A shfaqullah Khan, a great freedom fighter, was born in Shahjahanpur, Uttar Pradesh in 1900. He was the son of Shafiqullah Khan. He was great revolutionary and martyr who sacrificed for the independence of the country. His name is written in golden letters in the history of India.
Ashfaqullah was the member of the revolutionary group whose leader was Ramparsad Bismil. He was best friend of Ramprasad Bismil who also belonged to Shahjahanpur.
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Ramprasad was Aryasamaj and Ashfaq was a devout Muslim but their aim was one and same that was to get their motherland liberated from the bonds of foreign rule. They were so devoted to their cause that they chose to be hanged rather than bow down before the foreigners.
The friendship between Ashfaq and Bismil was so deep that once Ashafaq fell ill and had severe fever and under high temperature he was muttering Ram, Ram, and my Ram. Ashfaq’s parents thought that Ashfaq is overpowered by some evil spirits since he was muttering the name of Ram a Hindu Lord.
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His parents called a neighbour who told them that Ashfaq is not muttering name of Hindu Lord Ram but in fact Ashfaq was remembering his best friend Ram Prasad Bismil whom he used to address as Ram. Bismil was called and then Ashfaq stopped muttering Ram. Both hugged each other.
Alongwith Sachindra Nath Sanyal Ram Prasad Bismil and Ashfaqullah founded The Hindustan Republican Association. The Association published a manifesto called Krantikari in 1925. Both Ramprasad and Ashfaqullah conceived the famous Kakori Train bribery with the objective of getting money for carrying out their revolutionary activities.
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On August 9, 1925, the train from Shahjahanpur to Lucknow was approaching Kakori Ashfaq boarded the second class compartment with his friends Sachindra Bakshi and Rajendra Laheri.
Ashfaq noticed money bags being taken into guard’s van and being dropped into iron safe. Ashfaq alone together with his friends Sachindra Bakshi, Rajendra Lahiri and Bismil broke the lack of iron safe, took the money and fled. For about a month none of the revolutionaries could be arrested but British government was determined to arrest the culprits.
On 26th September 1925 Bismil was arrested Ashfaq escaped. Any how he reached Delhi where he met a Pathan friend who also hailed from Shahjahanpur. Pathan fell on the greed of money which the Britishers had announced on Ashfaq’s head and sounded the Police which arrested Ashfaq next morning.
When Ashfaq was in jail, the Superintendent of Police who was Muslim came to Ashfaq and said to him, “Ashfaq I am also Muslim. I can get you
released if you become government approver and give testimony against Bismil. He is Hindu and wants to established the rule of Hindus in India; you should part ways with him.” Ashfaq got enraged and replied “I warn you, never utter such words Ramprasad is my brother. I would rather die under the rule of Hindus than to live under British rule.
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A committee consisting a Jawahar Lai Nehru and G. B. Pant was formed to defend Ashfaq and Bismil in Kakori train robbery case but its efforts to save revolutionaries in the court of justice failed. Appeals were made to Viceroy to convert his death sentence into life sentence.
Privacy Council was approached. But all efforts went in vain. Britishers did not relent. Ashfaqullah, Bismil, Rajendra Lahiri and Roshan Singh were given death sentence. Others were given life sentences.
The entire country protested against death sentences. On 19th December 1927, Ashfaqullah Khan was hanged to death at a jail in Faizabad Ashfaqs last words were “My hands are not soiled with the murder of men. God will give me justice.”
“Shaheedon ki Chitaon par lagaingay har Baras mailey, Watan par Marne walon ka yahee baqui nishan hoga” (Every year fairs will held at the tombs of martyrs, this will be the only surviving sign of those who died for the nation.)
When Gandhiji launched Non Cooperation Movement in 1921 and asked the people not to pay taxes, the revolutionaries like Ashfaq and Bismil actively participated in that movement and whole heartedly supported Gandhiji’s efforts to liberate India from foreign rule.