RAM PRASAD BISMIL

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The 126th anniversary of Ram Prasad Bismil's birth was observed on June 11th, 2023. Bismil, who was well-known for his revolutionary passion and literary skill, made a vital contribution to the struggle against British colonial rule.

Who is Ram Prasad Bismil?

• Murlidhar and Moolmati gave birth to Bismil on June 11th, 1897 at a village in the Shahjahanpur district of Uttar Pradesh.
• In 1875, Bismil joined the Arya Samaj and went on to become a gifted poet and writer. He used pen names including "Bismil," which means "wounded" or "restless."
• When he read about Bhai Parmanand, an Indian patriot and Arya Samaj missionary, being given the death penalty, the ideas for a revolution first began to take root in his thoughts.
• He wrote "Mera Janm," a poem that expresses his agony, when he was 18 years old.
• He supported revolutionary freedom-fighting strategies as opposed to Gandhian ones.

Contributions of Ram Prasad Bismil:

1. The Mainpuri Conspiracy:

• When Bismil lost faith in the Congress Party's moderate side, he started a revolutionary group named "Matrivedi."
• Bismil and Dixit joined the Mainpuri Conspiracy in 1918 and circulated prohibited literature there.
• On January 28, 1918, Bismil gave out copies of two of his writings: Mainpuri ki Pratigya (Mainpuri's Vow) and Deshwasiyon ke Naam Sandesh (A Message to Countrymen).
• In 1918, to collect funds for their parties they looted government coffers on three occasions.

2. Forming the Hindustan Republican Association (HRA):

• He founded the Hindustan Republican Association (HRA) in 1920 with Jadugopal Mukherjee and Sachindra Nath Sanyal.
• The HRA's manifesto, which was mostly written by Bismil, called for an armed uprising to establish a federal Republic of United States of India.

3. The Kakori Train Action:

• The HRA's main operation in 1925, intended to raise money for their objectives and gain exposure, was the robbery of the Kakori train.
• In Kakori, a town close to Lucknow, Bismil and his friends Chandrasekhar Azad and Ashfaqulla Khan made the decision to rob a train.
• They were successful in their endeavour, but within a month after the attack they were all caught along with a dozen other HRA members and put on trial in the Kakori Conspiracy Case.
• The court case went on for 18 months. Death sentences were given to Thakur Roshan Singh, Bismil, Lahiri, and Khan.

4. Poetry and Writing:

• Indians were motivated to participate in the freedom struggle by Bismil's prolific writings, which included patriotic lyrics in Hindi and Urdu.
• His poetry expressed his worries about societal difficulties as well as the values of equality and human decency.

5. Advocacy for Hindu-Muslim Unity:

• communal harmony was symbolized by Bismil's close friendship with Ashfaqullah Khan, a fellow revolutionary poet.
• He emphasised the necessity for Hindus and Muslims to work together for the good of the country in his final letter before being hanged.

6. Death:

• On December 19, 1927, he was hung in Gorakhpur Jail.
• On the Rapti River's banks, he was cremated. Later, Raj Ghat was given to the area.

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