In late September 1930, as the Special Tribunal neared its verdict, Sardar Kishan Singh, the father of Bhagat Singh, made a desperate attempt to save his son from the gallows. Deeply anguished by the impending death sentence, Kishan Singh submitted a petition to the Special Tribunal arguing that Bhagat Singh was innocent of John Saunders' murder and claiming an alibi—asserting that his son was in Delhi at the time of the shooting. He did this without consulting Bhagat Singh or his fellow revolutionaries.
When Bhagat Singh learned of his father's petition inside Lahore Central Jail, he was profoundly hurt and infuriated. To Bhagat Singh and the Hindustan Socialist Republican Association (HSRA), the petition compromised their fundamental political principles. Their courtroom strategy had never been about securing a personal acquittal or pleading innocence; rather, it was meant to openly acknowledge their revolutionary actions, articulate their anti-imperialist ideology, and challenge the legitimacy of British rule over India.
On October 4, 1930, Bhagat Singh penned a scathing, emotionally charged open letter to his father, which was released to the press and published around October 10. In this historic document, Bhagat Singh publicly disavowed his father's petition, criticizing his action as an act of weakness that undermined the dignity of the revolutionary cause. He wrote that his father's submission had inflicted a severe blow to his honor and principles.
Bhagat Singh demanded that his letter be published immediately so that the Indian public and his comrades would know he had not sanctioned any compromise or plea for mercy. He reasserted his readiness to climb the scaffold for the liberation of the motherland, maintaining that death was far preferable to a compromised existence bought through legal technicalities.
This public repudiation demonstrated Bhagat Singh's uncompromising moral integrity and ideological maturity. By prioritizing political ethics over personal survival and family loyalty, Bhagat Singh elevated the standards of political struggle in India, inspiring generations of freedom fighters with his absolute dedication to principle over life itself.
Why it matters
Bhagat Singh's public disavowal of his father's defense petition is one of the most poignant displays of ideological commitment in modern Indian history. By refusing an alibi that could have saved his life, Bhagat Singh emphasized that personal survival was meaningless if achieved through compromise or falsehood. This act reinforced his principled stance against British imperialism, showing the nation that the revolutionaries were not mere violent agitators, but men of profound moral clarity willing to sacrifice everything for their political ideals.
Interesting fact
Bhagat Singh insisted that his letter criticizing his own father be published in local newspapers so the public would understand that he refused to use an alibi to evade martyrdom.
People
- Bhagat SinghRevolutionary author of the open letter
- Sardar Kishan SinghFather of Bhagat Singh who submitted the defense petition
- Sukhdev ThaparCo-accused comrade who shared Bhagat Singh's strict principled stance
Quotes
"My life is not so precious, at least to me, as you seem to think it is. It is not worth buying at the cost of my principles."
"Father, I am much pained to hear that you have submitted a petition to the Special Tribunal... Your action has hurt my cause and my character."
Gallery
Location
Lahore Central Jail · Lahore · Pakistan
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