Gandhi’s Role in the Bhagat Singh Case

GS 1 – HISTORY

Context: The Gandhi-Irwin Pact’s inability to secure a reduction in Bhagat Singh’s death sentence remains a significant point of criticism.

Bhagat Singh’s Trial

• Lahore Conspiracy Case: Bhagat Singh, along with Shivram Rajguru and Sukhdev Thapar, was found guilty in the Lahore Conspiracy Case for the assassination of British officer J.P. Saunders in 1928. This was an act of retaliation for the police assault that resulted in the death of Lala Lajpat Rai.
• Special Tribunal Verdict: On October 7, 1930, a Special Tribunal sentenced them to death. Many legal experts and political leaders condemned the trial for its lack of due process.
• Political Intervention as a Last Hope: With legal options exhausted, hopes were pinned on political negotiations to prevent the execution.

Gandhi’s Role in the Bhagat Singh Case

• Gandhi-Irwin Talks: Shortly after Bhagat Singh’s final appeal was rejected, Gandhi began discussions with Lord Irwin. Many expected him to intervene decisively to halt the execution.
• Failure to Prevent the Death Sentence: Critics argue that—
  • Gandhi did raise the issue with Lord Irwin but in a non-confrontational way.
  • His appeals for commutation were indirect and lacked force.
  • His final plea on March 23, 1931 (the day of execution), had little chance of success.
  • Some believe he should have insisted on clemency as a precondition for signing the pact, while others argue that British authorities saw Bhagat Singh as a major threat and were unlikely to relent.

The Ideological Divide: Gandhi vs. Bhagat Singh

• Non-Violence vs. Revolution:
  • Gandhi opposed violent resistance, considering Bhagat Singh’s approach misguided and counterproductive. He believed that violence would only strengthen British repression.
  • Bhagat Singh and the Hindustan Socialist Republican Association (HSRA) saw revolutionary action as essential for mobilizing the masses and confronting British rule.
  • Gandhi referred to the bombing of the Central Assembly in Delhi as the “criminal act of two mad youth.”
  • At the Karachi Session (March 1931), shortly after Bhagat Singh’s execution, Gandhi reaffirmed his stance against violence, further deepening the divide between moderates and revolutionaries.

Different Perspectives on Gandhi’s Role

1. Strategic Decision: Gandhi prioritized the larger nationalist movement over individual cases, believing that long-term goals were more important.
2. Power Constraints: He lacked the authority to impose terms on the British, and the colonial administration was determined to proceed with the execution.
3. Missed Opportunity: Some argue Gandhi could have applied stronger moral and political pressure, making Bhagat Singh’s clemency a non-negotiable demand rather than a mild request.

Gandhi-Irwin Pact

• Signed on March 5, 1931, between Mahatma Gandhi and Lord Irwin, the then British Viceroy of India.
• Context: It marked the conclusion of a phase of civil disobedience. Gandhi had initiated the Civil Disobedience Movement in 1930 with the historic 24-day Dandi March.

Key Provisions of the Pact

• Congress agreed to suspend the Civil Disobedience Movement.
• The British government agreed to release political prisoners not involved in violent activities.
• Confiscated lands were to be returned to their original owners.
• Government employees who had resigned during the movement were to be treated leniently.
• The Congress agreed to participate in the Second Round Table Conference.

UPSC Mains Practice Question

1. Critically analyze Mahatma Gandhi’s role in the Bhagat Singh case. Did his approach align with the larger nationalist movement, or was it a missed opportunity? (250 words)
2. Examine the ideological differences between Mahatma Gandhi and Bhagat Singh. How did these differences shape their respective approaches to the Indian freedom struggle? (250 words)