Read the given source carefully and answer the questions that follow :
'To the altar of this revolution we have brought our youth as incense'
Many nationalists thought that the struggle against the British could not be won through non-violence. In the year 1928, the Hindustan Socialist Republican Army (HSRA) was founded at a meeting in Ferozeshah Kotla ground in Delhi. Amongst its leaders were Bhagat Singh, Jatin Das and Ajoy Ghosh. In a series of dramatic actions in different parts of India, the HSRA targeted some of the symbols of British power. In April 1929, Bhagat Singh and Batukeshwar Dutta threw a bomb in the Legislative Assembly. In the same year there was an attempt to blow up the train that Lord Irwin was travelling in. Bhagat Singh was 23 when he was tried and executed by the colonial government. During his trial, Bhagat Singh stated that he did not wish to glorify 'the cult of the bomb and pistol' but wanted a revolution in society –
'Revolution is the inalienable right of mankind. Freedom is the imprescriptible birthright of all. The labourer is the real sustainer of society. To the altar of this revolution we have brought our youth as incense, for no sacrifice is too great for so magnificent a cause. We are content. We await the advent of revolution. Inquilab Zindabad!'
Read the given source carefully and answer the questions that follow :
'To the altar of this revolution we have brought our youth as incense'
Many nationalists thought that the struggle against the British could not be won through non-violence. In the year 1928, the Hindustan Socialist Republican Army (HSRA) was founded at a meeting in Ferozeshah Kotla ground in Delhi. Amongst its leaders were Bhagat Singh, Jatin Das and Ajoy Ghosh. In a series of dramatic actions in different parts of India, the HSRA targeted some of the symbols of British power. In April 1929, Bhagat Singh and Batukeshwar Dutta threw a bomb in the Legislative Assembly. In the same year there was an attempt to blow up the train that Lord Irwin was travelling in. Bhagat Singh was 23 when he was tried and executed by the colonial government. During his trial, Bhagat Singh stated that he did not wish to glorify 'the cult of the bomb and pistol' but wanted a revolution in society –
'Revolution is the inalienable right of mankind. Freedom is the imprescriptible birthright of all. The labourer is the real sustainer of society. To the altar of this revolution we have brought our youth as incense, for no sacrifice is too great for so magnificent a cause. We are content. We await the advent of revolution. Inquilab Zindabad!'
This is a source-based reading passage (from NCERT's 'Nationalism in India' chapter) that supplies context for the sub-question that follows it in the paper (captured separately as Q.12). It is not itself an independently scored question, which is why it carries 0 marks here — the marks belong to its sub-question. The passage describes the founding of the Hindustan Socialist Republican Army (HSRA) in 1928 at Ferozeshah Kotla, Delhi, led by figures including Bhagat Singh, Jatin Das and Ajoy Ghosh, who believed that non-violent methods alone (as championed by the Congress) were insufficient to end British rule. It details their attacks on symbols of British power — the bomb thrown in the Legislative Assembly by Bhagat Singh and Batukeshwar Dutta in April 1929, and the attempt on Lord Irwin's train — culminating in Bhagat Singh's trial and execution at age 23. Bhagat Singh's own trial statement, quoted in the passage, clarifies that his goal was not glorifying violence ('the cult of the bomb and pistol') but demanding a broader social revolution rooted in the rights of labourers and the sacrifice of youth for a free and just society.
Marking Scheme
- 1No marks are attached to this row directly — this passage is the shared source for its sub-question(s); see the related sub-question (Q.12) for the actual mark allocation and scheme.
Hint
Use this passage as background context: HSRA founded 1928 at Ferozeshah Kotla; key leaders Bhagat Singh, Jatin Das, Ajoy Ghosh; targeted British symbols (Legislative Assembly bomb 1929, attempt on Lord Irwin's train); Bhagat Singh's trial statement reveals his goal was social revolution, not mere violence.
Quick Oral Answer
This source describes the Hindustan Socialist Republican Army, founded in 1928 by revolutionaries including Bhagat Singh, who believed non-violence alone could not end British rule; their actions like the Legislative Assembly bombing and Bhagat Singh's trial statement show his deeper goal was a social revolution for workers and youth, not mere violence.
Analysis & Explanation
This shared source passage supplies context for its sub-question (Q.12) and carries 0 marks itself.
Concept
- Drawn from 'Nationalism in India' — the revolutionary/militant strand of the freedom struggle that emerged alongside Gandhian mass movements.
- The HSRA (founded 1928 at Ferozeshah Kotla, Delhi) represented youth disillusioned with the pace of non-violent methods, especially after the Non-Cooperation Movement was withdrawn following the Chauri Chaura incident (1922).
Key Points
- Leaders included Bhagat Singh, Jatin Das and Ajoy Ghosh; key actions were the Legislative Assembly bombing (April 1929) and the attempt on Lord Irwin's train.
- Bhagat Singh's trial statement (quoted in the source) reveals ideological depth beyond militancy — a vision of social revolution for labourers, consistent with the HSRA's 'Socialist' identity.
Common Mistakes
- Treating Bhagat Singh purely as a 'terrorist' without noting his articulated socialist ideology, or conflating the HSRA's specific actions with other revolutionary movements.
Note
- Marks belong to the sub-question (Q.12), not this passage — 'case' denotes a shared source container, not an independently gradable answer.
Common Mistakes
- 1Treating Bhagat Singh only as a violent revolutionary without noting his articulated socialist ideology of social revolution mentioned in the source.
- 2Confusing the HSRA's 1929 Legislative Assembly bombing with other unrelated revolutionary incidents in Indian history.
- 3Not using specific details from the source (names, places, dates) when answering the sub-questions, leading to vague, unsubstantiated responses.
Interesting Facts
Bhagat Singh and Batukeshwar Dutta deliberately threw bombs designed not to kill anyone in the Legislative Assembly on 8 April 1929, intending only to make 'the deaf hear', i.e., to draw attention to their cause rather than cause casualties.
Bhagat Singh was executed on 23 March 1931 along with Rajguru and Sukhdev, a date still commemorated in India as 'Shaheed Diwas' (Martyrs' Day).
The slogan 'Inquilab Zindabad' ('Long Live the Revolution'), used by Bhagat Singh and quoted in this source, was coined by the Urdu poet Hasrat Mohani and became the rallying cry of India's revolutionary nationalists.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What was the Hindustan Socialist Republican Army (HSRA)?
The HSRA was a revolutionary organisation founded in 1928 at Ferozeshah Kotla, Delhi, by nationalists including Bhagat Singh, Jatin Das and Ajoy Ghosh, who believed armed action against symbols of British power was necessary alongside the broader freedom struggle.
What did Bhagat Singh mean by rejecting 'the cult of the bomb and pistol'?
In his trial statement, Bhagat Singh clarified that his goal was not to glorify violence for its own sake, but to bring about a genuine social revolution that secured the rights and dignity of labourers and the common people.
What major action is the HSRA remembered for?
The HSRA is best remembered for the bombing of the Central Legislative Assembly in Delhi by Bhagat Singh and Batukeshwar Dutta in April 1929, intended to protest British repression without causing casualties.