Maia Ramnath - Decolonizing Anarchism.pdf - Libcom

154 I Ramnalh
movements as well as "doctrines of freedom and equality,
democracy and self-determination, which alone could
bring self-government and economic freedom.""6 The series
also included a pamphlet by Har Dayal emphasizing the
importance of the peasants.
Propaganda secretary Bhagwati Charan Vohra stated
in the Sabha's new manifesto that "without going into details
we can safely assert that to achieve our object thous:mds
of our most brilliant young men, like the Russian
youth, will have to pass their precious lives in villages and
make the people understand what the Indian revolution
would really mean . ... A revolutionary does not necessarily
mean a man of bombs and revolvers." Vo hra's manifesto
also urged its readers to look for worthy models, demanding,
"Do you not know the wonders worked by the Turks ?
Do you not daily read what the young Chinese are doing ?
\Vas it not the young Russians who sacrificed their lives
fo r Russia's t:mancipation?" rather than eschewing such
risks for ditt: privilt:ge. He finished, "The future programme
of preparing the country will begin with the motto
'Revolution by the masses :md fo r the masses. ' In other
words Swaraj for the 98%." 67
In December 1928, the HSRA carried out one such
dramatic action. The plan was to assassinate police superintendent
]. A. Scott to avenge the death of venerated nationalist
leader Lajpat Rai, who had died as the result of a
beating from police lathis at a demonstration against the
Simon Commission. But they killed the wrong man, when
assistant superintendent J. P. Saunders walked into the trap
set for his superior officer. At least it was a step, commented