23 years old Hero

The trial for the assembly bombing began on 7th May 1929. The case was framed around the fact that the bomb set off by Bhagat Singh and BK Dutt could have killed people. They clarified that they did not want to kill people, rather they wanted to wake them up. Bhagat Singh was asked what does ' Inquilab ' means?

He said that ' Inquilab ' meant " a revolution to change a society based on justice. Inquilab has nothing to do with pistols or bomb. It was based solely on the injustice within a society. On one hand, the farmer who grows corn for everyone, starves to death with his family. The tailor whose clothes are sold in markets all over world, does not have enough clothes to cloth himself and his children."

He listed out example of this injustice too. " Masons, blacksmiths and the artisans who build magnificent palaces, live in the slums and die there. On the other hand, the rich take advantage of the poor. They destroy the lives of millions of their own pleasure. "

To develop support for this revolution, he didn't miss even a single opportunity. He faced the public and media with slogans " Inquilab Jindabad " supporting the revolution and condemning imperialism. He sang the song "Sarfaroshi ki Tamanna " written by Ram Prasad Bismil. Their trial became public events.

Thousand of people stood outside the court to catch their glimpse. Bhagat Singh and his companions were on the front pages of almost even newspaper in the court.

But Bhagat Singh wanted more attention to his revolution. And so he started a hunger strike in jail. Because he wanted to be treated the same way as the European prisoners. His father visited him in the jail to make him give up the hunger strike, he saw his son on the ground with his hands chained. Bhagat Singh did try to get up, but fell down immediately due to weakness. His father requested him to give up the hunger strike, but he doesn't.

Jawaharlal Nehru visited him to, to convince him, but Bhagat Singh refused him too. Because Bhagat Singh knew why this was necessary. During the hunger strike, when he went to the courtroom for his trial, people saw how weak he had become. He had lost 6kg, his hands were in chains and he was on a stretcher.

These pictures were published in newspapers all across the country, leading to a new and stronger wave of revolution among the people.

Bhagat Singh's sacrifices proved fruitful. people all over country were now supporting the revolution with " Inquilab Jindabad " and " Bharat Mata ki Jai " as mainstream slogans. As if a new movement had started across the country soon the British realised that this could be dangerous for them. So they prepared a new bill, the the Code Of Criminal Procedure. As per this Bill, due to medical reasons. This was done so that Bhagat Singh's hunger strike wouldn't delay the trial.

Even Muhammad Ali Jinnah ( leader of Indian Muslim league) protest against this Bill. He said the " The man who goes on a hunger strike has a soul and he believes in the justice of his case."

By now the British rule's case against Bhagat Singh and his comrades had become more intense.

Saunders murder and the assembly bombing were merged into a single case, called the Lahore Conspiracy Case. The police discovered Bhagat Singh's handwritten pamphlets and editional evidence from his hideout. Many HSRA members like Hansraj Vohra and Jai Gopal become government approvers siding with her the government and testified against Bhagat Singh and his comrades.

The British learn that the strategist of the group was BK Dutt and the plans were executed by Sukhdev, Bhagat Singh and Rajguru. The British knew that if they wasted anytime, the situation can get out control. So, to speed up the trial, they set up a special tribunal.

Gandhi ji strongly opposed this trial. He wrote a letter to Viceroy Irwin regarding this. But the British didn't change their decision.

After a year of hearings, on 7th October 1930, the special tribunal announced its decision BK Dutt and other companions were sentenced to life imprisonment.

While Rajguru, Bhagat Singh and Sukhdev were to be hanged till death.