Shaheed Bhagat Singh never wore basanti turban: Researcher

However, according to Professor Chaman Lal, a research scholar who has numerous books on the martyr to his credit, said there were no photographs of Bhagat Singh sporting a yellow or an orange turban.

“We had clarified many times that Bhagat Singh never wore any basanti or kesari turban. It is all imagination. We have only four original photographs of him. In one he is sitting with open hair in jail, another shows him in a hat and rest in a white turban. Distorted pictures show him in yellow or orange turbans or even with a weapon in hand. Some of them are paintings too. Political parties should talk about his ideology and discuss it with youths instead of using his name for their own benefits,” said Prof Lal.

The AAP is popularising the yellow (basanti) turbans associating the color with the martyr. Sangrur MP Bhagwant Mann who himself wears a such a turban, has said many times that is is part of the martyr’s legacy and that the AAP vowed to follow it and bring a ‘kranti’ (revolution) in Punjab. The party even issued directions for their Sikh volunteers in Canada to wear basanti turbans.

Bhagat Singh Teri Soch Te Pehran Deyange Thok Ke, says Congress’ campaign asking people to pay tribute to the ‘Real Captain of India’ on its ‘Punjab Da Captain’ Facebook page. It too showed him in yellow turban.