Baikunth Shukla (1907–1934) was an Indian nationalist and revolutionary. He was the nephew of Yogendra Shukla, one of the founders of Hindustan Socialist Republican Association (HSRA).
He was hanged for murdering Phanindra Nath Ghosh who had become a government approver which led to hanging of Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev and Rajguru. Baikunth Shukla was also initiated into the freedom struggle at a young age taking active part in the Salt Satyagraha of 1930. He was associated with revolutionary organisations like the Hindustan Seva Dal and HSRA. The execution of Indian revolutionaries Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev in 1931 as a result of their trial in the Lahore conspiracy case was an event that shook the entire country.
Phanindra Nath Ghosh, hitherto a key member of the Revolutionary Party had treacherously betrayed the cause by turning an approver, giving evidence, which led to the execution. Baikunth was commissioned to plan the execution of Ghosh as an act of ideological vendetta which he carried out successfully on 9 November 1932. He was arrested and tried for the killing. Baikunth was convicted and hanged in Gaya Central Jail on May 14, 1934. He was only 28 years old.
Baikuntha Shukla was born in 1910 in village Jalalpur in Muzaffarpur District (now Vaishali).[1] He got his elementary education at his village and became a teacher in a lower primary school in village Mathurapur.[1] He took active part in Civil Disobedience Movement in 1930 and was imprisonedin Patna Camp Jail.[1] He was released along with other Satyagrahis after the Gandhi Irwin Pact. Later he came in contact with the members of the Hindustan Socialist Republican Army and became a revolutionary.
Baikuntha Shukla also known as Baikunthanath Shukul was born on May 15, 1907 in the village of Jalalpur in the District of Vaishali (currently Muzaffarpur) in a religious Bhumihar Brahmin family. His father Ram Bihari Shukla was a humble farmer. He completed his middle school studies in the vernacular (he never learnt English) and also took and successfully cleared the school teacher's test thereafter teaching at Mathurapur Lower Primary School. He used to receive a monthly pay of Rs 8/- in this capacity.
Baikuntha Shukla owned nearly six bighas of ancestral land. He turned the land over to his brother Haridwar Shukla and plunged into the freedom movement head-on. Shukla in 1930 took part in the civil disobedience movement of Gandhiji and as a result was imprisoned in Patna. He was released along with other Satyagrahis after the Gandhi - Irwin Pact. Soon after, Yogendra Shukla who led the Bihar branch of the Hindustan Socialist Republican Army contacted Baikunthaji and he decided to join the revolutionary movement. As a volunteer, he was trained in the art of lathi fighting at the Muzaffarpur Tilak Maidan. He also later became a member of the Hindustan Sewa Dal.
Phanindranath Ghosh is the name of the man who went on to betray the Indian revolutionary movement, becoming the British Indian Government's prime witness against Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev in the Saunders Murder Case. It would be worth noting here that other witnesses in this case included Sir Shobha Singh; the father of noted Indian journalist Khushwant Singh. Ghosh along with others was also an active revolutionary who had taken part in several actions. When he was captured it seemed likely that he would receive a harsh punishment, but not only did he accept many of the serious charges, but turned informant, thus leading to the hanging of Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev in the Lahore Conspiracy Case. He also provided the police and authorities with key information including names, branches and hideouts of many members of the Hindustan Socialist Republican Army (HSRA), hence effectively crippling the organization permanently. The aftermath of the Sanders murder indictment when Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev were hanged, left the entire nation restless and angry. Meanwhile, Bihar branch of HSRA received a message from the Punjab branch asking them if they will "wash-away" or "live-with" the stigma of this betrayal.
Message of revolutionaries from Punjab led to a meeting at the Sadaqat Ashram of the Bihar revolutionaries in which it was decided to kill the traitor Phanindranath. The task was given to SHukla and Chandrama Singh, who left for Bettiah. Shukla started working systematically. He took care of borrowing two bicycles from a friend at Muzaffarpur to go to Bettiah travelling with fellow revolutionary Chandrama Singh. It was the evening of November 9, 1932. Sitting in front of a shop in Meena Bazaar in Bettiah Phanindranath Ghosh was talking to Ganesh Prasad Gupta, his friend. Shukla hit Phanindranath on the head with a Khukri, which penetrated his skull and punctured the brain matter. As Ganesh Prasad Gupta tried to catch them, they attacked him as well. Both Shukla and Singh fled. The same evening, at 8:30 pm Sepoy Sahadeva of the Bettiah police registered a complaint at the police station. It was the same sepoy, whom the government had deployed to protect the confessional witness Ghosh. Ghosh died on November 17, 1932 during treatment, and Ganesh Prasad Gupta died on November 20.
Muzaffarpur district and sessions judge was given this testimony by the police sub-inspector Brij Narayan Kunwar of the Bettiah police. When Shukla and Singh fled, one of their bicycles was left on the spot. On the Bicycle's career was a bale containing dhotis, safety razor, mirror and a flashlight. Police was aided by the dhoti for possible leads and suspects. There was a mark bearing the number 640 on one of the dhotis, which identified the dhobi who washed the dhoti. This led to Shukla's identification.
The government announced a reward for his arrest. Shukla was caught on the Hajipur bridge on July 6, 1933 at the Sonepur end of the bridge. Shukla chanted Inquilab Zindabad at time when he was arrested, and raised slogans to the glory of Bhagat Singh and Yogendra Shukla. The case went to court and an execution date was fixed. Mr. Shukla fought his own case and did not hire a lawyer. On May 14, 1934 the revolutionary was executed in prison.
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