3. Lala Lajpat Rai's Death and Saunders's Murder

The reforms of 1919 had for the appointment of a Commission of Inquiry after a lapse of 10 years to decide about the grant of the next instalment of reforms, but the existing circumstances in India and Britain necessitated an early appointment of Commission. Consequently, in 1927, a commission, consisting of 7 members (all Englishmen) and headed by Sir John Simon, was appointed.(which came to be known as Simon Commission). The Commission landed in Bombay in February 1928. This commission was resented as it was packed with Britons and no Indian was on it,whereas the matter entrusted to it was Indian. It was rightly feared by all that the Commission would prove to be an apple of discord and dissipate the national fervour and was, therefore, unanimousley boycotted by all the parties, including the Muslim League. The Hindustan Socialist Republican Association, had directed its members to the Kotla Feroz Shah meeting to participate actively in the move to boycott the Simon Commission. In accordance with that, Bhagat Singh held a meeting of the Nau Jawan Bharat Sabha in October 1928 and prepared the workers for a demostration against the "John Bulls" on their arrival at Lahore. The Commission arrived there on the 30th October, 1928. An all parties procession headed by Lala Lajpat Rai,marched towards the Railway Station, Lahore, to demonstrate their protest against the arrival of the Commission. Bhagat Singh and his co-workers were in the forefront of the huge procession.The processionists carried black flags and shouted slogans "Simon Commission go back". The Government was bent upon resisting such protests and allowed the police to deal with the crowds in an effective manner.The police, as usual warned the crowd to disperse, but it stood there, although not indulging in any violence. Despite non-violence on the part of the processionists, the police indulged in a utterly brutal lathi charge. Lala Lajpat Rai, who led the procession and refused to take it back was standing calm and collected ahead of all the demonstration, when Superindent Scott himself took the lathi and started beating Lala Lajpat Rai mercilessly. Many other people were wounded as well.On seeing this Bhagat Singh was severly angered and wanted to react, but the instruction were to remain non-violent, he controlled himself and looked after the wounded. Lala Lajpat Rai was removed to the hospital where he breathed his last on the 17th November,1928.  The Government disowned any responsibilty for the death. In reply to a question by Colonel Wedgwood in the house of Commons,Engalnd, the Under-Secretary of State to India, Earl Winterton, said,"No evidence had been produced to show that the death of Lala Lajpat Rai was due to blows received on that occasion." Parliamentary debates, House of Commons,Monday the 26th November,1928. To Bhagat Singh and his comrades, all that happened was a national insult not to go unavennged. To avenge Lala Lajpat Rai's the workers of the Hidustan Socialist Republic Army held a meeting at Lahore on the night of the 10th December,1928, and chalked out a programme of action. Those who attended the meeting were, Bhagat Singh, Mahavir Singh, Chanderasekhar Azad, Rajguru, Jai Gopal, Kishorilal and Durga Devi. On Durga Devi's proposal to select the person who would kill Scott, Bhagat Singh volunteered, followed by Rajguru, Sukhdev, Jai Gopal and Durga Devi. Chanderasekhar Azad ruled that women should not be given the task, they will be required to help with the escape of the revolutionaries. Finally, Bhagat Singh, Rajguru,Sukhdev and Jai Gopal were detailed for the job. Jai Gopal was instructed to watch the movement of Scott for about a week with a view to knowing timings of his arrival and departure from his office and his route. On the 15th December, 1928 at 2pm, another meeting was held, the following duties were assigned, Jai Gopal was asked to watch and give a signal by waving a handkerchief as soon as Scott came out of his office. Bhagat Singh warned Jai Gopal to ensure that none else was killed, as the opportunity would not come again. Rajguru and Bhagat Singh were detailed to shoot Scott on the signal of Jai Gopal, Azad and Sukhdev were to cover their movement after the shooting. On the 17th December,1928. the day fixed for the shooting of Scott, they all reached the stipulated place. Azad and Bhagat Singh went on cycles others on foot. The office of Scott was in the Punjab Civil Secretariat. Bhagat Singh and his comrades took up their positions in the vicinity of the secretariat. After sometime, an englishman came out of his office, Jai Gopal mistook him for Scott. Actually he was Johan Poyntz Saunders. He was Assistance Superintendent of police. (still a probationer, he had put only 1 year, 8 months and 8 days, when he was killed). The moment saunders started his motorcycle and rode out of the gate on to the road at 4.20 p.m. Jai Gopal gave the awaited signal. Rajguru fired a shot, hitting him in the neck. Saunders fell down. Bhagat Singh rushed to him and fired four more bullets to complete the task. When Bhagat Singh was convinced that the job was done they left him. Bhagat Singh,Rajguru, Azad and Sukhdev ran through the Court Street and entered the D.A.V College compound.as according to the plan. Head Constable Chanan Singh tried to chase Bhagat Singh and Rajguru. Chandrasekhar Azad, who was covering the movement of Bhagat Singh and Rajguru through the compound, fired at Chanan Singh and killed him. The Punjab Government informed the Home Department, New Delhi, through a telegram received there on the 17th December, 1928,at 9.24 p.m. which reads, ("Regret to report that Saunders, ASP,was shot down and killed this afternoon by two youths who escaped into the D.A.V. College and thence into the country on bicycles. Munshi who pursued also killed").