CM Bhajan Lal Sharma Pays Tribute to Ashfaqulla Khan on Birth Anniversary
Synopsis
Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma paid tribute to revolutionary martyr Ashfaqulla Khan on his birth anniversary on October 22, 2026, honouring his courage, patriotism, and supreme sacrifice for India's independence.
Key Takeaways
Rajasthan CM Bhajan Lal Sharma paid tribute to Ashfaqulla Khan on his birth anniversary, October 22, 2026 .
Ashfaqulla Khan was born on October 22, 1900 , in Shahjahanpur, Uttar Pradesh .
He was a key figure in the Kakori Train Action of August 9, 1925 , organised by the Hindustan Republican Association .
He was hanged on December 19, 1927 , at Faizabad Jail , aged just 27 , alongside comrade Ram Prasad Bismil .
CM Sharma described his courage and patriotism as 'immortal' in the hearts of every Indian.
On the birth anniversary of one of India's most fearless revolutionary martyrs, Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma paid tribute to Ashfaqulla Khan on Thursday, October 22, 2026, honouring his supreme sacrifice in the cause of India's freedom.
Posting on X, CM Sharma wrote: 'मातृभूमि की स्वतंत्रता के लिए अपने प्राणों की आहुति देने वाले अमर बलिदानी, क्रांतिसूर्य अशफाक उल्ला खां जी की जयंती पर उन्हें कोटि-कोटि नमन!' — ('On the birth anniversary of the immortal martyr and revolutionary sun Ashfaqulla Khan, who offered his life for the freedom of the motherland, I bow to him a million times!')
The Revolutionary Who Burned Bright — and Brief
Ashfaqulla Khan, born on October 22, 1900, in Shahjahanpur, Uttar Pradesh, was a towering figure of India's armed resistance against British rule. A close comrade of Ram Prasad Bismil, he was a poet, a visionary, and a soldier of the independence movement in equal measure.
He was a key conspirator in the Kakori Train Action of August 9, 1925 — one of the boldest acts of defiance by the Hindustan Republican Association (HRA) — in which revolutionaries looted a British government treasury train in Kakori, Uttar Pradesh, to fund the freedom struggle. The British colonial administration responded with swift and brutal reprisal.
Hanged at 27 — Remembered Forever
Arrested after months on the run, Ashfaqulla Khan was tried, convicted, and hanged on December 19, 1927, at Faizabad Jail — at just 27 years of age. He was executed on the same day as Ram Prasad Bismil, the two inseparable comrades meeting the same fate within hours of each other at different jails.
CM Sharma's tribute described him as possessing 'undaunted courage, unparalleled patriotism, and the supreme sacrifice' — qualities, the Chief Minister said, that 'will remain immortal forever in the hearts of every citizen of this nation.'
Ashfaqulla Khan's legacy endures not just as a military martyr but as a symbol of communal harmony and united resistance — a Muslim revolutionary who fought alongside Hindu comrades at a time when the colonial power actively sought to divide. That story still resonates, a century on.
Point of View
Such tributes serve both a historical and political purpose: anchoring the ruling party's identity in a broad freedom-struggle legacy. The Kakori martyrs, long championed by the left and socialist traditions, are increasingly invoked across the political spectrum. In a polarised environment, honouring Ashfaqulla Khan is also a quiet statement about composite patriotism.
NationPress
22 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Ashfaqulla Khan?
Ashfaqulla Khan was an Indian revolutionary freedom fighter born on October 22, 1900, in Shahjahanpur, Uttar Pradesh. He was a key member of the Hindustan Republican Association and a close comrade of Ram Prasad Bismil. He was hanged on December 19, 1927, for his role in the Kakori Train Action of 1925.
What was the Kakori Train Action?
The Kakori Train Action took place on August 9, 1925, when revolutionaries of the Hindustan Republican Association looted a British government treasury train near Kakori in Uttar Pradesh. The action was meant to fund the armed struggle for India's independence and led to the arrest and execution of several revolutionaries, including Ashfaqulla Khan.
Why did Rajasthan CM Bhajan Lal Sharma pay tribute to Ashfaqulla Khan?
October 22 marks the birth anniversary of Ashfaqulla Khan. CM Bhajan Lal Sharma posted a tribute on X, honouring the revolutionary martyr's courage, patriotism, and supreme sacrifice for India's freedom.
When was Ashfaqulla Khan executed?
Ashfaqulla Khan was executed on December 19, 1927, at Faizabad Jail in Uttar Pradesh. He was 27 years old at the time of his execution. His comrade Ram Prasad Bismil was hanged on the same day at a different jail.
What is Ashfaqulla Khan's significance in India's freedom struggle?
Ashfaqulla Khan is remembered as a symbol of both fearless armed resistance against British rule and of communal harmony, having fought alongside Hindu revolutionaries. His poetry, his camaraderie with Ram Prasad Bismil, and his role in the Kakori action make him one of the most celebrated martyrs of the independence movement.
