Hunger strikes by the prisoners of Lahore conspiracy case IInd (1929-1930)

Pages: 1744-1747
Gagandeep Singh (Department of History, Punjabi University, Patiala, Punjab)

The present research paper examines the observance of hunger strikes by the IInd Lahore Conspiracy Case prisoners in Lahore Central Jail in 1929 to uplift the terrible condition of the political prisoners. It starts with the filing of a complaint by the Punjab Police Superintendent under the seditious activities and in the Saunders murder case and further shed light on the activities of the under trial revolutionaries to resist the hearing. It highlights the peaceful struggle in the form of hunger strikes by Bhagat Singh and other accused under this case. This historic hunger strike resulted in the martyrdom of Das on September 13, 1929. The case drew attention the world over and the revolutionaries finally achieved their target to get special status in jails for Indian prisoners. On February 19, 1930, the government of India issued the New Jail Rules. Many demands were conceded, though it was still far short of the desired reforms.