Thread by @shrutisggupta

#SardarUdhamSingh
- He waited for 21 years to kill Governor Michael O'Dwyer who was responsible for Jallianwala Bagh massacre.

- On 13th April 1919, over 20000 unarmed people were assembled in Jallianwala Bagh, Amritsar to protest against the Rowlatt Act.

- Udham Singh and his friends from the orphanage were serving water to the crowd and Protestors were fired on by British troops precipitating a riot.

- He then became involved in revolutionary politics and deeply influenced by Bhagat Singh.

- He changed his name to travel to

Africa, Nairobi, Brazil and USA to punish Dwyer.

- In 1934 he reached London and on 13th March 1940, he killed Governor Dwyer in London.

- He immediately surrendered and said take him in custody as he has taken avenge of Jalliawala massacre.

- He was hanged on 31 July 1940.

- His mortal remains were handed over to India in 1974.

- When asked about his motivation he explained:

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.

#FreedomFighter

For full 21 yesrs, 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 great honour could be bestowed on me than death for the sake of my motherland?

- Following his conviction, he made a speech which the judge directed should not be released to the press. However, political activists ran a campaign to have the court record of his statement

published.
And it was published in 1996.

He gave a very long speech. Some of it's part is summarized below:

"If you have any human decency about you, you should die with shame. The brutality and blood thirsty way in which the so called intellectuals who call themselves rulers

of civilisation in the world are bastard blood..."

"I do not care anything about it, but when you dirty dogs come to India there comes a time when you will be cleaned out of India. All your British imperialism will be smashed."

"Your conduct, your conduct- I am talking about

British Government.
I have nothing against English people at all. I have more english friends living in England than in I have in India. I have great sympathy with the workers of England. I am against the imperialist government."

At this point the judge refused to hear anymore.

but he continued:

"You ask me what I have to say, I am saying it. Because you people are dirty. You do not want to hear from us what you are doing in India.

He then shouted in Hindi:
Down with british imperialism,
Down with british dirty dogs!!

#Sardar_Udham_Singh

- In March 1940, Jawarhar Lal Nehru condemned the action of Singh as senseless, however in 1962, Nehru reversed his stance & applauded Singh with following published statement:
"I salute shaheed-i-Azam Udham Singh with reverence who has kissed the noose so that we may be free."

- A 10ft 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 then Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh.

#SardarUdhamSingh