This is for the benefit of Suresh Chavhanke, CEO, Sudarshan News, the great snack packet fine print investigator. (I’d shared a version of this post earlier for the benefit of that other i**ot, Tejasvi Surya, when he tried his FabIndia number, but clearly it hasn’t lost its relevance, yet.) it’s a facsimile image of a handwritten page.

I am sure that friends in NOIDA know people who can reach this to Chavhanke. It’s a small world. Maybe he’s stuffing his face at the nearest Haldiram’s. And since Chavhanke can’t tell either his a**e from his elbow or his Urdu from his Arabic, I’ve offered a transcription, a transliteration and a translation.

This is an image of a leaflet that features a facsimile of the handwritten letter written by a young man called Bhagat Singh to his younger brother, Kultar Singh, on the 3rd of March, 1931, from death row in Lahore Central Jail, 20 days before his execution. 

The leaflet is headlined as follows: 

سردار  بھگت سنگھ  کی اپنے ہاتھوں سے لکھی  ہوئی چٹھی  جو ٣  مارچ   کو  پھانسی کے کمرے میں لکھی گئی 

 [ ‘Sardar Bhagat Singh ki apne haathon se likhi hui chitthi jo teen March ko phaansi ke kamre mein likhi gayi’. ]

The letter is written in a language called Urdu. Yes, Chavhanke, this is Urdu. It’s written like Arabic and Persian and Sindhi, from right to left. Maybe that can give you the great idea that the script itself is also a leftist conspiracy since it moves ‘leftward’ on the page as it is written, or read. Imagine what a great forward that would make on WhatsApp University.

I’m waiting for Chavhanke to issue a call demanding the boycott of the memory of Bhagat Singh. After all, he wrote his personal letters in Urdu. Not in the Arabic that Chavhanke mistakenly assumes to be some kind of faux Urdu known only to him and his stupid reporters, but in grammatically correct, poetic, flawless Urdu, and that too written in a clear Nastaliq hand. 

I can clearly see the Chavhanke’s next ‘sensational revelation’ take shape in the recesses of his small mind.  

“How dare Bhagat Singh stain the reputation of Bhagat Singh by writing in Urdu. It’s bad enough that he did not write apology after apology like truly respectable patriots, but writing letters in Urdu really crosses the line! Rajnath uncle, Yati Baba, please look into this matter.”

——-///———

For those interested in the complete text of this brief but moving letter – here it is (with my rough transliteration into Roman Urdu followed by my rough translation into English)

عزیز  کولتار 

آج تمہاری آنکھوں میں آنسو دیکھ کر بہت رنج ہوا .

آج تمہاری بات میں بہت درد تھا . تمہارے آنسو مجھسے  برداشت نہیں ہوتے . برخوردار , ہمّت سے تعلیم حاصل کرتے جانا , اور صحت کا خیال رکھنا . حوصلہ رکھنا 

Azeez Kultar

Aaj Tumhari Ankhon Mein Ansu Dekh Kar Bahut Ranj Hua. Aaj Tumhari Baat Mein Bahut Dard Tha

Tumhare Ansu Mujhse Bardasht Nahi Hote.

Barkhurdar, Himmat Se Taalim Haasil Karte Jaana, Aur Sehat Ka Khyal Rakhna.

Hausla Rakhna.

Dear Kultar, 

Seeing tears in your eyes gave me a lot of sorrow today. There was a pain in your voice, in your words. I cannot bear to see your tears. Dear young one, study, with courage. And look after your health. Don’t lose hope. 

“انھیں  یہ فکر ہے ہے دم نیی طرز جفا کیا ہے 

ہمیں یہ شوق ہے دیکھیں ستم کی انتہا کیا  ہے “

(Bhagat Singh quotes)

“Unhe Yeh Fikr Hai Har Dam Nayi Tarz-e-Jafa Kya Hai,

Humein Yeh Shoq Hai Dekhein Sitam Ki Inteha Kya Hai.”

‘They worry themselves trying out new scripts of terror daily. We busy ourselves testing the limits of this darkness. 

دھر سے کیوں خفا رہیں , چرخ کا کیا گلا کریں  

ہمارا جہاں اعدو سہی , آؤ مقابلہ کریں 

“Dahar Se Kyun Khafa Rahen, Charkh Ka Kya Gila Kare

Humara Jahan Adoo Sahi, Aao! Muqabla Karein!”

Why should we rage at the world, lament to this time

Our earth spins faster, come let us face the whirlwind 

کوئی دم کا مہمان ہوں  اے اہل محفل 

چراغ  سہر ہوں بجھا چاہتا ہوں 

“Koi Dum Ka Mehman Hun Aye Ahl-e-Mehfil,

Chiragh-e-Seher Hun Bujha Chahta Hun”

I am but a guest of a few breaths more in this gathering

I am the weakening flame of the lamp that seeks to extinguish itself at dawn

میرے ہوا میں رہیگی خیال کی بجلی 

یہ مشت خاک ہے فانی , رہے رہے , نہ رہے 

“Mere Hawa Mein Rahegi Khayal Ki Bijli,

Yeh Musht-e-Khaak Hai Faani, Rahe Rahe, Na Rahe”

My exhalation, the breeze about me will contain the thunderbolt of my thought

This fistful of dust will fly, what does it matter if it stays, or does not stay

اچھا رخصت

خوش رہو اہل وطن ہم تو سفر کرتے ہیں 

حوصلہ سے رہنا 

نمستے 

تمہارا بھائی 

بھگت سنگھ  

Achha Rukhsat!

“Khush Raho Ahl e Watan Hum Toh Safar Karte Hain”

Hausle se Rehna, 

Namaste. Tumhara Bhai, Bhagat Singh

Farewell then, 

Stay happy, my compatriots, we take your leave 

Live with hope, with courage. 

Salutations, 

Your brother, 

Bhagat Singh

——///——

So what’s Chavhanke going to do, ask for Bhagat Singh to be executed again, for what he considers to be the crime of writing in Urdu?

*This originally appeared as a post on Facebook and may be viewed here.

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The post Will Suresh Chavhanke ban this leaflet by Bhagat Singh simply because it’s written in Urdu? appeared first on SabrangIndia.

Sometimes, one does not need to write a long post. Some circumstances are themselves so eloquent that they need very little clarification. This evening will go down as a profoundly meaningful day in the evolving history of the Indian Republic. A man of faith, Dr. Baba Ram Rahim Singh Ji Insaan of the Dera Saccha Sauda sect, was convicted by a judge of a sessions court in Panchkula, Haryana of the offense of rape, on a charge brought against him by two women who had been initiates in his order. The facts are well known by now. The brother of one of the complainants was killed, as was a journalist Ramchandra Chatrapati of the Poora Sach (Whole Truth) newspaper published in Sirsa, Haryana, who first broke the story. The enquiry was handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation, and the trial ended today. Sentencing is set for the 28th.

As we know well by now, around a hundred and fifty thousand followers of Ram Rahim Singh Ji Insaan had gathered outside the courthouse, despite prohibitory orders under section 144 being in place. They began rioting, committing arson and attacking people soon after the verdict of guilty was announced. More than thirty people have died so far. The Dera Saccha Sauda, which has a considerable following spread across several north Indian states, has been courted by many political parties, the latest of which is the BJP. Previously, everyone, from the Congress, to the Akali Dal, to the Indian National Lok Dal, have sought the Dera Chief’s ‘Blessings’.

As the situation unfolded and I sat riveted to the news on TV. I posted the following updates on my Facebook page. I am clubbing them here, not necessarily in the order that they appeared in. So that I can remember this episode. To me, it is as meaningful as the day when Baba Ramdev disappeared in Drag from Ramlila Maidan. These are the signs of our times.

1.   It takes one great man to know another, and a stalker to know a rapist. Saccha Sauda. Narendrabhai Damodardas Modi in praise of Ram Rahim Singh Ji Insan. The True Bargain. Bharat Mata ki Hai. But, as the dear leader himself said, ‘is maidaan ko ham saaf karaoke jaayenge’

2.  Because, as the RSS Intellectual Prof. Rakesh Sinha reminded us earlier this evening on NDTV, ‘nationalist rapists’, are indeed a cut above. Here, Baba Ram Rahim Singh ji Insaan delivers a rousing musical tribute to the Kunan-Poshpora model of Indian Nationalism.

3.  Ravish Kumar said something really significant while signing off on his show just now. He reminded us that no Indian politician, neither President Kovind, nor PM Modi, nor Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, nor Nitish Kumar, nor Arvind Kejriwal, nor Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amrinder Singh, nor Haryana Chief Minister M.L.Khattar have so far gathered the courage to salute the two brave women who took their complaint against Baba Ram Rahim Insaan to court. I heard Ravish say this and thought ‘Contrast this reticence to the alacrity and eloquence with which leaders across the political spectrum commended the courage of Major Gogoi’s illegal act of using a human shield in Kashmir’

4.  Arnab Goswami and Suhel Seth are now fulminating against the BJP on Republic TV. I’m forgetting that time honoured adage about Rattus rattus and sinking maritime vessels. Can someone remind me.

5.  When asked the obvious question by Sreenivasan Jain on NDTV about the different standards used by ‘law & order’ agencies say, in Kashmir and in Haryana while handling agitated crowds, RSS intellectual Rakesh Sinha just implied in answer that a ‘nationalist who is a rapist’ if he has crores of followers, is certainly more valuable than a ‘separatist’. Different strokes for different folks. Bharat Mata Ki Hai.

6.  Narendra Modi’s tweets on Panchkula shows that he is learning well from his friend Donald Trump’s handling of Charlottesville.

7.  RSS intellectual Rakesh Sinha defended the BJP Haryana Government’s handling of the situation in Panchkula saying “do you think that the government should use violence against such a large crowd”. I’d like someone in the NDTV newsroom to remind Sreenivasan Jain that only a few weeks ago, the police in Chandigarh and Panchkula attacked students who were peacefully protesting on the grounds that section 144 was in place and even initially slapped a string of sedition cases against them. The police in Chandigarh take orders from the Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh because Chandigarh is a Union Territory and Panchkula comes under the jurisdiction of the Haryana Police.So, let’s keep reminding Rakesh Sinha that the BJP ruled government does use force when it wants to in the Chandigarh-Panchkula area. It uses it against peaceful students, but it will not use it against a violent mob. Facts are facts.

8.  The BJP MP Sakshi Maharaja just said on live television that the judgement convicting Dera Saccha Sauda Chief Ram Rahim Singh Insaan is a conspiracy against Indian Culture. Followed up by the great RSS intellectual and reptile in chief Rakesh Sinha saying, also on live TV- ‘what is wrong with Haryana minister Anil Vij touching Ram Rahim’s feet and presenting him with a cheque of 51 Lakhs’ – referring to an incident that happened only ten days ago – because it ‘represents a constructive engagement with the faith of millions’. I am reminded of how former Home Minister, later President and devoted Congressman Giani Zail Singh ‘constructively engaged’ with Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, even getting him to campaign for the Congress in Punjab elections.

9.  Kailash Vijayvargiya-National General Secretary, BJP. Seen here in BJP publicity material thanking and saluting his rapist role model for endorsing the BJP in the UP elections, after doing the same in Haryana. Vijayvargiya is famous for stating that ‘women get raped when they cross the Lakshman Rekha of modesty.’ I guess ‘Love Charger’ Ram Rahim Singh Jee Insaan was just waiting at the other end of the ‘Lakshman Rekha’ to rape the women he did. Meanwhile, the BJP plugged into all the ‘power’ that the ‘Love Charger’ could give. Such Swacch Bharat.

10.  The Dera Saccha Sauda is a BJP sponsored terrorist organisation. Any doubts? It has been in the past also been sponsored by the Indian National Congress and the Indian National Lok Dal. Indian mainstream politics is an equal opportunity game.

11. BJP leader and Haryana Minister Anil Vij after handing a cheque of Fifty Lakhs to Ram Rahim Singh Ji Insaan just ten days ago.

Surgical Strike by Baba Dr. Ram Rahim Singh ji Insaan – ‘Hind Ka NaPak ko Jawaab’. Kunan Poshpora Model of Patriotism in Technicolour. The last line of this remarkable trailer hides a key legal principle, especially to be invoked when nationalists are tried for the offense of rape – ‘deshbhakti ka koi sabot nahin hot.

Courtesy: Kafila.online

The post The True Bargain : How Dr. Ram Rahim Singh Insaan Defined His Time appeared first on SabrangIndia.