Dhingra was tried in the London
High Court. He was just indifferent. All he said was: "I never intended to kill
Lalkaka. But I had to shoot in self-defence."
Madanlal Dhingra was put within the four walls of the Brixton Jail. Savarkar went to
see him there. He was proud of his disciple's courageous achievement. "Savarkar,
after my death, the funeral rites should be performed in the Hindu way. No Non-Hindu
should touch my body. Auction my belongings and donate the money to the 'National
Fund," Dhingra told Savarkar.
He made his statement in the court on the Tenth of July. It echoed everywhere.
This is what he said: "Just as the Germans have no right to occupy England, so the
Britons have no right to occupy India. It is legal to kill the Englishmen, who have set
their unholy feet on our motherland. Do sentence me to death! That is what I ask for. For
that will fan the fire of revenge in the hearts of my countrymen!"
The evening newspapers contained Dhingra's statement. "Dhingra's statement is
strange," the papers commented; "He says he is a patriot who is sacrificing his
life for the good of his motherland, and his Indian brethren will avenge his death!"
The trial was over on July the Twenty-fifth. The court delivered judgement. What was
it? Death I The date for it was fixed too. It was the Seventeenth of August 1909.
