of Independence shine over Hindustan soon.”

Thakur Roshan Singh –

The revolutionary was born in Nabadi village of Shahjahanpur district on 22^nd January 1892. During the Non cooperation movement, he was sentenced for the Bareilly shooting case in 1921-22. After coming back from jail, he went on to join the HRA. It is said that he didn’t participate in the Kakori robbery case, but was still arrested. He faced the trial in the murder that happened during the robbery. He was hanged alongside the other martyrs on 19^th January 1927.

The three revolutionaries have been forgotten over time. They martyred for the nation when they were mere youths. And even before, when a young boy has dreams for himself, they had the dreams of freeing the nation from the shackles of the British. Now we can say that their means were unlawful, but how will you justify for the sacrifice they made. Leaving back bereaved families and loved ones. But a Bismil and an Ashfaqullah Khan taught us –

“How to work for the betterment of the nation by standing united, rising above communal differences.”