50 yrs on, Baba Sohan Singh Bhakna continues to inspire stir

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 1

Even 50 years after his death, Baba Sohan Singh Bhakna continues to inspire the state farmers’ movement. On the 32nd day of their farm agitation, the Bharti Kisan Union (Ugrahan) dedicated the protest to his memory.

Baba Bhakna, the founder president of Ghadar Party who infused a new life in the country’s peasant movement by founding the All India Kisan Sabha, died on December 21, 1968, at the age of 98.

When the farmers’ movement was still in its infancy in the country, he organised a Kisan Sabha conference in 1943 at his native Bhakna Kalan village in Amritsar.

Historical accounts reveal the conference was an uphill task as the British government had tried to crush the movement by arresting a large number of peasant leaders.

But even today, state farmers’ organisation draw inspiration from his struggle. BKU (Ugrahan) general secretary Sukhdev Singh Kokri said they dedicated today’s protest to Bhakna’s memory as they were still fighting to realise his dreams. “A large group of farmers attended a Ghadar Memorial function in Jalandhar,” he said.

Baba Bhakna was sentenced to death by the British government in 1915 but he was saved miraculously by Motilal Nehru, a few hours before the hanging.

“He is the true icon of country’s peasant struggle. He not only fought with courage but also refused to compromise on the principles. His life is full of such anecdotes where he fought against draconian laws in pre and post-Independent India,” says Amolak Singh, member of the Desh Bhagat Yadgar Trust and the editor of his memoir ‘Jewan Sangraam’ (Life Struggle). Around 10,000 copies of the book have been sold by the farmer organisations within a month.

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