Bhupendra Kumar Datta and Revolutionary Movement
Bhupendra Kumar Datta was an Indian revolutionary, nationalist leader, and chief operative of the Jugantar secret society who played an instrumental role in organizing armed anti-colonial resistance during the early twentieth century. Working alongside key figures like Jatindranath Mukherjee (Bagha Jatin), he managed secret insurgent networks, organized underground arms procurement, and led political publishing initiatives across Bengal. His lifelong commitment to national liberation spanned the Indo-German Conspiracy of World War I, mass hunger strikes in colonial prisons, and active leadership within the Indian National Congress.
Early Life and Underground Roots
Personal Background
Bhupendra Kumar Datta was born on October 8, 1892, in the village of Thakurpur in the Jessore district of Bengal (present-day Bangladesh). His father, Kailash Chandra Datta, worked as a manager in a local estate. Datta pursued his higher education at the Hindu College in Calcutta, where he was drawn to political activism during the post-Partition of Bengal period.
Entry into the Jugantar Group
While studying in Calcutta, Datta joined the Anushilan Samiti and later aligned with its radical offshoot, the Jugantar group. He met Jatindranath Mukherjee (Bagha Jatin), who recognized his organizational abilities and designated him as a core administrator for underground operations in Jessore, Khulna, and 24 Parganas.
The Indo-German Conspiracy and World War I
The German Plot
At the outbreak of World War I in 1914, the Jugantar party planned an armed rebellion against British rule by securing weapons and financial aid from Germany. Datta managed communication lines between the central leadership in Calcutta and regional cells across East Bengal.
Aftermath of Balasore
When British forces intercepted Bagha Jatin at Balasore in September 1915, resulting in Bagha Jatin’s death, the Jugantar network faced heavy police repression. Datta assumed leadership of the scattered Jugantar cadres, reorganizing secret shelters and preserving arms caches across Bengal to keep the revolutionary machinery functioning.
| Operational Phase | Key Responsibilities & Actions |
| 1911–1914 | Recruited youth across Jessore and Khulna; managed district units for Jugantar. |
| 1914–1915 | Coordinated logistical networks for the Indo-German arms smuggling plan. |
| 1915–1917 | Rebuilt Jugantar network after Bagha Jatin’s martyrdom at Balasore. |
| 1917–1920 | Arrested under Regulation III of 1818; detained at Bilaspur jail. |
Imprisonment, Hunger Strike, and Mass Politics
Detention and Historic Hunger Strike
Colonial authorities arrested Datta in May 1917 under the draconian Regulation III of 1818. Detained at the Bilaspur jail, he launched a historic 78-day hunger strike in 1919 to protest against the inhumane treatment of political prisoners and demand political prisoner status. This hunger strike broke existing records for prisoner fasting in Indian jails and forced the colonial administration to concede to several prisoner demands.
Non-Cooperation and Media Initiatives
Released after the Royal Proclamation of 1919, Datta aligned Jugantar’s strategies with Mahatma Gandhi’s Non-Cooperation Movement in 1920, agreeing to suspend armed actions temporarily. In 1921, he founded the weekly journal Forward, and later edited Swaraj and Banglar Katha, using political journalism to spread nationalist ideology.
Rearrest and The Resumption of Resistance
British authorities arrested Datta again in 1923 under the Bengal Criminal Law Amendment Act. He spent another five years in various prisons, including the Mandalay Jail in Burma, alongside Subhas Chandra Bose. Following his release in 1928, he actively joined the Indian National Congress and served as a member of the All India Congress Committee (AICC).
Later Career and Post-Independence Contributions
Partition and Service in Pakistan
Following the Partition of India in 1947, Datta chose to remain in his homeland in East Pakistan (present-day Bangladesh) to protect the rights of minority communities. He served as a member of the Constituent Assembly of Pakistan, consistently speaking out against state religious orthodoxy and defending democratic freedoms.
Retirement in India
Deteriorating political conditions and state surveillance forced him to move to India in 1962. He spent his final years in New Delhi writing historical accounts of the revolutionary movement, including his autobiography Biplabi Ahansha. He died on December 29, 1979, at the age of 87.
Key Facts for Quick Revision
- Birth & Death: Born October 8, 1892, in Jessore, Bengal; died December 29, 1979, in New Delhi.
- Primary Underground Outfit: Key leader of the Jugantar revolutionary organization.
- Chief Mentor: Worked directly under Jatindranath Mukherjee (Bagha Jatin).
- World War I Network: Key organizer in the Indo-German Conspiracy in East Bengal.
- Historic Fast: Led a 78-day hunger strike in Bilaspur jail in 1919 for political prisoner rights.
- Mandalay Imprisonment: Incarcerated in Mandalay Jail (Burma) alongside Subhas Chandra Bose during the mid-1920s.
- Journals Edited: Associated with newspapers and journals including Forward, Swaraj, and Banglar Katha.
- Post-1947 Role: Served as a member of the Constituent Assembly of Pakistan representing East Pakistan.
- Autobiographical Work: Authored Biplabi Ahansha, detailing the history of Bengal’s armed resistance movement.
