|
Strategy
of
the
LCC
accused
[The
strategy
of
the
LCC
accused
was
to
prolong
the
case
and
use
the
court
as a
platform
for
propagating
the
aims
and
objects
of
the
revolutionary
party.
The
government
saw
the
game,
and
to
expedite
the
proceedings,
withdrew
the
case
from
the
lower
court,
and
promulgated
an
ordinance
known
as
the
LCC
Ordinance
No. 3
of
1930.
Equipped
with
the
Ordinance,
it
appointed
a
Special
Tribunal
of
three
High
Court
judges,
handed
over
the
case
to
it,
empowered
it to
dispense
with
the
witnesses
and
proceed
with
the
case
even
in
the
absence
of
the
accused.
The
Governor-Genera,
while
justifying
the
step,
said
that
the
accused
were
resorting
to
hunger
strikes
again
and
again
and
were
making
it
impossible
for
the
court
to
proceed.
It
was
in
this
context
that
Bhagat
Singh
wrote
this
letter
to
the
Governor
-
General
to
demolish
his
argument.]
To
His
Excellency
2nd
May,
1930
The
Governor
-
General
of
India,
Simla,
Sir,
The
full
text
of
the
special
Ordinance
to
expedite
our
trial
has
been
read
over
to
us.
To
Tribunal
has
also
been
appointed
by
the
Chief
Justice
of
the
Punjab
High
Court
of
Juridicature.
We
welcome
the
news.
We
could
have
kept
silent,
had
you
not
referred
to
our
attitude
adopted
so
far
in
this
case,
and
thus
tried
to
throw
the
sole
responsibility
on
our
shoulders.
In
the
present
situation,
we
feel
it
necessary
to
make
a
statement
to
clear
our
position.
We
have
been
marking
from
the
very
beginning
that
the
Govt.
authorities
have
always
been
trying
to
deliberately
misrepresent
us.
After
all,
this
is a
fight,
and
the
misrepresentation
is
and
has
always
been
the
best
instrument
in
the
hands
of
the
Govt.
to
meet
their
enemies.
We
have
absolutely
no
grudge
against
this
mean
tactic.
However,
there
are
certain
things
the
consideration
of
which
is
forcing
us to
make
the
following
counter.
You
have
mentioned
your
statement
issued
alongwith
the
Lahore
Conspiracy
Ordinance,
our
hunger
strike.
As
you
have
yourself
admitted,
two
of us
had
begun
the
hunger
strike
weeks
before
the
commencement
of
the
inquiry
into
this
case
in
the
court
of
R.S
Pt.
Sri
Krishan,
Special
Magistrate.
Hence
any
man
with
the
least
common
sense
can
understand
that
the
hunger
strike
had
nothing
to do
with
the
trial.
The
Govt.
had
to
admit
the
existence
of
these
grievances.
When
the
Govt.
made
some
gesture
as to
making
certain
arrangement
for
the
settlement
of
this
question,
and
Provincial
Jail
Enquiry
Committees
were
appointed
for
the
same
purpose,
we
gave
up
the
hunger
strike.
But
at
first
we
were
informed
that
the
question
would
be
finally
settled
in
November.
Then
it
was
postponed
till
December.
But
January
also
passed
and
there
was
not
the
least
to
indicate
as to
whether
the
Govt.
was
going
to
the
do
anything
in
this
connection
at
all,
or
not.
We
feared
that
the
matter
was
shelved.
Hence
the
second
hunger
strike
on
4th
Feb.,
1930,
after
full
one
week's
notice.
It
was
only
then
that
the
Govt.
tried
to
settle
this
question
finally.
A
Communique
was
published
and
we
again
gave
up
the
hunger
strike
and
did
not
even
wait
to
see
the
final
decision,
in
this
connection,
carried
into
effect.
It is
only
today
that
we
are
realising
that
the
British
Govt.
has
not
yet
given
u the
policy
of
telling
lies
even
in
such
ordinary
matters
as
this.
This
Communique
is in
specific
terms,
but
we
find
something
quite
contrary
in
practice.
Anyhow,
this
is
not
the
proper
place
to
discuss
that
question;
we
might
have
to
deal
with
it
later
on,
if
the
occasion
arises.
But
what
we
want
to
emphasise
here
is
that
the
hunger
strike
was
never
directed
against
the
proceedings
of
the
court.
Such
great
sufferings
cannot
be
invited
and
such
great
sacrifice
cannot
be
made
with
that
ordinary
motive.
Das
did
not
lay
down
his
life
for
such
a
trivial
cause.
Rajguru
and
others
did
not
risk
their
lives
simply
to
protract
the
trial.
You
know
thoroughly
well,
and
everybody
concerned
knows
it,
that
it is
note
hunger
strike
that
has
forced
you
to
promulgate
this
Ordinance.
There
is
something
else
the
consideration
of
which
confused
the
heads
of
your
Government
it is
neither
the
protraction
of
the
case
nor
any
other
emergency
which
forces
you
to
sign
this
lawless
law.
It is
certainly
some-thing
different.
But
let
us
declare
once
and
for
all
that
our
spirits
cannot
be
cowed
down
by
ordinances.
You
may
crush
certain
individuals
but
you
cannot
crush
this
nation.
As
far
as
this
Ordinance
is
concerned,
we
consider
it to
be
our
victory.
We
had
been
from
the
very
beginning
pointing
out
that
this
existing
law
was a
mere
make
-
believe.
It
could
not
administer
justice.
But
even
those
privileges
to
which
the
accused
were
legitimately
and
legally
entitled
and
which
are
given
to
ordinary
accused
were
legitimately
and
legally
entitled
and
which
are
given
to
ordinary
accused,
could
not
be
given
to
the
accused
in
political
cases.
We
wanted
to
make
the
Govt.
throw
off
its
veil
and
to be
candid
enough
to
admit
that
fair
chances
for
defence
could
not
be
given
to
the
political
accused.
Here
we
have
the
frank
admission
of
the
Government.
We
congratulate
you
as
well
as
your
Govt.
for
this
candour
and
welcome
the
Ordinance.
Insipte
of
the
frank
admission
of
your
agents,
the
Special
Magistrate
and
the
Prosecution
Counsels,
as to
the
reasonableness
of
our
attitude
throughout,
you
had
been
confused
at
the
very
thought
of
the
existence
of
our
case.
What
else
is
neede
to
assure
us of
our
success
in
this
fight.
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