|
SUKHDEV'S
LETTER
TO
GANDHIJI
[Gandhiji
was
negotiating
with
the
government
for
the
release
of
political
prisoners
not
convicted
of
violence.
He
was
also
appealing
to
the
revolutionaries
to
stop
their
movement.
It
was
in
this
context
that
Sukhdev
wrote
this
letter.
It
was
published
in
Young
India,
April
23,
1931,
after
the
execution
of
Bhagat
Singh,
Raj
Guru
and
Sukhdev.]
MOST
GRACIOUS MAHATMA JI,
Recent
reports
show
that,
since
the
successful
termination
of
your
peace
negotiations,
you
have
made
several
public
appeals
to
the
revolutionary
workers
to
call
off
their
movement
at
least
for
the
present
and
give
you a
last
chance
to
try
your
non-violent
cult.
As a
matter
of
fact
the
calling
off
any
movement
is
neither
an
ideological
nor a
sentimental
act.
It is
the
consideration
of
the
peculiar
needs
of
different
times
that
force
the
leaders
to
change
their
tactics.
Let
us
presume
that
at
the
time
of
peace
parley,
you
did
not
overlook
the
fact
even
for a
single
moment,
and
did
not
make
a
secret
of
it,
that
this
was
not
going
to be
the
final
settlement.
I
think
all
intelligent
people
would
have
understood
quite
easily
that
the
final
stage
was
not
reached.
The
Congress
is
bound
by
its
Lahore
resolution
to
carry
on
the
struggle
relentlessly
till
the
Complete
Independence
is
achieved.
In
face
of
the
resolution,
the
peace
and
compromise
is
but a
temporary
truce
which
only
means
a
little
rest
to
organise
better
forces
on a
larger
scale
for
the
next
struggle.
The
possibility
of
compromise
and a
truce
can
be
imagined
and
justified
in
the
light
of
the
above
consideration
alone.
At
regards
the
proper
opportunity
and
the
conditions
on
which
any
truce
can
be
effected,
it
rests
with
the
leaders
of
the
movement
to
decide.
In
face
of
the
Lahore
resolution
you
have
thought
it
expedient
to
call
off
the
active
movement
for
the
present,
but
nevertheless
that
resolution
stands.
Similarly,
as is
evident
from
the
very
name
- The
Hindustan
Socialist
Republican
Party
- the
revolutionaries
stand
for
the
establishment
o the
socialist
republic
which
is
not a
half-way
house.
They
are
bound
to
carry
on
the
struggle
till
their
goal
is
achieved
and
their
ideal
is
consummated.
But
they
would
be
quite
apt
to
change
their
tactics
according
to
the
changing
circumstances
and
environment.
Revolutionary
struggle
assumes
different
shapes
at
different
times.
It
becomes
sometimes
open,
sometimes
hidden
sometimes
purely
agitational
and
sometimes
a
fierce
life-and-death
struggle.
In
the
circumstances,
there
must
be
special
factors,
the
consideration
of
which
may
prepare
the
revolutionaries
to
call
of
their
movement.
But
no
such
definite
idea
had
been
advanced
by
you.
Mere
sentimental
appeals
do
not
and
cannot
count
much
in
the
revolutionary
struggle.
Since
your
compromise
you
have
called
off
your
movement
and
consequently
all
of
your
movement
and
consequently
all
of
your
prisoners
have
been
released.
But,
what
about
the
revolutionary
prisoners?
Dozens
of
Ghadar
Party
prisoners
imprisoned
since
1915
are
still
rotting
in
jails;
inspite
of
having
undergone
the
full
terms
of
their
imprisonments
scores
of
martial
law
prisoners
are
still
buried
in
these
living
tombs,
and
so
are
dozens
of
Babbar
Akali
prisoners.
Deogarh,
Kakori,
Machhua
Bazar
and
Lahore
Conspiracy
Case
prisoners
are
amongst
those
numerous
still
locked
behind
bars.
More
than
half
a
dozen
conspiracy
trials
are
going
on at
Lahore,
Delhi,
Chittagong,
Bombay,
Calcutta
and
elsewhere.
Dozens
of
revolutionaries
are
absconding
and
amongst
them
are
many
females.
More
than
half
a
dozen
prisoners
are
actually
waiting
for
their
executions.
What
about
all
of
these
people?
The
three
Lahore
Conspiracy
Case
condemned
prisoners,
who
have
luckily
come
into
prominence
and
who
have
acquired
enormous
public
sympathy,
do
not
form
the
bulk
of
the
revolutionary
party.
Their
fate
is
not
the
only
consideration
before
the
party.
As a
matter
of
fact
their
executions
are
expected
to do
greater
good
than
the
commutation
of
their
sentences.
But,
inspite
of
all
this,
you
are
making
public
appeals,
asking
them
to
call
off
their
movement.
Why
should
they
do
so?
You
have
not
mentioned
any
very
definite
things.
In
these
circumstances
your
appeal
means
you
are
joining
hands
with
bureaucracy
to
crush
that
movement,
and
your
appeals
amount
to
preaching
treachery,
desertion
and
betrayal
amongst
them.
If
that
were
not
the
case,
then
the
best
thing
for
you
would
have
been
to
approach
some
of
the
prominent
revolutionaries
and
balk
over
the
whole
thing
with
them.
You
ought
to
have
tried
to
convince
them
to
call
off
their
movement.
I do
not
think
you
also
share
the
general
conservative
nation
that
the
revolutionaries
are
devoid
of
reason,
rejoicing
in
destruction
and
devastation.
Let
us
inform
you
that
in
reality
the
case
is
quite
contrary.
They
always
consider
the
pros
and
cons
of
every
step
they
take
and
they
fully
realise
the
responsibility
which
they
thus
incur
and
they
attach
greater
importance
to
the
constructive
phase
of
the
revolutionary
programme
than
to
any
other,
though
in
the
present
circumstances,
they
cannot
but
occupy
themselves
with
the
destructive
part
of
their
programme.
The
present
policy
of
the
government
towards
them
is to
deprive
them
of
the
sympathy
and
support
of
the
masses
which
they
have
won
in
their
movement,
and
then
crush
them.
In
isolation
they
can
be
easily
hunted
down.
In
face
of
that
fact
any
sentimental
appeal
to
cause
demoralisation
amongst
their
ranks
would
be
utterly
unwise
and
counter-revolutionary.
It
would
be
rendering
direct
assistance
to
the
government
to
crush
them.
Therefore
we
request
you
either
to
talk
to
some
revolutionary
leaders
-
they
are
so
many
in
jails
- and
come
to
terms
with
them
or to
stop
these
appeals.
Please,
for
goodness
sake,
pursue
one
of
these
two
alternative
courses
and
pursue
it
whole-heartedly.
If
you
cannot
help
them,
then
please
have
mercy
on
them.
Let
them
alone;
they
can
better
take
care
of
themselves,
they
know
that
the
hegemony
of
the
revolutionary
party
in
the
future
political
struggle
is
assured.
Masses
are
rallying
around
them
and
the
day
is
not
far
off
when
they
will
be
leading
the
masses
under
their
banner
towards
their
noble
and
lofty
ideal
- the
socialist
republic.
Or,
if
you
seriously
mean
to
help
them,
then
have
talk
with
them
to
understand
their
point
of
view,
and
discuss
the
problem
in
detail.
Hope
you
will
kindly
consider
the
above
request
and
let
your
view
be
known
publicly.
Yours,
One
of
the
Many.
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