Emergence of the Image: Documents of Udham Singh

Documents apart from other forms of evidence.are the major basis for the construction ofhistorical account of any specific space and time. Fortunately for the scholars of modem Indian history there is abundance of written evidence. But the access to all soure material remains a ditlicult hurdle due to a number of circumstances. The political sensitivity remains a major check on the retrieving of documents. Udham Singh' s case was one such example. The Shaheed Udham Singh Welfare Trust. Bir-mingham and the Indian Workers' Association of Great Britain began its campaign in 1989 for the release of Udham Singh documents in possession of the British Government. The success in redeeming came during the years 1996-97. Accordingly the British administration permitted to have access to the five files of the different departments of the state. The evidence obtained from these flies have been selected and edited with utmost care. These documents are helpful on two counts: One. that these provide ample proof for reconstruction of the personality of Udham Singh. his background. activities in India and abroad. purpose and for the emergence of a personality different than is usually thought of by the previous writers and scholars. Two. not only the image of Udham Singh is reconstructed but the attitude of various individuals. leaders and the Indian population along with the objective of the British state towards Indian nationalism and the issue of communalism are quite visible. In short. these documents are certainly a very valuable evidence that assist to reconstruct the recent past with clarity and accuracy. In this way. these add afresh to the historical understanding of the humanity in the Indian sub-continent.