Udham Singh: Difference between revisions

{{Short description|Indian revolutionary (1899–1940)}}

{{redirect|Shaheed Udham Singh|the 2000 film|Shaheed Udham Singh (film)}}

{{EngvarB|date=April 2020}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2020}}{{Infobox person

| name               = Udham Singh

| image             = File:Martyr Udham Singh Kambhoj.jpg

| caption           =  

| birth_name         =  

| birth_date         = 26 December 1899

| birth_place       = [[Sunam]], [[Punjab Province (British India)|Punjab]], [[British India]]

| death_date         = {{death date and age|df=yes|1940|7|31|1899|12|26}}

| death_place       = [[Barnsbury]], England, UK

| occupation         = Freedom fighter

| organization       = [[Ghadar Party]], [[Hindustan Socialist Republican Association]], [[Indian Workers' Association]]

| movement           = [[Indian independence movement]]

'''Udham Singh''' (26 December 1899 – 31 July 1940) was an Indian revolutionary belonging to the [[Ghadar Movement|Ghadar Party]], best known for his assassination in London of [[Michael O'Dwyer]], the former lieutenant governor of the [[Punjab (British India)|Punjab]] in [[British India|India]], on 13 March 1940. The assassination was done in revenge for the [[Jallianwala Bagh massacre]] in [[Amritsar]] in 1919, for which O'Dwyer was responsible.<ref name="auto">{{cite news|author=Swami, Praveen|url=http://www.frontline.in/static/html/fl1422/14220500.htm|title=Jallianwala Bagh revisited: A look at the actual history of one of the most shocking events of the independence struggle|newspaper=Frontline|location=India|volume=14|series=22|pages=1–14|date=Nov 1997}}</ref> Singh was subsequently tried and convicted of murder and hanged in July 1940. While in custody, he used the name '''Ram Mohammad Singh Azad''', which represents the three major religions of Punjab and his anti-colonial sentiment.<ref name="Farina_2010"/>

Udham Singh is a well-known figure of the [[Indian independence movement]]. He is also referred to as '''Shaheed-i-Azam Sardar Udham Singh''' (the expression "Shaheed-i-Azam", means "the great martyr"). A district ([[Udham Singh Nagar district|Udham Singh Nagar]]) of [[Uttarakhand]] was named after him to pay homage in October 1995 by the [[Mayawati|Mayawati government]].<ref name="Singh 2015">{{cite web | last=Singh | first=Anand Raj | title=Mayawati may create new district to tame old foe | website=The New Indian Express | date=12 March 2015 | url=http://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/article398789.ece | access-date=14 May 2016}}</ref>

Udham Singh was born into a [[Kamboj]] Sikh family as Sher Singh on 26 December 1899 at [[Sunam]], [[Sangrur]] district of [[Punjab, India]]. <ref>{{Cite book|last=Islam|first=Shamsul|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=iaQjbO8SN48C&q=udham+singh+dalit&pg=PA156|title=Religious Dimensions of Indian Nationalism: A Study of RSS|date=2006|publisher=Media House|isbn=978-81-7495-236-3|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2019-04-10|title=Udham Singh became a villain in Britain, and a hero in India|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/chandigarh/udham-singh-became-a-villain-in-britain-and-a-hero-in-india/story-KPx7gRgVio8IaqwcW3KmcN.html|access-date=2020-06-05|website=Hindustan Times|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|last=Ramnath|first=Maia|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lFOKArfI8RUC&q=udham+singh+chamar+caste&pg=PT121|title=Haj to Utopia: How the Ghadar Movement Charted Global Radicalism and Attempted to Overthrow the British Empire|date=2011-12-01|publisher=University of California Press|isbn=978-0-520-95039-9|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Where has Mohammad Singh Azad Gone|url=https://revolutionarydemocracy.org/rdv7n1/SinghAzad.htm|access-date=2020-06-19|website=revolutionarydemocracy.org}}</ref> His mother died when he was an infant, and his father, Tehal Singh, died some years later.<ref>{{cite book |author=M.S. Gill |title=Trials that Changed History: From Socrates to Saddam Hussein |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=z0SOfZwnXZIC&pg=PA179 |year=2007 |publisher=Sarup & Sons |isbn=978-81-7625-797-8 |pages=179 }}</ref> His father was a farmer and also worked as the railway crossing watchman in the village of Upalli.{{citation needed|date=December 2020}}

 

After his father's death, Singh and his elder brother, Mukta Singh, were taken in by the Central Khalsa Orphanage Putlighar in [[Amritsar]]. At the orphanage, Singh was administered the [[Sikh]] initiatory rites and received the name of Udham Singh. He passed his matriculation examination in 1918 and left the orphanage in 1919.

On 10 April 1919, a number of local leaders allied to the Indian National Congress including [[Satyapal]] and [[Saifuddin Kitchlew]] were arrested under the [[Rowlatt Act]]. Protestors against the arrests were fired on by British troops, precipitating a riot. On 13 April, over twenty thousand unarmed  

People were assembled in [[Jallianwala Bagh]], [[Amritsar]] to celebrate the important Hindu and Sikh festival of [[Vaisakhi|Baisakhi]], and to peacefully protest the arrests. Udham Singh and his friends from the orphanage were serving water to the crowd.<ref name="auto1">{{cite book|title=Pre-meditated Plan of Jallianwala Massacre and Oath of Revenge, Udham Singh alias Ram Mohammad Singh Azad|year=2002|page=139|author=Sikander Singh}}</ref>{{verify source|date=May 2014}} Troops under the command of Colonel [[Reginald Dyer]] opened fire on the crowd, killing several hundred; this became known variously as the Amritsar Massacre or the [[Jallianwala Bagh massacre]].

Udham Singh became involved in [[revolutionary]] politics and was deeply influenced by [[Bhagat Singh]] and his revolutionary group.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.apnaorg.com/articles/udhamsingh/|author=Academy of Punjab in North America|title=Shaheed Udham Singh (1899-1940)}}</ref> In 1924, Udham Singh became involved with the [[Ghadar Party]], organising Indians overseas towards overthrowing colonial rule. In 1927, he returned to India on orders from Bhagat Singh, bringing 25 associates as well as revolvers and ammunition. Soon after, he was arrested for possession of unlicensed arms. Revolvers, ammunition, and copies of a prohibited Ghadar Party paper called "Ghadr-i-Gunj" ("Voice of Revolt") were confiscated. He was prosecuted and sentenced to five years in prison.

Upon his release from prison in 1931, Singh's movements were under constant surveillance by the Punjab police. He made his way to [[Kashmir]], where he was able to evade the police and escape to Germany. In 1934, he reached London, where he found employment as an engineer. Privately, he formed plans to assassinate Michael O'Dwyer.<ref>{{cite book|title=Eminent Freedom Fighters of Punjab|year=1972|pages=239–40|author=Dr. Fauja Singh}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=Udham Singh, alias, Ram Mohammed Singh Azad: a saga of the freedom movement and Jallianwala Bagh|year=1998|author=Singh, Sikander|publisher=B. Chattar Singh Jiwan Singh}}</ref> In Singh's diaries for 1939 and 1940, he occasionally misspells O'Dwyer's surname as "O'Dyer", leaving a possibility he may have confused O'Dwyer with [[Reginald Edward Harry Dyer|General Dyer]].<ref name="ReferenceA">''The Murders of the Black Museum: 1870-1970'' {{ISBN|978-1-854-71160-1}} p. 364</ref>

==Shooting in Caxton Hall==

On 13 March 1940, [[Michael O'Dwyer]] was scheduled to speak at a joint meeting of the East India Association and the Central Asian Society (now [[Royal Society for Asian Affairs]]) at [[Caxton Hall]], [[London]]. Singh concealed a revolver inside a book, which has pages cut in the shape of a revolver. This revolver was purchased by him from a soldier in a pub,<ref name="ReferenceB">''The Murders of the Black Museum: 1870-1970'' {{ISBN|978-1-854-71160-1}} p. 365</ref> then entered the hall and found an open seat. As the meeting concluded, Singh shot O'Dwyer twice as he moved towards the speaking platform. One of these bullets passed through O'Dwyer's heart and right lung, killing him almost instantly.<ref name="ReferenceA"/> Others injured in the shooting included Sir [[Louis Dane]], [[Lawrence Dundas, 2nd Marquess of Zetland]],<ref>[https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2507&dat=19400319&id=P3ZDAAAAIBAJ&sjid=MpIMAAAAIBAJ&pg=5525,7388166 ''Glasgow Herald'' 19 March 1940]</ref> and [[Charles Cochrane-Baillie, 2nd Baron Lamington]]. Singh surrendered immediately after the shooting.<ref name="ReferenceC">''The Black Museum'' {{ISBN|978-0-316-90332-5}} pp. 364-365</ref>

==Murder trial and execution==

[[File:Udham Singh taken away from Taxon Hall.jpg|right|thumb|Udham Singh (second from the left) being taken from 10 Caxton Hall after the assassination of [[Michael O'Dwyer]] ]]

On 1 April 1940, Udham Singh was formally charged with the murder of [[Michael O'Dwyer]], and remanded in custody at [[Brixton Prison]]. Initially asked to explain his motivations, Singh stated: I did it because I had a grudge against him. He deserved it. I don't belong to society or anything else. I don't care. I don't mind dying. What is the use of waiting until you get old? ... Is Zetland dead? He ought to be. I put two into him? I bought the revolver from a soldier in a public house. My parents died when I was three or four. ... Only one dead? I thought I could get more.<ref>''The Murders of the Black Museum: 1870-1970'' {{ISBN|978-1-854-71160-1}} pp. 364-365</ref>

While in custody, he called himself "Ram Mohammad Singh Azad": the first three words of the name reflect the three major religious communities of Punjab (Hindu, Muslim, and Sikh); the last word "azad" (literally "free") reflects his anti-colonial sentiment.<ref name="Farina_2010">{{cite book |author=Farina Mir |title=The Social Space of Language: Vernacular Culture in British Colonial Punjab |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0cG7AgAAQBAJ&pg=PT16 |year=2010 |publisher=University of California Press |isbn=978-0-520-94764-1 |page=16 }}</ref>

While awaiting his trial, Singh went on a 42-day [[hunger strike]] and was force fed. On 4 June 1940, his trial commenced at the [[Central Criminal Court (England and Wales)|Central Criminal Court]], Old Bailey, before Justice Atkinson, with [[V.K. Krishna Menon]] and [[St John Hutchinson]] representing him. G. B. McClure was the prosecuting barrister.<ref name="SUSWT">{{cite book |last1=Singh Sahota |first1=Teja |last2=Singh Johal |first2=Avtar |last3=Singh Kirti |first3=Karam |title=Udham Singh's Last words "Down with British Imperialism" |date=n.d. |publisher=Shaheed Udham Singh Welfare Trust}}</ref> When asked about his motivation, Singh explained:

<blockquote> I did it because I had a grudge against him. He deserved it. He was the real culprit. He wanted to crush the spirit of my people, so I have crushed him. For full 21 years, I have been trying to seek vengeance. I am happy that I have done the job. I am not scared of death. I am dying for my country.  I have seen my people starving in India under the British rule. I have protested against this, it was my duty. What greater honour could be bestowed on me than death for the sake of my motherland?<ref>CRIM 1/1177, Public Record Office, London, p. 64</ref>{{verify source|date=May 2014}}</blockquote>

Singh was convicted of murder and sentenced to death. On 31 July 1940, Singh was hanged at [[Pentonville Prison]] by Albert Pierrepoint. His remains are preserved at the Jallianwala Bagh in Amritsar, Punjab. On every 31 July, marches are held in Sunam by various organisations and every statue of Singh in the city is paid tribute with flower garlands.  

When this material was published, it was reported in both British and Asian press, the statement was translated into [[Gurmukhi]] script and distributed at the Sikh [[Vaisaki]] Festival in Birmingham, April 1997.<ref name="SUSWT"/> [[John Major]], the [[prime Minister]] at that time remarked: "The Amritsar Massacre was an unhappy episode in Indo-British relations which was controversial in both countries. Today [8 October 1996] I am glad to say, our relationship is excellent. India is an important partner and a close friend of this country."<ref name="SUSWT"/>

In its 18 March 1940 issue, ''[[Amrita Bazar Patrika]]'' wrote, "O'Dwyer's name is connected with [[Punjab region|Punjab]] incidents which India will never forget".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sscnet.ucla.edu/southasia/British/popular_memory.html|author=Vinay Lal|title=Manas: History and Politics, British India - Udham Singh in the Popular Memory|access-date=23 May 2014|date=May 2008}}</ref> The Punjab section of Congress in the Punjab Assembly led by Dewan Chaman Lal refused to vote for the Premier's motion to condemn the assassination.<ref name="auto2">{{cite book|title=Udham Singh, alias, Ram Mohammed Singh Azad: a saga of the freedom movement and Jallianwala Bagh|year=1998|page=300|author=Singh, Sikander|publisher=B. Chattar Singh Jiwan Singh}}</ref> In April 1940, at the Annual Session of the All India Congress Committee held in commemoration of 21st anniversary of the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre, the youth wing of the Indian National Congress Party displayed revolutionary slogans in support of Singh, applauding his action as patriotic and heroic.<ref>{{cite book|title=Bhagat Singh and his Times|location=Delhi|year=1970|page=18|author=Manmath Nath Gupta}}</ref>

In 1974, Singh's remains were exhumed and repatriated to India at the request of [[Member of the Legislative Assembly (India)|MLA]] [[Sadhu Singh Thind]]. Thind accompanied the remains back to India, where the casket was received by [[Indira Gandhi]], [[Shankar Dayal Sharma]] and [[Zail Singh]]. Udham Singh was later [[cremation|cremated]] in his birthplace of Sunam in [[Punjab, India|Punjab]] and his ashes were scattered in the [[Sutlej]] river. Some of his ashes were retained; these retained ashes are kept inside a sealed urn at Jallianwala Bagh.

* A museum dedicated to Singh is located in Amritsar, near [[Jallianwala Bagh]].

* Singh's ancestral house, in Sunam, has been converted into a museum. 30 letters and other objects are on display in the museum.

* The official name of his ancestral town [[Sunam]], is changed to 'Sunam Udham Singh Wala'.

* Singh's weapon, a knife, his diary, and a bullet from the shooting are kept in the [[Black Museum]] of [[Scotland Yard]].

* Singh has been the subject of a number of films: [[Jallian Wala Bagh|Jallian Wala Bagh (1977)]], Shaheed Uddham Singh (1977), and [[Shaheed Uddham Singh (film)|Shaheed Uddham Singh (2000)]].

* Shaheed Udham Singh Chowk in [[Anupgarh]]

* The day of his death is a public holiday in [[Punjab, India|Punjab]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://punjab.gov.in/list-of-holidays|title=Government of Punjab, India}}</ref> and [[Haryana]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://publicholidays.in/|title=Public Holidays 2016 and 2017}}</ref>

* Singh is the subject of the 2015 music video and track "Frank Brazil" by [[The Ska Vengers]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jul/31/indian-pop-video-honours-activists-udham-singh-1940-killing-british-official|title=Indian pop video honours activist's 1940 killing of British official|newspaper=The Guardian|date=31 July 2015}}</ref>

* A 10&nbsp;ft tall statue of him was installed by International Sarv Kamboj Samaj at the main entrance of Jallianwala Bagh, Amritsar on 13 March 2018. The statue was unveiled by Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh .<ref>{{Cite web|date=March 14, 2018|title=Rajnath Singh unveils statue of Udham Singh at Jallianwala Bagh|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/amritsar/rajnath-unveils-statue-of-udham-singh-at-jallianwala-bagh/articleshow/63291694.cms|url-status=live|access-date=2021-08-07|website=The Times of India|language=en}}</ref>

Ashes of Shaheed Udham Singh.jpg|Ashes of Shaheed Udham Singh , Jallianwala Bagh museum  

[[Category:1940s murders in the United Kingdom]]

[[Category:1940 crimes in the United Kingdom]]

[[Category:1940 murders in Europe]]