Could Gandhi have saved Bhagat Singh? Did he do enough?

medium119299435The struggle to save Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, and Sukhdev from the gallows in 1931 was an intense political battle between Indian nationalist leaders and the British government. Despite frantic last-minute efforts, including appeals for mercy and high-stakes negotiations, the execution of these revolutionaries was carried out — 94 years ago — on March 23, 1931. Their deaths not only shook the nation but also raised questions about the political strategies employed to save them and if it was the best we could do.By then, Bhagat Singh had already become a national icon through his radical actions, including throwing bombs in the Central Assembly with Batukeshwar Dutt, and his hunger strikes in Mianwali and Lahore jails. His powerful courtroom speeches and writings further cemented his image as a revolutionary thinker.The British government, recognising his influence, was determined to make an example of him. His slogan, “Inquilab Zindabad”, had become the war cry of young revolutionaries across India.The death sentence and national uproarThe verdict of death passed on October 7, 1930, sent shockwaves through the nation. The news sparked widespread protests and appeals for clemency. Five days after the sentencing, Jawaharlal Nehru, addressing a gathering in Allahabad, expressed deep admiration for Bhagat Singh’s courage and sacrifice. He remarked that even if one disagreed with Bhagat Singh’s methods, his rare courage and high purpose were undeniable. “Let the Viceroy ask his own heart what he would have felt if Bhagat Singh had been an Englishman and acted for England,” Nehru said.Bhagat Singh refused to associate himself with any plea for mercy. In a letter to his father, he wrote, “I have been arrested while waging war. For me, there can be no appeal for mercy. This is against my principles.” He believed that seeking clemency would undermine the revolutionary movement and its ideals.The British feared that allowing such a plea could delay the execution and provoke larger demonstrations. The Punjab government was wary of banning protests outright, knowing that suppressing public gatherings could lead to violent clashes. The revolutionaries, meanwhile, saw martyrdom as means to inspire more youth to join the independence movement.On December 23, 1930, two students fired six shots at the Governor of Punjab, Sir Geoffrey de Montmorency, during a convocation at Punjab University. One of the attackers — the brother of Durga Bhabhi, a key female revolutionary and close associate of Bhagat Singh known for her role in helping him escape British surveillance — committed suicide immediately, while the other was arrested. Though the governor survived with minor injuries, the incident underscored the explosive political climate.By January 26, 1931, Mahatma Gandhi had been released from prison. Initially reluctant to engage with the Viceroy, he agreed to meet Lord Irwin on February 14. Five days earlier, the Secretary of State for India had informed Irwin that the Privy Council had reviewed and dismissed all appeals for clemency. With the possibility of a compromise with Gandhi in sight, the British momentarily delayed the execution. medium119299742As the execution date loomed, Indian leaders intensified their appeals. On February 14, Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya formally requested the Viceroy to commute the death sentence, arguing that the accused had acted out of patriotic impulse. He warned that executing them would trigger outrage, while commuting the sentence might pacify the nation.On February 18, a petition — signed by tens of thousands of citizens from across the country — highlighted key irregularities in the trial:It was conducted under an extraordinary tribunal, and the accused were not presentThey were denied the right to appeal to the High CourtBhagat Singh’s father, Sardar Kishan Singh, was not allowed to present exculpatory evidenceEven Bhagat Singh’s mother, Vidyavati, appealed to the Viceroy, insisting that a fair trial would have proved her son’s innocence. She also lamented that under the special ordinance — a legal provision passed by the British to establish a special tribunal that bypassed standard judicial procedures and eliminated the right to appeal — he had been denied his legal right to appeal.During his meeting with the Viceroy on February 17, Gandhi pleaded for a suspension of the sentence to avoid public unrest. Irwin acknowledged the request, saying commutation was difficult, but suspension could be considered.While praising Bhagat Singh’s bravery, Gandhi argued that capital punishment deprived individuals of the chance to reform. He made his plea on humanitarian grounds. Subhas Chandra Bose and other Congress leaders, however, were disappointed. Young Congress activists circulated pamphlets asking, “How can there be peace when a sentence of death hangs over the heads of patriots?”On March 7, addressing over 50,000 people, Gandhi said he had signed a temporary settlement with the Viceroy, not a peace treaty. He urged young people to have patience and reason, and said that if older leaders had failed, the youth should take charge. Gandhi stressed that he had the backing of the Congress Working Committee and remained committed to truth and non-violence. He warned that Bhagat Singh could not be saved through violent means, as that would require thousands more like him to be sacrificed — a path he refused to take.In a March 10 speech, Nehru defended the Congress’s efforts, asserting that Gandhi’s intervention had likely delayed the execution. He credited Gandhi for any chance the prisoners had at release. medium119299701March 23, 1931: The execution and its aftermathBhagat Singh had already grown sceptical of Gandhi’s influence. He told fellow inmates, “The imperialist British do not care for the popular urge. Gandhi-Viceroy meetings... would be no good to us. The Congress policy is weak, reformatory, and constitutional.”Lord Irwin eventually rejected commutation, citing three reasons:Postponing the execution for political reasons would set a dangerous precedentDelay would give false hope to the families and supportersThe Congress might accuse the British of deceit if leniency was considered and then revokedOn the evening of March 23, 1931, Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, and Sukhdev were hanged in Lahore Central Jail. The execution was conducted in secrecy to avoid unrest. Their bodies were cremated hastily, and the ashes scattered in the Sutlej river under police guard.The news sparked a complete hartal in Lahore. Student unions led massive processions, and black flags were raised across the country. The timing of the execution — just before the Congress session in Karachi — fuelled suspicions that the British aimed to forestall any last-minute intervention.At the Congress session, Gandhi faced angry young activists who accused him of failing to save the revolutionaries. Bose openly criticised his reluctance to take a stronger stand. Gandhi defended himself, saying he had done all he could without derailing the broader freedom movement. medium119299645Could Gandhi have done anything differently?Many, including Bose, criticised Gandhi for not saving Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, and Sukhdev. However, Gandhi did make sincere efforts despite opposing their violent methods. He personally pleaded with Viceroy Irwin and warned that the executions might destabilise the fragile peace.Irwin acknowledged the irony that the apostle of non-violence was pleading for men of violence but insisted that the crime warranted capital punishment. Faced with three options — commute the sentence, delay the execution, or let it proceed — Irwin chose the last. Gandhi warned that this might damage the Gandhi-Irwin Pact, but Irwin was unmoved.At the Karachi session, Gandhi was met with black flags and slogans. Still, he praised the protestors’ restraint and reiterated his admiration for the martyrs’ courage, even as he upheld non-violence as the higher ideal.A Congress resolution, drafted by Gandhi and supported by Bhagat Singh’s father, praised the revolutionaries’ courage while disapproving of political violence. Gandhi later clarified in Young India that glorifying violent acts was dangerous. While some saw his approach as weak or deceptive, others, like historian DP Das, argued that Gandhi’s actions reflected a broader vision for India’s future.Ultimately, Gandhi had no executive power — only moral authority. His refusal to make clemency a precondition of the pact was a painful choice made in pursuit of a greater goal: national freedom, even at the cost of individual sacrifice.Lead image: Wikimedia Commons