Blast from past by man who fed the hero

NEW DELHI: There is a certain timelessness to the persona of 106-year-old Naseem Mirza Changezi, a living history of the turbulent times that witnessed the fervour of revolutionary freedom fighter Bhagat Singh and his martyrdom.
Changezi, who was himself a freedom fighter and lives in one of the congested lanes behind Jama Masjid, was given the task of ensuing regular supply of food to the young Bhagat Singh while he lived in disguise planning the bombing in the central legislative assembly.
Today, Changezi is a disappointed man as he feels that India may have got independence, but it has failed to achieve Bhagat Singh's vision of freedom that sought a society where all communities and religions would live in complete harmony.
His age has not taken away the zest for life. On Wednesday, he was an honoured guest at the event where the CM unveiled the statues on the occasion of Shaheedi Diwas (Martyrdom Day). Delhi Vidhan Sabha speaker Ram Niwas Goel, deputy CM Manish Sisodia, deputy speaker Vandana Kumari, cabinet ministers, MLAs and freedom fighters were present on the occasion. Sculptor Padma Shri Ram V Sutar has created the statues.
A documentary on Bhagat Singh's days in Delhi shows Changezi share his memories with much zeal. "When Bhagat Singh came to Delhi, he started living in a house near my haveli. I was given the task of sending him meals twice a day. He would leave every morning in disguise and come back in the evenings," he said.
"He told me that he had found the way to enter the central legislative assembly premises. I asked him what he would do and he told me about the bombing. But it would not kill anyone. He knew the consequences of what he was doing. He wanted to send out a loud and clear message of freedom for the nation. He knew his punishment for the bombing would be nothing short of death," Changezi said.
"We all were doing our bit during the freedom struggle, but Bhagat Singh's desire for freedom was such that he was ready to sacrifice his life," he added.