Book review
The style and format of the writing in the handbills struck British intelligence as suspiciously familiar. A senior police officer was sent to Lahore to scrutinize the posters announcing the murder of Saunders that had been plastered on the city’s walls. The typed handbills and handwritten posters had certain common features. Both were written on pink paper. Both were issued by the Hindustan Socialist Republican Association, and both had the party’s name on top. Both were signed by Balraj, commander-in-chief. And both began with the word ‘Notice’ and ended with the slogan, ‘Long Live Revolution!’. Even the language used was similar. The concluding paragraph of the handbills thrown in the Assembly was: ‘We are sorry to admit that we, who attach so great a sanctity to human life, we, who dream of a glorious future when a man will be enjoying perfect peace and full liberty, have been forced to shed human blood. But the sacrifice of individuals at the altar of the great revolution that will bring freedom to all rendering the exploitation of man by man impossible is inevitable.’ The last paragraph of the poster in Lahore read: ‘Sorry for the bloodshed of a human being; but the sacrifice of individuals at the altar of the Revolution that will bring freedom to all and make the exploitation of man by man impossible, is inevitable.’ The British began to suspect that Bhagat Singh was one of Saunder’s killers. Suspicion against him deepened as the inquiry proceeded. He was singled out as the author of the text on the leaflets as well as the poster. Indeed, he was. He had written both in his own hand.

About the author KULDIP NAYAR is among the top political journalists and columnists in the country and has been at the hub of things for over four decades. He has served as India's High Commissioner in London. He is now a member of the Rajya Sabha. He has been press officer to Govind Ballabh Pant and Lal Bahadur Shastri; Editor and Manager of United News of India (UNI); Resident Editor of The Statesman, New Delhi; The Indian Express, Chandigarh; and Chief of the Express News Service. Kuldip Nayar has also written a large number of political bestsellers.