It was 90 years ago almost to the day, on 13 September 1929, that Jatindra Nath Das, one of the most courageous and committed freedom fighters of India, breathed his last at Lahore Central Jail after a 63-day fast. This fast was taken up in the company of Shahid Bhagat Singh and other imprisoned revolutionary freedom fighters for ending multiple injustices inflicted on freedom fighters. In the history of the freedom movement of India this fast is remembered for the courage and nobility with which they faced torture and beatings.

They endured fasting for very long periods. Even as they saw their own health and the health of their dearest friends collapsing before their eyes, they did not surrender. Paralysis gradually spread from one part of the body of fasting freedom fighter Jatindra Nath Das to another part, and yet he did not break his fast. Prison authorities would mix milk in the water, so that when they drank the liquid, the fast of the revolutionaries would automatically break. Instead of drinking this milk-mixed water, the thirsty prisoners simply broke the pitchers containing it.

When the authorities tried to force feed them in a cruel way, the prisoners still resisted so much that they were injured. Ultimately fearing loss of life due to forcefeeding the jail officials had to discontinue these efforts. The death of Jatindra Nath Das after enduring great hardships and torture had a very deep impact on people. In a paper ‘Bhagat Singh as Satyagrahi’, (Modern Asian Studies 43, 3 -2009) Neeti Nair has summarised this impact on the nation. When Das died on 13 September 1929 after a continuous fast of 63 days, “50000 funeral processionists marched through Lahore.

The Central Legislative Assembly passed a motion of adjournment to censure the government for their policy regarding the hunger striking prisoners in the Lahore Conspiracy Case…… In the Punjab, Drs. Muhammad Alam and Gopi Chand Bhargava resigned from the Punjab Legislative Assembly. Subhas Bose led the miles-long funeral procession in Calcutta…. Rabindranath Tagore was inspired to compose a song.”

It should also be recalled that Jatindra Nath Das had earlier fasted for the same cause of rights of political prisoners in Mymensingh Jail during a previous imprisonment. Hence it will be a fitting tribute if his death anniversary is observed every year as the Day of Justice for Political Prisoners.

(The writer is a freelance contributor who writes on several social and environmental issues)