Martyr status of Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev and Rajguru not relevant to ‘official records’: Government informs Lok Sabha

New Delhi: The government on Tuesday told Lok Sabha that revolutionary freedom fighters Bhagat SinghSukhdev and Rajguru were hanged by the then British regime on March 23, 1931 and became martyrs for the cause of Indian independence. Their martyrdom was a fact “not dependent on the presumed existence of official records”.“The martyrdom of these freedom fighters and their valuable contribution to India’s freedom struggle form an integral part of our struggle for freedom and are well known in our history… Their stature is far above any award, title or status conferred in this regard,” Junior Home Minister Bandi Sanjay Kumar said in a written reply to a question on whether to confer “martyr” status on these three freedom fighters.Kumar said that their names “will forever be etched in the annals of history in golden letters.” The “Dictionary of Martyrs of the Indian Freedom Struggle 1857-1947” published by the Ministry of Culture recorded the names of all freedom fighters, including Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev and Rajguru. “The Indian government’s position on this has not changed since 1947,” he told the House.A day ago, on the occasion of Shaheed Dewas, Prime Minister Narendra Modi remembered the martyrdom of the three heroes and posted on X that their ideals of justice, patriotism and fearless resistance continue to ignite the spirits of countless Indians. “Today we pay tribute to the brave sons of Bharat Mata, Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev. Their sacrifices for the country remain etched in our collective memory,” he wrote.