ravichaudhary
April 4th, 2005, 12:52 AM
Major Jaipal Singh.
From an article by Ajay Singh, Member Legislative Assembly, Uttar Pradesh. Contained in the book” Jaton ka Naveen Ithihass” [A new History of the Jats] by Dr. Dharam Chandra Vidyalankar. ISBN 81-86489-01-0, Published 1991, reprint 1996, Veer Sahitya Prakashan, 1901 Gali Kandele Kasan, Fathepuri, Delhi 110006
Ravi Chaudhary
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/JatHistory/
**
Major Jaipal Singh and Bhagat Singh were both sons of farmers or “Kisans”‘ as they are known. One was born in Punjab and the other in the Yamuna Ganga Do-ab. One in childhood played with guns, the other grazed buffaloes. One was in British jails; the other was a Commissioned Officer. One shot an Englishman, the other fighting in the British war, develop the logistics to deliver supplies to the forces in the front by air. Both were in love with their country, and they both were supporters of the struggle of the poor farmers against oppression. They both hated the British, and desired nothing more than to free their country. One was not well educated; the other had a Masters degree. One learnt in the jails, and the other in the British Indian army. Both stood up against the British, one under the nose of the British officials, created a group to drive out the British, and the other gave the revolution new strength and direction. The only difference was that one, at the age of 23 was hung to death by the British, and other threw dust in the eyes of the British forces and intelligence, and kept up the struggle for freedom. Both were sons of India, deserving our utmost praise.
Major Jaipal Singh was born in July 15, 1906 in the village of Kurmani, District of Muzzafarnagar. His father was Bohrang Lal. His father was a soldier in the army. His mother brought him up. In these days he would graze the buffaloes. He saw in these days the poverty, the mundane lives of the poor farmer. He saw the farmer send his sons to the army, on hire, and so seek to escape poverty. The other communities could not even manage that. This had a great effect on him.
When he saw the farmers crushed under debt, he would be much troubled. He would ask himself why the farmer was in debt when he worked so hard. He could not get an answer, and would boil over in anger and frustration.
In this manner he passed his childhood. The poverty of his family, the painful stories of the villagers, had a deep and lasting effect on him, and even when he became an officer in the British Army, he was unable to find any peace.
He would painfully remember that his father was unable give support to his grandfather’s plight, and had to leave his home and family to join the army. He would remember his mother’s silent tears, which did not stop for many many years. She would get some comfort from having the child with her, but one day the father in the army snatched that away from her. He took his son with him to the barracks. When his father saw the British officers he realized the value of education. He wanted his son to study and become an officer.
Jaipal had to stay in the Barracks with his father, and of that Major Jaipal himself said ” It was evident to me, that the farmers who were used living their lives with honesty and simplicity, in the villages, were reduced to base animal like machines who could be wound up by a spring. Gradually any human qualities, they had acquired in their village upbringing would die off. Upon the command of their masters they would attack their fellow countrymen with animal like vigor. This monarchial rule had had made my country ” this civilized’ “
Jaipal Singh spent many years of his youth in these barracks, and in him feeling of disdain grew towards the British, and their rule. What Jaipal Singh saw with his own eyes, the British achievements in reducing our innocent Indians to slavery, of which not even a glimpse was seen or noted by our national leaders. But Jaipal did not become a slave or destitute.
He decided he would become an officer, and cut their roots from the inside. He became an enemy, not only of the British, but of all oppressors, who under the guise of teaching the citizens of other countries civilization, reduce them to the level of animals, and having enslaved them, then rule over them. The child Jaipal, stayed six months in the barracks, and saw the animal like behavior of the foot soldier.
He would read the literature produced by the revolutionaries. As he read the stories about the treatment of the revolutionaries in the Kaori case, his eyes would well up in tears. He had two choices in front of him. He had seen the salt protests in Shamli, where only 5 uniformed policemen had dispersed a crowd of 20,000 persons. This was an easy route to take, to oppose the British, but the route of the revolutionary was a hard one, He chose the hard road. He decided to join the British forces and fight them from the inside.
The question arises why he chose the route of insurrection from within the army. The answer to this lies in, that he could see that the Congress party was only concerned with laying their hands on the nation's wealth, and he did not see them doing anything for the common man. He saw the congress national movement becoming prey to monarchial and aimless tendencies, and his vision was that the revolution of the army would not be monarchial or in aimless. This could be achieved only with the help of a political party, and towards this he contacted many parties. He attempted to contact Jai Prakash Narayan and Dr Lohia, both leading socialists. This tells us with no uncertainty that he did not seek power, unlike those who created Pakistan, or Bangladesh or the Congo, whose revolt was only so that they could acquire the reins of power. He wanted power to be held by a progressive nationalist party.
In Saint John's college, Agra, he was impressed and overjoyed by the heroic acts of the Bengali youths. He was entranced by the stories about Kalpana Dutt, Ganesh Ghosh, and Ram Prasad Vismal. The book, " Bandi- Jeevan” or "Life imprisoned” by Sachindra Nath Sen made a deep impression on him, and he would spend much time, discussing politics in the dens of the revolutionaries.
In St John’s College, he met Bhagwan Singh Faujdar, the father of the author of this article, Ajay Singh, MLA, UP. Bhagwan Singh was a member of the students union and was busy in an attempt to create a union of the Tonga (horse carriage) drivers. He was supporting the Railway labor Union, and also the nation’s struggle for freedom.
In those days St John's college, Agra was a center of nationalist and revolutionary activities. Major Jaipal Singh was a student of St. John's College and Bhagwan Singh of Agra College. In those times, the Urdu poet Ghulam Rabbani Tanwa and the leading Hindi author Nemichandra Jain were contemporaries. They had formed a progressive group, who after much discussion had arrived at the conclusion that India would be free, but the goal of a just society would still be distant.
They were concerned that “Without a just society, the formation of an independent nation was unworthy.”
Both Jaipal Singh and Bhagwan Singh came from farming backgrounds, and to them independence without the rise of a just society was meaningless.
The clouds of war of World War II were gathering. The axis of Hitler Mussolini and Tejo was opposing the colonial ends of British and the Americans. These two forces were set in a collision course. Both forces had as their aim, the enslavery of the other nations. Confronted with this war, the British were giving commissions to educated youths. Jaipal Singh had a Masters degree; he was an excellent hockey sportsman. He was tall and handsome. His father had served 35 years in the army. He was selected, and commissioned as a second lieutenant. Jaipal Singh’s father Bhagwan Singh was also commissioned at the same time.
Jaipal Singh, after his Military College course, went to meet his father. He was posted as a Subedar Major, at the regiment headquarters of the Hyderabad Group RAAF(?) Battalion. This is now known as the Kumaon Regiment. He was filled with pride on seeing his son as a Commissioned Officer. There was no limit to his joy. He saluted his son, for his son was of a higher rank than he was. He took his son to meet captain Thimayya (later General Thimayya - Chief on Army Staff in Independent India). Lieutenant Jaipal Singh saluted him. He shook hands with Jaipal Singh. He offered him a chair to sit, and a cigarette, and smiling, turned to Jaipal Singh’s father and said “ Now you must be very happy He will make a fine officer” He then congratulated Jaipal's father and said to Jaipal Singh “ Young man, you are now an officer, do not do naughty things"
His father then took him to meet Captain Majid. Captain Maid gave him dinner that evening and whispered in his ear” Do not trust the British, they dislike us”. Captain Majid later rose to become a Lieutenant General in the Pakistani Army. He was always at odds with the British officers. He was brought up for court martial three times. Both Majid and Jaipal Singh played hockey in 1936 for the Banaras District team.
In this manner the anti British attitude grew into his pores, and right upto the end of his days it never decreased.
************
More to follow:
From an article by Ajay Singh, Member Legislative Assembly, Uttar Pradesh. Contained in the book” Jaton ka Naveen Ithihass” [A new History of the Jats] by Dr. Dharam Chandra Vidyalankar. ISBN 81-86489-01-0, Published 1991, reprint 1996, Veer Sahitya Prakashan, 1901 Gali Kandele Kasan, Fathepuri, Delhi 110006
Ravi Chaudhary
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/JatHistory/
**
Major Jaipal Singh and Bhagat Singh were both sons of farmers or “Kisans”‘ as they are known. One was born in Punjab and the other in the Yamuna Ganga Do-ab. One in childhood played with guns, the other grazed buffaloes. One was in British jails; the other was a Commissioned Officer. One shot an Englishman, the other fighting in the British war, develop the logistics to deliver supplies to the forces in the front by air. Both were in love with their country, and they both were supporters of the struggle of the poor farmers against oppression. They both hated the British, and desired nothing more than to free their country. One was not well educated; the other had a Masters degree. One learnt in the jails, and the other in the British Indian army. Both stood up against the British, one under the nose of the British officials, created a group to drive out the British, and the other gave the revolution new strength and direction. The only difference was that one, at the age of 23 was hung to death by the British, and other threw dust in the eyes of the British forces and intelligence, and kept up the struggle for freedom. Both were sons of India, deserving our utmost praise.
Major Jaipal Singh was born in July 15, 1906 in the village of Kurmani, District of Muzzafarnagar. His father was Bohrang Lal. His father was a soldier in the army. His mother brought him up. In these days he would graze the buffaloes. He saw in these days the poverty, the mundane lives of the poor farmer. He saw the farmer send his sons to the army, on hire, and so seek to escape poverty. The other communities could not even manage that. This had a great effect on him.
When he saw the farmers crushed under debt, he would be much troubled. He would ask himself why the farmer was in debt when he worked so hard. He could not get an answer, and would boil over in anger and frustration.
In this manner he passed his childhood. The poverty of his family, the painful stories of the villagers, had a deep and lasting effect on him, and even when he became an officer in the British Army, he was unable to find any peace.
He would painfully remember that his father was unable give support to his grandfather’s plight, and had to leave his home and family to join the army. He would remember his mother’s silent tears, which did not stop for many many years. She would get some comfort from having the child with her, but one day the father in the army snatched that away from her. He took his son with him to the barracks. When his father saw the British officers he realized the value of education. He wanted his son to study and become an officer.
Jaipal had to stay in the Barracks with his father, and of that Major Jaipal himself said ” It was evident to me, that the farmers who were used living their lives with honesty and simplicity, in the villages, were reduced to base animal like machines who could be wound up by a spring. Gradually any human qualities, they had acquired in their village upbringing would die off. Upon the command of their masters they would attack their fellow countrymen with animal like vigor. This monarchial rule had had made my country ” this civilized’ “
Jaipal Singh spent many years of his youth in these barracks, and in him feeling of disdain grew towards the British, and their rule. What Jaipal Singh saw with his own eyes, the British achievements in reducing our innocent Indians to slavery, of which not even a glimpse was seen or noted by our national leaders. But Jaipal did not become a slave or destitute.
He decided he would become an officer, and cut their roots from the inside. He became an enemy, not only of the British, but of all oppressors, who under the guise of teaching the citizens of other countries civilization, reduce them to the level of animals, and having enslaved them, then rule over them. The child Jaipal, stayed six months in the barracks, and saw the animal like behavior of the foot soldier.
He would read the literature produced by the revolutionaries. As he read the stories about the treatment of the revolutionaries in the Kaori case, his eyes would well up in tears. He had two choices in front of him. He had seen the salt protests in Shamli, where only 5 uniformed policemen had dispersed a crowd of 20,000 persons. This was an easy route to take, to oppose the British, but the route of the revolutionary was a hard one, He chose the hard road. He decided to join the British forces and fight them from the inside.
The question arises why he chose the route of insurrection from within the army. The answer to this lies in, that he could see that the Congress party was only concerned with laying their hands on the nation's wealth, and he did not see them doing anything for the common man. He saw the congress national movement becoming prey to monarchial and aimless tendencies, and his vision was that the revolution of the army would not be monarchial or in aimless. This could be achieved only with the help of a political party, and towards this he contacted many parties. He attempted to contact Jai Prakash Narayan and Dr Lohia, both leading socialists. This tells us with no uncertainty that he did not seek power, unlike those who created Pakistan, or Bangladesh or the Congo, whose revolt was only so that they could acquire the reins of power. He wanted power to be held by a progressive nationalist party.
In Saint John's college, Agra, he was impressed and overjoyed by the heroic acts of the Bengali youths. He was entranced by the stories about Kalpana Dutt, Ganesh Ghosh, and Ram Prasad Vismal. The book, " Bandi- Jeevan” or "Life imprisoned” by Sachindra Nath Sen made a deep impression on him, and he would spend much time, discussing politics in the dens of the revolutionaries.
In St John’s College, he met Bhagwan Singh Faujdar, the father of the author of this article, Ajay Singh, MLA, UP. Bhagwan Singh was a member of the students union and was busy in an attempt to create a union of the Tonga (horse carriage) drivers. He was supporting the Railway labor Union, and also the nation’s struggle for freedom.
In those days St John's college, Agra was a center of nationalist and revolutionary activities. Major Jaipal Singh was a student of St. John's College and Bhagwan Singh of Agra College. In those times, the Urdu poet Ghulam Rabbani Tanwa and the leading Hindi author Nemichandra Jain were contemporaries. They had formed a progressive group, who after much discussion had arrived at the conclusion that India would be free, but the goal of a just society would still be distant.
They were concerned that “Without a just society, the formation of an independent nation was unworthy.”
Both Jaipal Singh and Bhagwan Singh came from farming backgrounds, and to them independence without the rise of a just society was meaningless.
The clouds of war of World War II were gathering. The axis of Hitler Mussolini and Tejo was opposing the colonial ends of British and the Americans. These two forces were set in a collision course. Both forces had as their aim, the enslavery of the other nations. Confronted with this war, the British were giving commissions to educated youths. Jaipal Singh had a Masters degree; he was an excellent hockey sportsman. He was tall and handsome. His father had served 35 years in the army. He was selected, and commissioned as a second lieutenant. Jaipal Singh’s father Bhagwan Singh was also commissioned at the same time.
Jaipal Singh, after his Military College course, went to meet his father. He was posted as a Subedar Major, at the regiment headquarters of the Hyderabad Group RAAF(?) Battalion. This is now known as the Kumaon Regiment. He was filled with pride on seeing his son as a Commissioned Officer. There was no limit to his joy. He saluted his son, for his son was of a higher rank than he was. He took his son to meet captain Thimayya (later General Thimayya - Chief on Army Staff in Independent India). Lieutenant Jaipal Singh saluted him. He shook hands with Jaipal Singh. He offered him a chair to sit, and a cigarette, and smiling, turned to Jaipal Singh’s father and said “ Now you must be very happy He will make a fine officer” He then congratulated Jaipal's father and said to Jaipal Singh “ Young man, you are now an officer, do not do naughty things"
His father then took him to meet Captain Majid. Captain Maid gave him dinner that evening and whispered in his ear” Do not trust the British, they dislike us”. Captain Majid later rose to become a Lieutenant General in the Pakistani Army. He was always at odds with the British officers. He was brought up for court martial three times. Both Majid and Jaipal Singh played hockey in 1936 for the Banaras District team.
In this manner the anti British attitude grew into his pores, and right upto the end of his days it never decreased.
************
More to follow: