Saharanpur: A seminar held in Saharanpur paid tribute to the revolutionary poet Sardar Anwar and noted Hindi writer K.R. Bharti, while also revisiting the country’s shared heritage of sacrifice and resistance against colonial rule. Organized by the Mazdoor Sangharsh Samiti at Rotary Club, the event brought together intellectuals, writers, union leaders, and activists who called attention to how the sacrifices of freedom fighters are being sidelined in contemporary narratives.
Renowned historian and author Sudhir Bharti, the chief guest, emphasized that the legacy of martyrs such as Bhagat Singh, Ashfaqullah Khan, and the Kakori heroes is being deliberately distorted. He reminded the audience of Justice Agha Khan of Saharanpur, who refused to sign Bhagat Singh’s death warrant and resigned his post, contrasting him with Justice Shadi Lal who approved the execution. Bharti also highlighted how cities and landmarks with deep historical associations—such as Faizabad and Allahabad—have been renamed, erasing the memories of figures like Maulvi Ahmad Ali Faizabadi and poet Akbar Allahabadi.
Bhagat Singh’s nephew, Karanjit Singh, recalled the resilience of freedom fighters, while others highlighted the revolutionary ideas of Sardar Anwar and the struggles faced by K.R. Bharti as a Dalit intellectual who endured discrimination but left behind a legacy of Marxist thought and literature. Speakers also recounted the unique bonds between Indian revolutionaries like Ram Prasad Bismil and Ashfaqullah Khan, as well as their connections with leaders abroad such as Turkey’s Mustafa Kemal Pasha.
The seminar served as a reminder that safeguarding the nation’s shared heritage requires resisting selective historical amnesia and honoring voices of sacrifice across communities.
