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Sohan Singh Basi

Village: Bundala

City: Jalandhar

Sohan Singh, Basi, alias Bakhshish Singh, son of Munshi, of Village Bundala, District Jullundur. Went to Canada with his uncle Dalip Singh (since returned) as a student in 1925. He never attended any school but worked as a laborer in the Cameron Lumber Co. Victoria, B. C. He attended a meeting of the Canadian American Press Society at Victoria on 13th May 1928 in which a resolution was passed that effective steps should be taken to prevent enlistment in the British army, in anticipation of a war between Russia and England. At another meeting of the Society held on 20th Maj' 1928 he was one of those who moved a resolution that a sum of Rs. 5,000 should be granted by the Society to send two young men to Bengal to learn the art of making explosives. He was also present at a private meeting held at the Mayo Lumber Co., Vancouver Island, on 1st July 1928 which was convened for the purpose of delivering a message from the Ghadr Party to the effect that the Canadian Sikhs should depute 3 men to go to California to consult the Ghadr Party regarding the future program of work to be undertaken in India. There is nothing known against Sohan Singh in his home district. His address is 620 Bay Street, Victoria. At a meeting of the Doaba Sudhar Society at Victoria on 22nd December 1928, he praised Bhagat Singh, the murderer of the late Mr. Saunders and said that it was necessary to produce more men like him. He was one of those who attended the annual convention of the Hindustan Young Men’s Association of Canada held at Duncan at the close of June 1929 in which a resolution was passed expressing satisfaction at Bhagat Singh's exploits, and at which it was provisionally decided to send a sum of Rs. 7,300 to India to assist in the work of bomb- making.