Udham Singh's Final
Speech
July 31, 2000, marks the 60th Anniversary of the execution of Shaheed Udham
Singh by the British government. On 4 June 1940 he was brought before Justice
Atkinson in the Central Criminal Court and charged with the murder of Sir
Michael O'Dwyer, the mastermind of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, which claimed
the lives of several hundred innocent and unarmed Indian men, women and
children, whose only crime had been to attend a peaceful protest meeting. Udham
Singh pleaded not guilty. The trial lasted two days, at the end of which Udham
Singh was found guilty and sentenced to death.
On 15 July the Court of Criminal Appeal heard and dismissed Udham Singh's appeal
against the death sentence, and he was hanged at Pentonville Prison on 31 July.
Prior to passing sentence, Justice Atkinson asked Udham Singh if he had anything
to say, to which the latter replied in the affirmative and proceeded to read
from prepared notes. Throughout he was repeatedly interrupted by the Judge, who
ordered the press not to report Udham Singh's statement, which has remained
buried for 56 years in the dark rooms reserved for secret government documents.
At long last it has been released to the Public Records Office, file MEPO
3/1743. The IWA-GB and LALKAR proudly report this statement, which clearly
brings out Udham Singh's intense hatred of British imperialism, his ardent love
for India and his burning desire to see it free, and also his internationalism,
his love for the international proletariat, including the British proletariat.
SHORTHAND NOTES OF THE STATEMENT MADE BY UDHAM SINGH
The Judge asked Udham Singh if he had anything to say as to why a sentence
should not be passed upon him according to Law. Facing the Judge, he exclaimed:
"I say down with British Imperialism. You say India does not have peace. We have
only slavery. Generations of so called civilization has brought us everything
filthy and degenerating known to the human race. All you have to do is to read
your own history. If you have any human decency in you you should die with
shame. The brutality and bloodthirsty way in which the so called intellectuals,
who call themselves rulers of civilization in the world are of bastard blood...
JUSTICE ATKINSON: I am not going to listen to a political speech. If you have
anything relevant to say about this case say it.
UDHAM SINGH: I have to say this. I wanted to protest.
The accused brandished the sheaf of papers from which he had been reading.
THE JUDGE: Is it in English?
UDHAM SINGH: You can understand what I am reading now.
THE JUDGE: I will understand much more if you give it to me to read.
UDHAM SINGH: I want the Jury, I want the whole lot to hear it.
MR. G.B. MC CLURE (Prosecuting) reminded the Judge that under Section 6 of the
Emergency Powers Act he could direct that Udham Singh's speech be not reported
or that it could be heard in camera.
THE JUDGE (To the accussed): You may take it that nothing will be published of
what you say. You must speak to the point. Now go on.
UDHAM SINGH: I am protesting. This is what I mean. I am quite innocent about
that address. I never understood about that address. I am going to read this
now.
THE JUDGE: Well, go on.
While the accused was perusing the papers, the Judge reminded him "; You are
only to say why sentence should not be passed according to law".
UDHAM SINGH (shouting): "I do not care about sentence of death. It means nothing
at all. I do not care about dying or anything. I do not worry about it at all. I
am dying for a purpose". Thumping the rail of the dock, he exclaimed: "We are
suffering from the British Empire!." Udham Singh continued more quietly:
"I am not afraid to die. I am proud to die, to have to free my native land and I
hope that when I am gone, I hope that in my place will come thousands of my
countrymen to drive you dirty dogs out, to free my country...
I am standing before an English jury. I am in an English court. You people go to
India and when you come back you are given a price and put in the House of
Commons. We come to England and we are sentenced to death. I never meant
anything; but I will take it. I do not care anything about it, but when you
dirty dogs come to India there comes a time when you will be cleaned out of
India. All your British Imperialism will be smashed. Machine guns on the streets
of India mow down thousands of poor women and children wherever your so called
flag of democracy and Christianity flies. Your conduct, your conduct -
I am talking about the British government. I have nothing against the English
people at all. I have more English friends living in England that I have in
India. I have great sympathy with the workers of England. I am against the
Imperialist government. Your people are suffering workers. Everyone are
suffering through these dirty dogs; these mad beasts.
India is only slavery. Killing, mutilating and destroying - British Imperialism.
People do not read about it in the papers. We know what is going on in India".
JUSTICE ATKINSON: I am not going to hear any more.
UDHAM SINGH: You do not want to listen to any more because you are tired of my
speech, eh? I have a lot to say yet.
THE JUDGE: I am not going to hear any more of that statement.
UDHAM SINGH: You asked me what I have to say. I am saying it. Because you people
are dirty. You do not want to hear from us what you are doing in India.
Thrusting his glasses back into his pocket, Udham Singh exclaimed three words in
Hindustani and then shouted:
"Down with British Imperialism! Down with British dirty dogs"!
As he turned to leave the dock, the accused spat across the solicitors table.
After Singh had left the dock the Judge turned to the press and said:
"I give direction to the Press not to report any of the statements made by the
accussed in the dock. You understand, members of the press?"
The file on Udham Singh, can be viewed at the Udham Singh Centre, 346 Soho Road,
Birmingham B21 9LQ.