"Eternal source of inspiration for every generation": Delhi CM pays tribute to freedom fighter Kartar Singh Sarabha on his birth anniversary
New Delhi, May 24
Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Sunday paid tribute to revolutionary freedom fighter Kartar Singh Sarabha on his birth anniversary, remembering his courage, sacrifice, and contribution to India's independence movement.
Rekha Gupta, in a post on X, hailed Sarabha as a symbol of unparalleled bravery and said his life continues to inspire generations.
"On the birth anniversary of the great hero of the Ghadar Movement and the symbol of unparalleled valor, Shaheed Kartar Singh Sarabha Ji, we offer him millions of salutations. The supreme sacrifice and patriotism of this young revolutionary, who laid down his life at a tender age for the freedom of Mother India, remains an eternal source of inspiration for every generation. His life, dedicated to the welfare of the nation, will forever inspire us to offer everything for the sake of the country," she wrote.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) also paid homage, remembering Sarabha's martyrdom at a young age for India's freedom struggle.
"On the birth anniversary of the immortal martyr Kartar Singh Sarabha, who ascended the gallows at just 19 years of age for the independence of Mother India, millions of salutations," the party said on X.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann-led government also commemorated the revolutionary, stating that the state remembers him with reverence on his birth anniversary.
"Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann-led Punjab Government remembers with reverence the great revolutionary martyr Sardar Kartar Singh Sarabha Ji on his birth anniversary," Government of Punjab's X post read.
Boxer and actor Vijender Singh also paid tribute, calling Sarabha a great revolutionary and freedom fighter.
"Humble tributes to revolutionary and freedom fighter Kartar Singh Sarabha ji on his birth anniversary," Singh's X post read.
Kartar Singh Sarabha (May 24, 1896 - November 16, 1915) was one of the youngest and most prominent revolutionaries of the Ghadar Movement. Born in Ludhiana, Punjab, he went to the US at the age of 16 for studies, where he witnessed racial discrimination against Indian immigrants. This experience deeply shaped his nationalist outlook.
While in California, Sarabha became associated with the Ghadar Party, a revolutionary organisation formed in 1913 to overthrow British rule in India. He played a key role in editing and printing the Punjabi edition of the party's newspaper Ghadar, which spread anti-colonial ideas among Indians worldwide.
After the outbreak of World War I, he returned to India in 1914 to help organise an armed uprising within the British Indian Army. However, the planned revolt of 1915 was betrayed, leading to the arrest of several revolutionaries. Sarabha was eventually captured and tried in the Lahore Conspiracy Case.
Despite his young age, he refused legal defence and accepted death with defiance, considering sacrifice for the motherland as an honour. He was executed on November 16, 1915, at the age of 19. His courage and ideology deeply inspired freedom fighters, including Bhagat Singh, who regarded him as his "guru."
— ANI
Reader Comments
It's heartening that both Delhi CM and Punjab CM paid tribute. But let's not forget that the Ghadar Movement was built by Indians abroad who faced racism and still thought of their motherland. Sarabha's story should be in every school textbook properly - not just a paragraph. Jai Hind!
As someone from the US, I find it remarkable that Sarabha's experience with racial discrimination in California transformed him into a revolutionary. It's a reminder that injustice anywhere can spark change everywhere. His willingness to die for his principles at such a young age is humbling.
Salutations to Shaheed Kartar Singh Sarabha! 🙏 But I wish our leaders would focus more on teaching his ideals than just posting on social media once a year. The Ghadar Party's vision of a secular, democratic India is still relevant today. We need to honour his sacrifice by continuing the fight against injustice.
What strikes me is that Sarabha refused legal defense and embraced death. That level of conviction is rare. It's a powerful reminder that freedom wasn't given to India - it was won through unimaginable sacrifice. Every generation should indeed find inspiration in his story.
Very few people know that Kartar Singh Sarabha edited the Ghadar newspaper in Punjabi. He used the power of words to spread revolutionary ideas across continents! Today's youth should learn from his courage and commitment. We need more such heroes in our history curriculum. 🙏
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