Ronki Ram (Dr.)
Chairperson, Department of Political Science Panjab University Chandigarh March 08,2010
Noted social scientist, Prof Harish K Puri, Professor Emeritus at GNDU, Amritsar delivered the Annual Shaheed Bhagat Singh Memorial Lecture on “The Influence of the Ghadhar Movement on Bhagat Singh’s Thinking” in Panjab University today. This lecture was organised by the Department of Political Science, Panjab University. Prof. M.M. Puri, Professor Emeritus and Former Vice-chancellor, presided over the function. Dr. Ronki Ram, Chairperson, briefly described the lecture series and also introduced the speaker.
Prof Puri, lecture based on his study of Bhagat Singh’s writings brought attention to a subject that deserves greater attention. He began with an overview of the Ghadhar movement, situating it within the context of the national movement in India. Bhagat Singh was deeply influenced by the revolutionary potential of the Ghadhar movement. He was amazed by the manner in which semi-literate Punjabi workers and farmers in America had rejected orthodoxy and absorbed transformative revolutionary ideas.
Prof Puri proficiently unravelled the complexities and multiplicity of thought streams that influenced Bhagat Singh, which included, anarchism, Marxism and nationalism. His worldview and ideas represented both continuity and a shift from the Ghadar framework of ideas. The Ghadharites believed in action and not merely words. Bhagat Singh was a man of reason and who believed that living for a cause was more important than dying for a cause. He believed that it is more important to awaken the masses and organise them for a mass struggle. Prof Puri, argued that Bhagat Singh was fascinated by idea of self-sacrifice, -“Shahidi” is ingrained in the Punjabi moral psyche and consequently believed his execution would be an exemplar to rouse people for political revolutionary action.
The lecture was attended by students, researchers and teachers from university departments and colleges in Chandigarh.