STRUGGLE FOR REFORM

IN
SIKH SHRINES
« #
*

RUCHI RAM SAHNI

Edited by
DR. GANDA SINGH

Published by
I
IKH ITHAS RESEARCH BOARD
( S. G. P. C. flMRITSflR.)
Published by :
Sikh Ithas Research Boarc
(S.G.P.C.) Amrit sar.

Price (P*l/

112"? I

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k<ukoJ{
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I
Printed by ;
Teja Singh Sethi
at Tej Printing Press,
Amritsar.
 CONTENTS

Serial No. Pages

I Introduction.
2 Place of Gurdwaras in Sikh History I
3 The Singh Sabha Movement • #
8
4 The Chief Khalsa Dewan • •
14
5 The Khalsa College Amritsar 22
6 The Sikhs and Politics 38

The Lucknow Pact 1916.

7 The Rikab Ganj Affair 58

8 Non-Co-Operation and the Akali movement
1919-1922. 60
9 The Nankana Sahib Massacre 74
10 Mahatma Gandhi At Nankana Sahib 8
II The Oraganization and Administration of the S.G.P.C 85
12 Hindu Muslim Riots at Amritsar 96
13 Karseva 100
14 Black Turban • • t
03
15 The Guru-ka-Bagh Morcha 05
16 Appendix • • •
166
17 Guru-ka-Bagh—an eye Witness Account C.F.
Andrews. • • • 176
18 Persecution of Sikhs in Jails 184
19 The Attock Jail Enquiry Committee 194
20 The Nabha Affair 1923-24 • § • 97
 11

21 Bird Wocd Negotiations June 1924

22 September, 1924 Nankana Sahib
23 Baba Kartar Singh Bedi's Penance
24 Akali Leaders Case
I

25 The Gurdwara Bill

26 The Second Gurdwara Bill
27 Firing at Gurdwara Sisganj
28 The Akali Conference
 THE AKALI MOVEMENT.
Introduction.

The name I have chosen for the present volume may not be
considered quite appropriate by the tco critical a reader. As
every student of Sikh history knows, the Akalis did not f o r m a
separate sect. Anyone who heard the call to protect and safeguard
the Granth and the Gurdwara (the t w o greatest objects of veneration
by the entire community), and was prepared to risk his life in
preventing the sacrelege at the hands of the Muslim fanatics, became
an Ahali ( i m m o r t a l ) for the time being, but as soon as immediate
task was finished, the Akali would revert to his or her hum-drum
life as a house-holder. It is a significant fact that in adopting the
role of an Akali, no sex distinction is observed.

W i t h the advent of the Eritish Government in the Panjab a

new source of danger arose to Sikhism. Many of the priests did not
strictly observe the tenets of the faith and not a few of them led an
unclean life. Unfortunately, the new laws made them the virtual
proprietors of the Gurdwaras with all their large offerings and the
landed endownments attached to them. The law courts did not
provide sufficient protection to- the Sangats (congregations) v/ho
had previously exercised effective control over the administration of
their places of worship. Early in the present century a wave of
purifanic agitation swept over the length and breadth of the province
which naturaly brought the whole Sikh community into clash w i t h
the powerful British officialdom. It is this movement which I have
attempted to describe in these pages, the earlier chapters merely
forming the necessary background to my story.
There was another attraction also for me to w r i t e this book.
In my view, the Akali movement provides the best and the most
inspiring instance of Mahatma Gandhi's teachings of non-volience
in thought, word and deed, the Mulshi-Peta struggle in
Maharashtra talking the second place. In this connection it is
interesting to note that the Sikhs and the Marhattas are among the
most martial races in India. It is given to men of courage and
strength to conserve their energies and not to make an exhibition of

•
 I

II

them, as weak and cowardly men often do. |

Looking back upon what I have myself seen of the Akali
movement, particularly during the past quarter of a century, I feel
that the account of it as presented in these pages does but scant
justice to the epic drama that I myself witnessed, mostly at close
quarters, being enacted f r o m day to day and month to month.
While I have tried to be perfectly faithful in telling my story, so
far as the facts in my possession permitted me to do, I sincerely
wish the task had been entrusted to a really gifted w r i t e r who
could interpret the strange happenings with the insight and
imagination of a poet and who could invest his characters each w i t h
-

his or her own individuality and personality and thus make them
live and act before us as they did on so many occasions in their
own life. Lacking the power of visualising the strange happenings
of the early twenties of the present century, I am afraid the
picture of the events I have here presented may fail to make
the proper appeal to my readers. Most of my notes upon which
this book has been based were taken down soon after an event
happend and oftener than not I have simply pieced these notes
together so as to f r o m a connected narrative. This circumstance
would also account f o r a certain amount of repetition that
may be found here and there in this book. Perhaps by re-writing the
whole story of the rise of the Akali movement in the light of
the general awakening of this time in India, one could have
-vomewhat improved the picture, but for such a task I had no t i m e .
I had, therefore, to content myself v/ith an inadequate
presentation of the stirring scenes that I was privileged to see.
In addition to my ov/n notes I have made free use of such
contemporary literature as was available to me, not excluding the
r.ewspaper reports, in the case of the tragic happenings at Guru ka
Bagh, Jaito and elsewhere, for instance, I am greatly indebted for
illing in the details to certain pamphlets issued at the time by
leaders of the Sikh community as well as t o the valuable set of S.G.P.
C. Press communiques which f o r m a unique Source Book of the Akali
gitation of this time knowing the value as historical records of
 iii

these communiques, I took particular care to collect them and

preserve them as they were issued from day to day. In the prepration
of this book, therefore, I was greatly helped by these communiques
a complete set of which was in my own Possession. I may mention
that even the S.G.P.C. office did not have such a complete set as
the one in my possession. This was partly due to the fact that the
communiques were sometimes the subject of serious difference of
opinion between the Akalis and the Government, and great efforts
were made to seize as many copies of the communiques as the official
agents could. A private individual was thus better placed for making
his own complete collection of the communiques than even those
who were responsible for issuing them. I made two complete sets
of the original communiques bound copies of which I have placed
i

in the Teja Singh Samundri Library of the the S.G.P.C. Typed and
certified copies of the communiques have at the same time been
presented to some other libraries. In certain cases I have avoided
entering into details about an important incident chiefly because I
did not like to take it upon myself t o vouch for the correctness of
particulars given in the communiques. Of the books, tracts and
scattered bits of information, which I have consulted in the
prepration of this volume I need not say more than that I have
spared no pains in collecting all trust worthy material within my
reach.

The following is the list of the more important books, tracts

and other publications which have been used in the completion of the
present volume.
(1) Bound volume of Proceedings of the Crimical case
crown versus S.B. Mehtab Singh and others-2 Vols
2064 pages.
(2) Court proceedings of Nankana Sahib case against
Mahant Narian Das and others.
(3) The Gurdwara Reform Movement by prof. Teja Singh,
M.A.

(4) Press communiques issued by the S.G.P.C.

 CS) The Truth about Nabha-pamphlet Published by
S.G.P.C. 1924.
(6) A history of the Sikhs by J.D. Cunningham.
(7) Essays in Sikhism by Prof. Teja Singh M.A.
(8) Bhiyanak Saka (Gurmukhi) Nankana Sahib Massacre.
(9) Firing into the Sisganj Gurdwara (Report by Enquiry
Committee).
(10) The Phulwari, Tarn Taran Number.
(11) Guru ka Bagh hospital reports.
(12) Reports about Guru ka Bagh issued by Mr. C.F.
Andrews.
(13) The Medical reports of the Akali happenings published
in the Tribune (Lahore) from time to time.
(14) The Guru ka Bagh Inquiry Committee Report.

It is not Claimed that the literature upon which this narrative

is mainly based is free from a certain amount of Bias which is
unavoidable in such cases, especially at a time of great religious
excitement, but even so it cannot be denied that in substance this
literature—the communiques in particular—forms a valuable mine
of information on the incidents to which they relate. Another
important source of information which I have laid under frequent
contribution is the record of the court proceedings of various
cases in which Akalis were involved. To this class belong the
lengthy proceedings of the case-Crown versus S.B.Mehtab Singh
and others-\n two bulky volumes aggregating 2264 large closely
printed pages.
It should be added that the state of things arising out of the
frequent conflicts at this time between the authorities and the Akalis
was nor. only almost incredible but often also dangerously
complicated. In describing these incidents I have, therefore,
thought it necessary to document my account by
frequent references to the communiques of the S. G. P. C.
 V

supplemented by the official documents published in the press. My

only excuse for undertaking to w r i t e a history of the recent Akali
movement of my own time is that some of the happenings, as I
saw them w i t h my own eyes, were almost unique in the history
of the w o r l d , excepting, of course, the sikh history itself. I
saw on these occasions the commonest men drawn directly from the
lowest ranks of the community rising to great heights of idealism
and acting the part of heroes. In saying this I am not conscious of
being guilty of exaggration. Rustics coming straight from the
fields in response to an inner call and inspired w i t h the fervour of
religious enthusiasm, played a part in a non-violent struggle of
. which anyone mighc well be proud. In a very real sense they were
making history. I confess, t i l l I saw some of the things w i t h my
own eyes, I did no: believe all the recorded stories of the sikh
martyrs ard their Gurus having gone through extraordinarily severe
ordeals not only unflinchingly but with beaming faces and gladness
in their hearts, because they were convinced that the Akalpurkh
(The Timeless One) expected such services of them. I wish to
record my personal testimony of such sufferings borne w i t h the
inspiring words Wahi Guru, Wain Guruji, on their lips by
hundreds of men, day after day; at Guru-ka-Bagh, suffering ordeals
which I have not heard of being borne by the members of any
other community a: ieas: within our own times. I say this with
all sincerity and with absolute t r u t h . Mahatama Gandhi himself could
no: have expected more faithful followers to carry out his non-
violent non-co-operative struggle in the face of the gravest
provocation.
Considering the limited numerical strength of the sikh
community, I am not a little surprised that, under the stress of
the times, and the new forces that arose so many heroes, big and
small, should have been thrown up, nobody can say how and f r o m
'/here. Almost everybody who was sworn before the Akal Takht
for the service of the Guru under the direction of his Jathedar,
became a hero. He behaved in a manner in which he himself
could not have expected to behave before he had heard the call and
 VI

beyed it. He went through sufferings and made sacrifices th

could only have been demanded of seasoned soldiers. In their case
it was not a blind obedience like that of the Balaclava horsemen.
Not desperate submission to an order because it must be obeyed,
but the indomitable, unconquerable faith that they were doing
the right thing in the service of their God and the community. The
stories of the Crusaders paleinto insignificant before the Guru-ka-
Bagh or Jaito episodes, for instance, because, if for no other
reason, the Akalis practised non-violence such as Christ himself
preached in the Sermon of the mount.
To put it briefly, to be an Akali was, in the words of Shelley,
To suffer woes which Hope thinks infinite ;
To forgive wrongs darker than death or night ;
To defy power which seams omnipotent ;
To love and bear ; to hope till Hope creates
From its own wreck the thing it contemplates ;
Neither to change, nor faulter, nor repent.
R-R- Salmi.
 •

CHAPTER
Part-II
The Place of Gurdwaras in Sikh History.
The Punjab, and especially the Central Districts of it, are
sacred ground for the small Sikh community. Every inch of this
land is associated with one important incident or another in the
lives of the Gurus or some great martyr of the community.
Indeed the history of the Gurdwaras will form the best record
of the birth and growth of Sikhism. Despite the various phases
through which Sikhism passed during the last four centuries,
it exhibits, even to a casual observer, a remarkable unity of
plan ; it is like an organic growth rather than a piling up of
geological strata one above the other. The whole movement
turns round what may be called the Gurdwara-camSacred
Book axle. To the good Sikh the Gurdwara is more than a
mere place of worship and the Granth Sahib more than a book
of spiritual guidance. Both are associated more intimately than
we can imagine with the social, political and spiritual life and
growth of the whole movement from start to finish. To the
Sikhs the Granth Sahib represents the body and soul of the lives
and teachings of the Gurus, while the Gurdwaras are not only
the living embodiment of the struggles, spiritual and political,
of the Panth but they also Stand for the social and religious
day-to-day life of the whole community. These are, rather, poor
words to convey a clear idea of the intimate manner in which
2 STRUGGLE FOR REFORM IN SIKH SHRINES

the whole long history of the bitter struggles and the joyous
victories of the Sikhs against both outside and inside forces are
associated as well as the daily life which a Sikh leads and the
inspiration for his day-to-day tasks which he draws from them.
Such being the case, the Gurdwaras and the Granth Sahib
occupy a special place in the estimation of the Sikhs and, as
the living history of the long and ever lengthening line of their
martyrs shows, no cost-noc excluding tortures, bodily mutilations,
burning alive-is considered too great to avert or avenge sacrilege,
to them. It has always been a matter of honour and duty alike
to the Sikhs, high and low, to protect and sefeguard the
Gurdwaras and the Book. During the critical period in Sikh
history when the small community was bitterly persecuted and
hunted, down ruthlessly like wild animals, when a small price
was put upon the head of every Sikh and unmentionable orgies
of debauchery were going on in some of the most sacred Sikh
shrines, the men who came out to protect the Gurdwaras or
avenge the acts of sacrilege going on there were known as the
Akalis or the "Immortals". In the cheerful performance of the
sacred duty, death had lost all its terrors for them. But as
soon as the duty had been done, they reverted to their usual
daily avocations as ordinary householders. The Akalis, therefore,
did not form a class, for less a sect. Any one who heard the
call went forth to do his duty by the Gurdwaras and the
Granth round which the whole religious, social and political history
of the community is centred and on the maintenance of which
as pure and undefiled fonts of inspiration, coursge and strength,
all their hopes as a community are based. These men called
themselves and were called by others as Akalis. They are the
salt of the Panth (community) and the Panth honours them for it.
Says Cunningham, "These were the "Akalis", the immortals
or rather the soldiers of God, who, with their blue dress
and bracelets of steel, claimed for themselves a direct
institution by Gobind Singh. The Guru had called upon men
to sacrifice everything for their faith, to leave their homes
-
•

STRUGGLE FOR REFORM IN sIKH SHRINES 3

and to follow the profession of arms ; but he and all

his predecessors had likewise denounced the inert asceticism
of the Hindu sects, and thus the fanatical feeling of the
Sikh took a destructive turn. The Akali formed themselves
in their struggle to reconcile warlike activity with the
relinquishment of -••the world. The meek and humble were
satisfied with the assiduous performance of menial offices in
temples, but the fierce enthusiasm of others prompted them
to act from time to time as the armed guardians of Amritsar,
or suddenly to go where blind impulse might lead them,
and to win their daily bread, even single handed, at the
point of the sword.* Again; they aiso took upon themselves
something of the authority of censors, and, although no leader
appears to have fallen by their hands for defection to the

*Garret edition, page 110. Malcolm (Sketch, page 116)

Confirm the same view. " He repeats, and apparently acquiesces
in, the opinion, that the Akalis were instituted as an order by
Guru Gobind. There is not, however, any writing of Gobind's
on record, which shows that he wished the Sikh faith to be
represented by mere zealots, and it seems clear that the class of men
arose as stated in the text.
So strong is the feeling that a Sikh should work, or have
an occupation, that one who abandons the world, and is not cf
a warlike turn, will still employ himself in some way for the
benefit of the community. Thus the author once found as the
Akali repairing, or rather making, a road, among precipitous
ravines, from the plain of the Sutlej to the petty town of
Kiratpur. He avoided intercourse with the world generally. He
was highly esteemed by the people, who left food and clothing
at particular places for him, and his earnest preserving character
had made an evident impression on a Hindu shepherd boy
who had adopted part of the Akali dress, and spoke with awe of the
devotee."
4 STRUGGLE FOR KELGRM IN SIKH SHRINES

Khalsa, they inspired awe as well as respect, and would some

times plunder those who had offended them or had injured
the commonwealth. The passions of the Akalis had fu play
unt Ranjit Singh became supreme, and it cc-st that able and
resolute chief much time, and t r o u b l e , at once t o suppress
them and to preserve his own reputation with the people".
The Akalis v/ere and are, we repeat, not a sect or even
a we marked section of the Sikhs. The Akalis claim their
origin f r o m Guru Gobind Singh himself, whi
some w r i t e r s
Banda Bahadur is regarded as the founder of the Akalis. t is we
known that Guru Govind Singh denouncer) materialism and called
upon his followers to be ready to sacrifice everything for the sake of
their faith and their Panth (or community). Whenever the faith
or the Panth was in special need of protection, a number of
men always carne forward for this I service. When men were
called Akalis and were regarded, as indeed they richly deserved
to be regarded, the Panth as a whole w i t h respect and
veneration. While tney
were engag o d in this service of the
Panth at the peril of their lives, they wore a blue dress w h i c h
inspired awe in the hearts of those who saw them. Al good
Sikhs but specially the Akalis had peculiar attachment to the
steel which was always to be found on their person in one form
or another.
The Sikh history shows many instances in which a small
band of Akalis under a desperate leader have done heroic deeds
in avenging the desecration of the Darbar Sahib at Amritsar and
other sacred places of the Sikhs. The Akalis were in fact the
voluntary "armed guardians of A m r i t s a r " whenever the Sikhs
were persecuted and oppressed.
As told above the sanctity of Gurdwaras and the origin and
-
growth o the Akalis s very intimately connected w i t h each
other ; therefore, it wil not be out of place to give here a
synopsis of the desecrations of the Gurdwaras and the vendettas
undertaken the Sikhs and Akalis. In Sambat 1795-96 B. K.
 5
STRUGGLE FOR REFORM IN SIKH SHRINES

(Year 1738 A.D.). the Sikhs were taking refuge in Jungles and
the deserts of Bikaner, having been pursued to these places by
Zakaria Khan, the Governor. The Suba of Jullundar • Kutab Din
invaded Kartarpur (the temple of Guru Nanak) and after a short
affray captured the city as well as the Gurdwaras. He burnt
Gurdwara Thum Sahib arvd killed cows in the precincts of the
Gurdwara* The Sikhs were highly incensed at this. Few days later the
people learnt that Kutab Din the governor of Jullundar had been
burnt to death by the Sikhs in Jungles.

In these very days Massa Ranghar, who was a Lambardar

in a village called Jandiala-about fourteen miles from Amritsar
offended the Sikhs by occupying its Golden temple. He committed
excesses, debauchries and orgies. The Sikhs in Bikaner heard of it and
Mehtab Singh of Mirankotie and Bhai Sukha Singh came to Amritsar.
Disguised, they fearlessly pierced through the armed guards and killed
the offender-Massa Ranghar.

In the year 1757 A.D. (1314 B.K.) Taimur, the son of

Abadali, after having defeated the Sikhs demolished the sacred
buildings and the "sacred reservoir was filled with the ruins".
The Sikhs gathered under the leadership of Baba Dip Singh a
spiritual devotee and saintly person and expelled the Durranis
from Amritsar ; so much so that the Sikhs occupied even
Lahore.

But Ahmad Shah again invaded India in 1762 and went pursuing
the Sikhs as far as Sirhand. On his return he gratified his own
resentment, and indulged the savage bigotry of his followers,
destroying the renewed temples of Amritsar, by polluting the poo
h slaughtered cows, by encasing numerous pyramids w i t h th
ds of decapitated Sikhs, and by cleaning the walls of desecrated
sques w i t h the blood of his infidel enemies.*

;;
Cf. Forster, Travels, i. 3 2 0 ; and Murray, Ranjit Singh
page 25.
6 STRUGGLE FOR REFORM IN SIKH SHRINES

The Sikhs, therefore, took the earliest opportunity in avenging

themselves upon offenders. W e need not go into details about
the early history of the Sikh Gurdwaras * *
By the death time of Maharaja Ranjit Singh the Pujaris of
the Gurdwaras had become negligent in their duties to a certain
extent, due to the indifference of the Dogra ministers ; and
certain undue changes crept into the previous system of
Gurmat.

After the annexation of the Punjab the defeated Khalsa lost

Its vlgilence for their sacred Gurdwaras. The Mahants and the
Sadhus incharge of the various Gurdwaras gave up all fear of
the Sikh Sangat and became inheritary masters of the sacred shrines.
Gradually they gave up (most of them) all symptoms (inward
and outwardly) of Sikhism excepting the beard and the turban.
They adopted all sorts of corruptions and vices that are liable
to come in with unearned wealth. Idols were placed in the various
Gurdwaras and their worship was becoming common contrary to
the principles advocated by the Sikh Gospel.
This corrupted condition of the Gurdwaras of the Sikhs who
had an unparalleled history of worship and sacrifice for the T r u t h ,
Id not last long. By 1880 there had appeared a number of
Sikh gentlemen who clamoured for the reform of the Gurdwaras and
the removal of illiteracy among the Sikhs. Thiss movement came to be
known as the "Singh Sabha Lehr". This movement was responsible for
bringing religious awakening and the propagation of education among
the Sikhs.
The reformed Sikh public did not meet their religious require-
ments in their sacred Gurdwaras, the Mahants in charge of which
had by this time begun to consider themselves as their hereditary

* * The sons of the 10th Guru had been burried alive. The Sikhs
when they had conquered that tract, made it a religious duty to
carry along a brick to their own places and w i t h all the due
reverence.
 STRUGGLE FOR REFORM.IN" SIKIl! SHRINES

proprietors. Several approaches were made to law to bring about

the necessary reforms in the Sacred Gurdwaras. But the law was
too defFicient to prove effective in this respect, or it was easily
rendered harmless to themselves the Mahants' unearned wealth.
n no case the Mahants lost against the; Sikh public.

t
* •
^ • ^ ^ • ^ 1 The Singh Sabha Movement.^H^^H
In the early days when the Gurus lived and moved about
among the people, Sikhism was a living and growing religion.
There was a little of doctrinal rigidity, but of simplicity, sincerity
and a trength of faith there was no lack. The whole community
was throbbing with life, not merely those who professed them-
selves as Sikhs but also large masses of Hindus and Muslims
who had heard the message and were moved to shape their own
course of life more or less by a higher and purer code of
conduct. From Nanak to Gobind Singh, it was felt that the body
-

of the teacher changed, but the soul remained the same. It was
the soul of Nanak, so it was believed, that passed right through
the long line of the Gurus and was then supposed to have
become embodied and enshrined in the Granth Sahib. From that
moment all homage was reserved for the Sacred Book. It is a
remarkable fact peculiar Sikhism alone, We repeat, that throughout
the unbroken line of ten Gurus covering a period of nearly 240
years great revolutionary principles were introduced from time
to time, but from first to the last the personality of Nanak
persists and influences the lives and teachings of one and all of
them. Every thing is said and done in Nanak's name and all
the Gurus are the bone of his bone and the flesh of his flesh.
Even Govind Singh who, verily, worked a miracle in creating a
new militant theocratic community out of a mass of simple,
God-fearing peasant, petty shopkeepers and humble labourers
professed to speak in the name of Guru Nanak. After the tenth
Guru, the Granth Sahib and the Gurdwaras, most of them
associated with some incident in the life of the Gurus or Sikh
martyrs, became the cencres where the congregations met. In
their turn the Gurdwaras served a most useful purpose in
propagating ar.d popularising the social and spiritual message of
i e u r u s ^H^^H^^H^^H^^H^^H^^H^^H^^^^H
 I

STRUGGLE FOR REFORM IN SIKH SHRINES J

As congregations grew in social influence and political power,

more importance began to be attached to the forms, rituals and
the external signs and symbols of pomp and show of the creed
than to the essentials of the faith. In Maharaja Ranjit Singh's
time Sikhism became the-. State religion. Large estates were
attached to the more, important Gurdwaras, though some Jagirs
had also been granted by the more liberal among the Mugha
Emperors. To Ranjit Singh alone, however, belongs the credit
of beautifying the Gurdwaras by means of marble floors and
golden cupolas and steeples.

Throughout the pre-British times the Sangats (congregations)

were supposed to be in charge of the Gurdwaras. They exercised
the right to punish any one who happened to transgress the
social and religious injunctions of the faith. It is well known
that on a certain occasion Akali Phoola Singh, as the Jathedar of
the Akal Takht, did not spare the Maharaja himself, but inflicted
a degrading punishment to which the ruler cheerfully submitted
with the double purpose, it is belived, of increasing the
prestige of Sikhism and avoiding coming into conflict with the
community.
After the death of Ranjit Singh, however, the whole
administration was thrown into confusion. In these circumstances
the Pujaris in charge of the Gurdwaras gradaully became independent
of the contral by the Sangat and the old system of conducting
the affairs of the holy places by Gurmatas adopted by the
Sangats fell into disuse. With the annexation of the Punjab in
1849 things became worse. Places of worship came to be
neglected and everything drifted into a state of chaos. The
Mahants and the Sadhus in charge of the various Gurdwaras
assumed an arrogant attitude towards the new disorganised and
powerless Sangats and began to look upon the shrines as their
own property. Before long vices inseparable from the possession
of large unearned incomes crept into the administration of the
Gurdwaras. Idol worship was not only tolerated, but encouraged
 10 STRUGGLE FOR REFORM IN SIKH SHRINKS

in not a few shrines as an additional source of income from the

orthodox Hindus, while corruption and debauchery were at
times practised even in some of the most important Gurdwaras.
The Golden temple under British control, it is necessary to
mention here that taking advantage of the prevailing confusion,
the British Government had taken over the control of the Sikh
Holy of Holies in the Punjab, the Golden Temple with the nearby
i
Akal Takhat as well as some of the other important Gurdwaras.
Thej events of this time are so important for our narrative that
we consider it necessary to refer to them in some detail.

Eversince its foundation right up to the time of Maharaja

Ranjit Singh, the Sikh Sangat (congregation), as we know, was
supposed to be in charge of the Golden Temple, as also of other
Sikh Gurdwaras. W i t h the appointment of Sir Henery Lawrance
as British Agent to the Governor General in the Punjab, after
the first Anglo-Sikh War, the affairs of the Golden Temple began
to be managed and controlled, even in the minutest details, by
his authority Sir Henry Lawrance selected Sardar Lehna Singh,"
"as the manager of the Golden Temple which had been so far
under the Control of Panth through local Sangat". The manager
had, however, no powers. He had to take his orders about everything
from the Agent.f
The Darbar Sahib, as the Golden Temple is called by the
Sikhs, and its precincts were all holy places. By order of the
Agent a brass tablet with instructions engraved in three languages
was put up directing all visitors to take off their shoes before
entering the "holy place." In this connection the following
extract from Sir Henry Lawrance's political diary will not be
without interest :

* Father of S. Dyal Singh Majithia.

M
f November 20, 1847 I sign an order for a daily allowance
of rupees 3/l2/-to be expended on the religious offerings of the I
Umritsar temple." Lahore political Diaries, 1847-48, Vol. 111,355.
 STRUGGLE FOR REFORM IN SIKH SHRINES J[

"The Umritsur Akhbar stated that Major Mainwaring, who

was residing in the Rambag, went t o visit the temple of Hurimundir.
On being requested to take off his shoes before entering
into the holy place, he refused to do so, and, accompanied
two chuprassees with their shoes on also, went
forward. Jahmul Singh, Thanadar of Umritsar, together w i t h the
Kotwal, approached him. and said that there was an order from the
Governor-General and the Resident that no one should enter
the holy place w i t h o u t taking off his shoes. Major Mainwaring
however got angry and refused to obey the order. The Sirdars,
on hearing the Akhbar, expressed great surprise at the Governor-
General's injunctions being disregarded, and directed that the
Akhbar should be sent to the Resident for orders." I have
had a great deal of trouble in investigating this affair. Major
Mainwaring and Captain Knyvett think themselves as much
aggrieved as the priests of the temple ; and the • whole thing
turns on the construction to be put on the orders which,
engraved on a brass tablet 3 in three languages, were given
me t o the priests for their protection. The tablet certainly only
says that persons are not t o enter the Durbar Saheb w i t h their
shoes on, and a lawyer might possibly rule it that this meant
\

only the temple itself and net its precincts ; but the tablet
further directs that the priests are not to be molested : and
therefore I should have thought it might have been clear to
any sensible person that the spirit of the orders was to exclude
all strangers from the holy ground (wherever the priest^
considered it t o begin), unless they chose t o comply w i t h those
forms and ceremonies which the priests prescribed . to save the
object of their veneration form disrespect. (Political Diaries
1847-48, V o l . Ill, 233).
The Exact words of the order engraved on the brass tablet* are :
"The priests of Amritsar having complained ofannoyar.ee,
The brass tablet is still preserved in the Tosha Khana of the
Golden Temple along with other valuable articles.
 J2 STRUGGLE FOR REFORM IN SIKH SHRINES

this is t o make known to all concerned, that by order

of the Governor General, British subjects are forbidden
to enter the Temple (called the Darbar) or its precincts at
Amritsar, or indeed any Temple w i t h shoes on. Kine are
not to be killed at Amritsar, nor are Sikhs t o be
molested or, in any v/ay to be interfered w i t h . Shoes are
to betaken off at the Ehaunga at the corner of the Tank
and no person is to walk round the Tank w i t h his
shoes o n . "

Lahore H.M. Law ranee

March 24th, 1847. Resident.

*

In 1859 when the Amritsar district was placed under a

Civil Officer, a Committee of Sikh Sardars and Raises was
appointed to manage the affairs of the Temple and specially t o
settle certain old disputes of the Pujaris regarding their shares.
With the consent of the Deputy Commissioner, the Committee
appointed a Manager to look after the affairs of the Temple.
The Committee itself was supposed to have died a natural death
though it was never formally dissolved. The Manager was now
to be held responsible for everything he did to the local Deputy
Commissioner from whom he took his orders direct and to
whom he rendered his accounts.

The first forty years of the direct British rule in India

formed a period of intense religious and social ferment in the
whole country. Brave, emotional and deeply religious as they
are, the Sikhs in the Punjab had been stirred perhaps more
than any other community, not exclucing even the Wahabi section
of the Muslims.

Upto the early eighties and even for many years later, the
Sikhs regarded themselves and were regarded by every body else
as an integral part of the Hindus. For this there were good
historical reasons. No: only were all the Gurus, the martyrs
 STRUGGLE FOR REFORM IN'SIKH SHRINES >°

and the rank and file of the Sikh community flesh of the flesh
of the great mass of the Hindus, but one and all of them had been
mainly fed and nursed on the ancient Aryan culture and tradit-
ions that had been the common heritage of A l l Hindus. The
first four Gurus had tried assiduously to reconcile the Muslims
in every possible way. The Muslim saint Mian Mir of Lahore
had been invited to lay the foundation of what has now become
the greatest and the most sacred temple of the Sikhs, while
the fifth Guru-admitted the theistic sayings of several Muslim
saints in the Sikh scripture, the Granth Sahib, itself. But, as
every student of Indian history must know, the last six gurus
were an object of persecution at the hands of Muslim fanatics
i

while three of them, along with a long line of faithful Sikhs

including four sons of Guru Gobind Singh and Banda Bahadur,
had to pay the penalty for their intense devotion t o their faith and
their wonderful steadfastness with their lives.
 The Chief Khalsa Dewan
Searching of hearts. The closing decsde of the last century
was a period of serious searching of the hearts in all communi-
ties in the Punjab. The Sikhs were the last to awaken to a
self-consciousness of t h e i r " glorious heritage. It was a silent
process. Slowly and almost imperceptibly they felt the new
impulse creeping through the younger members of the community.
There was a strange stirring of their bones, a tingling sensation
in their fibres which they could hardly explain themselves. A
great Sikh leader tells me that in the midnineties while sitting
in a junior school class, he was suddenly assailed by the idea that
he would like to become a Sikh. He was born and brought
up a Hindu. That moment was a turning point in his life. In
due course of time he passed his Matriculation Examination and
graduated four years later. As a teacher in a Khalsa School
at Lyallpur he resolved to become a missionary for the faith.
He is now one of the foremost leaders of his community.
Again, about the time the small Rawalpindi school boy was
making a brave resolve about his future life, one day I discovered
one or t w o Sikh students in my class at the Government
College wearing an iron bracelet (kara) on their wrists. It
attracted some attention from their class fellows. The symbol
was so uncommon in those days except in the case of the much
decaded Namdharis, popularly known as Kukas, that it exited no
small curiosity among the Hindus and Muslim students of the
class. I believe one of the t w o students who appeared in the
class room w i t h kara on their wrists was S. Sunder Singh
Majithia. A few years later, a Hindu student of my class came
up to me and asked me to change his name as his father
had made him a Sikh. The Census of 1901 showed a rapid
increase in the number of Sikhs. These men had probably
hitherto passed for Hindus. These were small straws on the
stream of time. The f o u n d i t i o n of the Khalsa College at Amritsar
folfowed by a few schools elsewhere awakened new hopes in the
 ;
S ' I R U G G L K FOR 1:1 1< KM IN SIKH SI1RIM S 1

community. The Small band of young enthusiasts whom I have

already named," had been preaching the name of God. A
member of the Indian Civil Service, Mr. M. A. Maycauliffe, had
given up his appointment and with the assistance of some
learned Sikhs, Bhai Kahan Singh of Nabha being the most prominent
^figure among them, was dev.oting all his time to the English translation
of the Granth Sahib. He was also bringing out the "Lives" of the
*

Sikh Gurus. Nor should we omit to mention the work of Sir

Baba Khem Singh Bedi of Rawalpindi, a direct descendant of
Guru Nana1<; who exercised a great influence among the Sikhs
in the whole area of Dhani Pcthcwar which has always been a
stronghold of Sikhism. He claimed to have thousands of followers
and maintained a number of girls schools in that tract. He was
a great patron of the Punjabi language and is known to have
done an immence service to his community in popularising Sikhism
north western Punjab. The cumulative effect of all these forces
could not but make itself felt ower a wide area.
The foundation of the Chief Khalsa Deuan- At this stage it
is necessary to refer to two important facts which began to
force themselves upon the attention of the community. As the
number of Singh Sabhas increased, some rivalry began to make
its appearance between the Amritsar party and the Lahore party.
As a rule the former was composed of moderates while the
latter were whole-hoggers. The Lahore group had the advan-
tage of a weekly Gurmukhi paper, the Khalsa Akhbar, edited
by Giani Dit Singh, though wealth, rankx and wordly influence
v/ere to be found on the side of the Amritsar party. Most
important of all, the Lahore party was composed of a number
of young men with a strong sprinkling of good Punjabi writers
*Bhai Gurmukh Singh, Bhai Jawahar Singh, Giani Dit Singh,
Bhai Maya Singh, Bhai Basant Singh (of the Agra Bank) and others.
Giani Dit Singh and Bhai Maya Singh were good speakers
and writers, while Bhai Basant Singh was a ready and charming
speaker in the Punjabi language.
 13 STRUGGLE FOR REFORM IN SIKH SHRINES

and speakers. Thus, as we have already mentioned, Giani Dit Singh

was a fluent speaker and an equally good writer, while Gurmukh
Singh, Maya Singh and Basant Singh were ready and charming
speakers who could hojd a large crowd bound for an hour or
more, in particular the last named.
The opening of the Khalsa College gave a tremendous
impetus to the revival of a puritanic movement in Sikhism.
Thanks to the small but enthusiastic band of workers, a fairly
large number of Sikh schools came into existence. More important
still, there was a general re-awakening in the community which
was now expresssing itself in various ways all tending to rouse
the mass mind to a feeling of pride in their past history. For
the first time public lectures in the Punjabi language began to
be tolerated. In this direction Bhai Dit Singh's Punjabi paper,
the Khalsa Akhbar, had already dene a great deal of spade
work to prepare the people that their own mother tongue was
at least as suitable to serve as a literary language as any other
vernacular then in common usev in the country. For the English
educated Punjabi, Mr. M. Macauliffe was doing a yeoman's service
by translating the Sikh scriptures into the English language.* No
less valuable were the "Lives" of the Sikh Gurus and Sikh
martyrs which for the first time opened the eyes of thousands
of the more sophisticated Indians to the grand heritage that had
descended to the Sikh community and of which they had hitherto
remained almost entirely ignorant. Excited by the frequent and
unseemingly attacks of the Arya Samajists ** on the character of

*He worked on this magnum opus for no less than sixteen

years, 1893-1909.
** It v/ould be difficult to convey to the reader even a faint
idea of the feelings of bitterness and hatred that were being
engendered at this time by the Arya Samajists in General and
certain paid Sikh preachers of the Samaj in particular by their
attacks en the personality of Guru Nanak and other Gurus. Referring
Contd-
 STRUGGLE FOR REFORM IN SIKH SHRINES 17

of the Sikh Gurus and the Sikh faith in general, violence also
broke out now and again while foul abuse was a common feature
of the discourses given by the preachers. In roder to meet
these attacks, a more than ordinarily passionate Sikh young man,
Bhagat Lakshman Singh of Rawalpindi, started an English paper
at Lahore under the name of the Khalsa which lasted for about
two years, 1899-1901.***
(Continued from last page)
to this subject, Prof. Teja Singh mentions the names of Chhajju
Singh and Arjun Singh as being the chief men employed on this
business, but there were a host of other men who often created
-

serious trouble between the Hindus and Sikhs. Very frequently

the critics took their shelter under the well known obser-
vations of Swami Dayanand Saraswati in the Sattyarth Parkash
which the Aryas have come to regard as their sacred scripture.
The book has been translated into English and several vernacular
of India. In this book Swamiji refers to the opening text of
Guru Nanak's Japji where he uses the Punjabi from "bhow" for
the pure Sanscrit word Bhai (fear) and says that Guru Nanak
was an unlettered man and, therefore, preached among the vulgar
people, but the introduced Sanscrit words in the course of his
preaching so that he might be taken as a Pandit (learned man).
He was, says Swamiji, thus "cheating" or "deceiving (dambh)
the people. The Swamiji evidently did not know that in passing
into another language, words often change their form, and spelling
and sound. Bhow is a common Punjabi word meaning "fear".
***Bhagat Lakshman Singh was one of the most earnest
workers in the cause of Sikhism. I knew him since his boyhood.
When I was a student at the Government College in 1882, my
friend was living in the same hostel with me. He was then
studying in some school at Lahore, but was living in the College
hostel as a ward of kesho Das Sapra of Jhang, who afterwards
became a judicial officer. I became intimate with Lskshman Singh
IS STRUGCLE FOR REFORM IN SIKH SHRINES

Meanwhile the Khalsa College at Amritsar was rapidly growing

and progressing. But the officials were far from happy over
it. The dominant feeling In their minds was one of dis-
appointment that despite all they had done and were doing for
the Sikhs, the growing youth of the community were not expected
to be as amenable to their influence and control as they could
wish. Knowing what they owed to the valuable help they had
received at a critical moment in their recent history from the
Sikh soldiery, they were more than ever determined to persist
in their efforts to maintain their hold over the Khalsa College
which they rightly believed to be the training ground for the
future leaders of the community.

(Contd. from last page)

under somewhat strange circumstances. One summer morning when
I got up from my bed and was moving about in the compound,
I found the boy Lakshman Singh throwing up his arms violently
in the air. On going near his bed, I noticed a small bottle of
strychnia lying on a small wooden stool. I afterwards discovered
that he had taken the poison through some mistake. W i t h the
help of some fellow students, we carried the charpai to the
hospital after securely tying Lakshman to it. At the hospital
another difficulty arose. The House Physician in-charge at the time
was still at his house (on the premises of the hospital) but as
it was an early hour, no servant wou!d go to him. I myself
undertook t o do this by shouting out to him at his door. He
came out but began to abuse me. I begged him to have mercy
on the poor boy who was dying. He came with me and applied
the stomach pump and also gave some medicine. So far as I
know Lakshman Singh never passed any examinations, but he
acquired a very good command over the English language. He
was fond of journalism. In the later eighties, I think he was
appointed to edit an English paper, the Punjab Times, of One Mr.
Thapar, at Rawalpindi Cantonment. Bhagat Lakshman Singh died
at a good old age in 1945.
 o

STRUGGLE FOR R E F O R M IN SIKH SHRINKS P

There was a small Sikh party in the College Committee led

by Sardar Sunder Singh Majithia that did not quite see eye to
eye with the high officials who were interesting themselves in
the affairs of the College. On their own part Sardar Sunder
Singh and his co-workers believed that they had already conceded
a great deal to the high officials to whom they were sincerely
grateful but they felt that there was a limit beyond which they could
not go. They were already being accused of weakness and servility
by the more forward elements of the community. Indeed both
sides were now extremely embrassed, the officials, because their
isfluence over the brave community was, as they believed, waning,
the young Sikh aristocrats, because their own position had
been reduced to that of yeomen to the official hieracy in the
province. •
A new organization with a constructive programme and
progressive outlook formed. It speaks a great deal for the
spirit of healthy enthusiasm and constructive work of the Amritsar
party that just at this time they brought into existence a new
organisation that put heart into the whole community and provided
ample apportunities for a large number of workers to engage
themselves in useful activities for .the good of the Panth ana the
country at large. It soon became famous under the name of the
Chief Khalsa Diwan, as distinguished from the Khalsa Dewan of the
time. Its moving spirits were S. Sunder Singh Majithia, S. Harbans
Singh of Attari, Bhai Vir Singh, Bhai Jodh Singh, S. Farlochan Singh,
S. Shiv Deva Singh, etc.
The Chief Khalsa Diwan had several departments of which
the Khalsa Tract Society, the department for the encouragement
of the Punjabee as the national language of the province, and
the Educational Conference achieved a wonderful measure of
success during the comparatively short period of about fifteen
years when the organization remained in the full swing of its vigor-
ous life and work. It will be worth while to say a few words
here about each of these lines of work.
 _,, S T R U G G L E FOR l'.l FORM IN S I K H S H R I N E S

I. The Khalsa Tract Society. The Tract Society was originally

founded by Bhai Vir Singh as early as 1894, but it was only after
1902 when it became merged in the Chief Khalsa Diwan that it
began to function as a well organized association with a definite
programme laid down for it. So far as we can find out now the
Society was able to publish a number of books and tracts in
the Punjabee language. They were all written in simple and elegant
language, most of them by Bhai Vir Singh himself who has done
an invaluable service in enriching the Punjabee language.
2. Efforts for Punjabee language. The Chief Khalsa Diwan
carried on a persistant correspondence with the Postal authorities
and the Railway Board pressing them to provide proper and adequate
facilities for the Punjabee knowing Section of the population. This
was an uphill task, but success came to the Diwan at last. The
Railway authorities agreed to print the names of Railway Stations
in the Punjabee language on their sign boards while the Post
offices appointed Punjabee knowing clerks on their staff, who could
read the name and address on envelops written in tfte Punjabi
language. This was a great help to the Punjabee knowing
public of the province and the improvement was greatly
appreciated. •

3. The Educational movement. In 1903 when the Khalsa

College at last came into the complete and undisputed possesion
of the Government, the Chief Khalsa Diwan started what they
called the Educational movement. Following the example set some
years earlier by the Aligarh School of Muslim reformers, the
Chief Khalsa Diwan began to hold an Educational Conference which
met annually at one of the bigger twons for the disscussion of
educational topics with special reference to the needs and require-
ments of their own community. A small admission fee was charged,
but so great was the enthusiasm which these gathering excited
that every year the organizers of the Conference were able to
collect sufficient funds for starting a new High School after paying
 STRUGGLE FOR REFORM IN SIKH S H R I N E S 2)

the expenses of the year's conference.

In this manner every year the Chief Khalsa Diwan was
also able to add one High School to those they were already
managing. Prof. Teja Singh estimates that collections made in
connection with 30 annual Conferences enabled the community to
pay Rs. 4, 95, 548 towards the upkeep of different schools,
besides Rs. 69, 300 paid to needy students in the forms of stipends.
The net work of schools thus spread over the province did
immense service to the Sikh community in various direction?-,
besides increasing the prestige of the Chief Khalsa Diwan.
 The Khalsa College, Amritsar.
As we have seen, the promotion of education among the Sikhs
was one of the chief objects of the Singh Sabhas that were now
spining up in the central districts of the province. Bhai Gurmukh
Singh was the moving spirit of the new activities designed for the
moral and spiritual uplift of the Sikh community. In these days the
Oriental College where Bhai Gurmukh Singh was a Professor was
located in the northern wing of the Government College building.*
Associated with Bhai Gurmukh Singh were a number of other young
men all of whom were . as enthusiastic as he himself was. It was
probably in 1887 that the idea of establishing a College for the
Sikh community first presented itself to Gurmukh Singh and his
co-workers. The Public mind in the whole province at this time
was very much agitated over an important recommendation of the
Education Commission of 1882 presided over by Sir William Hunter,
a distinguished member of the Viceroy's Council. The Commission
f , _ , • I - T i-i • • I ' "" *

*lt may interest my readers to know that for the first two or three
years, the Training College classes were also held in certain
groundfloor rooms of the block of the Government College
building that accomodated the Oriental College. Besides, the Law
School of the Punjab University (now known as the University Law
College), held its classes in some of the rooms of the same building.
These classes met in the evenings. Neither the university nor the Law
School had a separate Library while the Head Clerk of the
Government College also acted as clerk for the Law School. He
was also a (duly qualified) lecturer of the Law School, along with
Lala Lai Chand (afterwards an officiating judge of the Lahore Chief
Court), Mr. E. W. Parker, District Judge, Lahore and Lala Sangam
Lai, Pleader (some time Trustee of the Tribune), etc., from time
to time some of the members of the Lahore Bar were also
appointed to lecturer on specified subjects.
 o

STRUGGLE FOR REFORM IN SIKH SHRINES 23

nad been appointed by Lord Ripon's Government with the specific

object of inquiring into and reporting upon the progress of school
education in general all over India and of elementary education in
particular in terms of the famous wood's Despatch of 1854. Among
other things the commission pointed out that sufficient attention had
not been paid to the diffusion of mass education and that the bulk of
the funds alloted by the'. Government to popular instruction were
being absorbed by collegiate education. Reviewing the Report,
Lord Ripon's Government, passed a comprehensive resolution
directing that, in future, adequate provision for elementary mass
education shall be "the primary concern" of the Government and
shall make the first claim upon the revenues of the State. At the
same time, it was laid down that the Government should gradually
withdraw its support from the higher education of the people and
should confine itself to the maintenance of only one institution of
the kind in each province so as to serve as a model for the people
themselves to follow.
As was to be expected, Lord Ripon's resolution created
something like a stir in the educated circles of the Province and
soon we find the various communities vying with each other to
start their own schools and colleges. In this work the Sikhs found
a most influential helper in an unexpected quarter. Lord Dufferin
had at this time successfully won over (Sir) Syed Ahmed to
withhold his support for the new political movement.*

*The Indian National Congress had come into existence in December

1885. Sir Syed Ahmed had been in the forefront of the national
movement, but under the inspiration of Lord Dufferin and some
of the high officials of his Government he was led to adopt the
creed of a rank Communalist and to keep himself aloof from the
Congress movement. As an influental leader of his community,
he succeeded in weening the Musalmans of nothern India from
advanced politics. Sir Syed now became the head and font of the
CcntcL
24 STRUGGLE FOR REFORM IN SIKH SHRINES

Lord Roberts, th
A ty
Commander-in-Chief of the Indian forces, to make a similar attempt
with the Sikhs. I do not know how it started, but when the work
was fairly well in weigh, Bhai Gurmukh Singh used to tell me a
good d bout it. As- he was working in the same building
myself, we used to meet each other frequently. Professor Gurmukh
Singh was himself in the thick of this business and used to see
Lord Roberts in connection with it whenever he happened to ccme
to the p rovince. He would also take some of the Vakils of the
different Punjab States "to pay their respects" to Lord Roberts.
It is wel | known that it was mainly through the efforts cf the
Commander-in-Chief that the Phulkian States of the p b
ted he Sikh Educational Movement and were eventually
duced to offer handsome contributions towards the foundation
id maintenance of the Khalsa College at Amritsar. Indeed, the
wh Sikh community began to be looked upon with special fav
in official q d on various occasions even Governors and
Viceroys would make very complimentary remarks about th
ty which went a long way in bringing the Sikh leader
closer to the officials. It is a remarkable fact that in many way
th Muhammadans and the Sikhs now became the special fa
f th I British officials in India, while the Hindus alone were left
to houlder the onerous responsiblity of the political interests of
the country.
In the Panjab, a Journal of the name of The Pan jab Patriot
was started by an Anglo-lr.dian syndicate, though every attempt
was made to keep this fact a sealed secret and the paper was
supposed to be a purely Indian concern. After some years, the
(Continued from last page)
new Muslim separatist movement. In this work he was mainly
helped by Mr. Beck, Principal of the Aligarh College who drafted
all the memoranda and representations to Government in the
interest of his community and acted as a sort cf Secretary to him.
*

25
S T R U G G L E FOR REFORM IN S I K H S H R I N E S

business was sold to a young Sikh Sardar (afterwards well known

as Sir Sunder Singh Majithia). So long as it lasted, the paper was
bitterly opposed to the Congress movement for which purpose it
was, in fact, originally started.*
It is noteworthy that with a view to keep the young bloods of
the Khalsa College in hand, the Native States did not always pay
down their promised contributions in cash. A small portion was
handed over to the college authorities, but the bulk of the money
was withheld by the States and kept in their own treasuries, only
the interest being remitted to the College month by month to
meet the routine charges of the institution. I believe the arrange-
f

ment still continues in the case of several States. Probably this

plan was also dictated, at least in some cases, by considerations
of convenience of the States who did not always command sufficient
ready cash to pay to the College.

It will be of interest to know that the original idea was to start

the Khalsa College at Lahore, which is admittedly the intellectual
centre of the province. The European officials who were among
the sincere friends and advisers of the Sikhs at this time also
strongly favoured this view. It was believed that they would
thus be better able to watch and guide the affairs of the
College.
There was also a small party that advocated the claims of
*For full details about the Panjab Patriot, see the author's History
of the Press in India. Among the high officials to whom the Khalsa
College movement is specially indebted in various ways are Col.
W.R.M. Horlroyd, the director of Public Instruction, Mr. I. S
Principal and subsequently Director of Public Instructions, Mi
W. Bell, who also acted as Secretary of the College Council fo
same years, Sir. William Rattigan, for many years vice-Chancello
of the Panjab University, Sir Charles Rivaz, Lt. Governor of th«
Panjab, besides several other high European officers at Lahon
and Amritsar.
o6 S T R U G G L E FOR REFORM IN SIKH SHRINES

Amritsar as the religious centre of the community. Eventually,

however, the choice fell upon Amritsar. This decision has, an
interesting history behind it. One should have been most reluctant
to put much faith in this story had it not been for the fact that
I heard it myself from the lips of two gentlemen whom I have
reason to regard as thoroughly reliable, the more so as both of them
professed to have taken an active part in the various stages of
bringing about the change from Lahore to Amritsar. One of these
two gentlemen, Bhagat Lakshman Singh, was long a well known
figure in Sikh circles and passed away in the summer of 1944. He
served for several years in the Inspection line of the Punjab
Education Department. He had a facile pen and was editor of the
Panjab Times of Rawalpindi in the later eighties or early
nineties of the last century and, again, of the well known weekly
paper, the Khalsa of Lahore. Now Bhagat Lakshman Singh became
a strong protagonist of Amritsar party. In fact it was his advocacy
that led to the formation of a small party in favour of Guru Ki
Nagri as the site of the chief educational institution of the Khalsa
Lakshman Singh used to write to the Tribune and other papers
under the nom de plume of "A degenerate Sinkh". But the letters
were really written by one of his near relations who was a leader
of the Arya Samaj. Lakshman Singh little realized at the time what
he was doing and was sorry for it aftewards. He said he was
carried away by his youthful enthusiasm for his faith. He must
be in his teens at the time. The second gentleman who appeared
on the scene a little later was no other than a cousin of my ow
Rai Bahadur Lala Lubdha Ram. He had been, he told me In th
thick of the plot himself. In 1893, my cousin and myself were
occupying the same house at Lahore, where he had been lately posted
as an Executive Engineer in the Railway Department. H« told me
that some year earlier, half a dozen Arya Samajists formed a
scheme to get up a petition signed by thousands of "Sikhs" begging
the Governor of the Province who was actively helping the Sikhs
that the College should be located at Amritsar and not at Lahore
 o

^ S T R U G G L E FOR R E F O R M IN S I K H ' S H R I N E S '-7

Thousands of foolscap signed sheets were circulated through an

army of paidmen all over north-Western Panjab, each sheet bearing
same words to the effect : "I request that the Khalsa college be
established at Guru ki Nagri (Amritsar) and not at Lahore." The
rest of the page was divided in two ruled columns, one for the
names of the petitioners .and the other for their address. In this
manner several lakhs of signatures were said to have been obtained.
These sheets were pasted together and then folded up in
to an impressive Roll. Men who go so far and put themselves to so
much trouble and expense in getting up a Memorial are not
expected to leave things half done. The Roll was wrapped up in
an expensive piece of Silk and then carried in a palanquin to
the Government House on the shoulders of four stalwart Sikhs.
The plan produced the desired effect especially as it came on
*

the top of a well organised agitation through the press and

platform. The Government offered the spacious and valuable Ram
Bagh grounds outside the city, but an agitation was raised again
that the temptations of a bigtown should be avoided. Eventually
a large plot of land was acquired at a distance of more than three
miles, from the city* and in the course of time a handsome building
was erected on the spot for teaching purposes with additional
buildings for the residence of the staff and students of the College,
and other auxiiliary structures. A Gurdwara was, of course,
attached to the College for the use of the scholars and their
teachers.
When every thing was settled, the teaching work began with the
Middle School classes in 1893 followed by the Matriculation Depart-
ment, three years later. In due course of time, the successful
students from the Khalsa Collegiate School were drifted into the

* For this purpose the site of two villages was purchased for
Rs. 10,000/- which was considered to be a large sum of money at the
time. The dispossessed villagers were premised that their
descendants would be admitted to the new institution free of charge.
2S S T R U G G L E FOR REFORM IN SIKH SHRINES

first Intermediate class and the Khalsa College may be said to

have started on its career. The Degree Classes in Arts subjects
were opened In 1899 and in Science subjects six years later. It
was not till 1916 that the college was affiliated to the Uuniversity of
the Panjab for the M.A. degree.
In the earlier years the college was faced with various
difficulties, especially due to some friction with the officials over
the control of the institution. They were all overcome by the
patience and enthusiasm of the youthful band of workers like Sardar
Sunder Singh Majithia, Sardar Harbans Singh of Attari and others.
Like the Muslim College at Aligarh, a European was selected as
the principal of the college.* This arrangement was made so as
to keep control over the important institution which the
government had not only brought into existence but for which they
were doing everything to maintain in an efficient condition. Things
went on smoothly for some years but serious trouble arose
when early in the present century a particularly able sikh young
man became available, and the Council was split into two parties,
all the European members along with a few Sikhs being strongly
in favour of Mr. Cole, European incumbent of the post, while
another section consisting of the more influential Sikh members
supported the claim of a member of their own community to be
placed at the head of the institution. They pleaded that their
nominee combined in his person high intellectual abilities with a
deeply religious nature which they valued at least as much as literary
qualifications in their teaching staff. For months a violent agitation

•In the Aligarh College Mr. Theodore Beck was appointed the
Principal of the College and Secretary of the Committee of
management. There were also two other European Professors on
the staff of the College whose salaries, as also of the Principal,
were paid by Government. Mr. Beck managed the whole show.
(For full details the reader is referred to the authors book and
a Century of Cultural Fei <-- ^ j - ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ B ^ ^ ^ H ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ I
 S T R U G G L E FOR R E F O R M IN S I K H S H R I N E S **>

was kept up not only among those directly connected with the
College but in the whole Khalsa community. Unfortunately, some
of the States withheld payment of their contributions to the College
under inspiration, it was said, from official quarters, and it was
felt that in the seriously disturbed conditions into which the
affairs of the college were fast drifting, the institution might
suddenly collapse. At one stage things had reached such a pass
that Sir Macworth Young, then Lt. Governor of the Province,
seriously put forward a porposal that the College classes should be
*

abolished altogether.
It will be difficult for the reader to realize the uproar
throghout the Province that the proposal created. No section of
the community was prepared to see all their hopes of having a
first class College of their own so soon dashed to ground. And
yet they did not know how to get over the serious difficulties
that had presented themselves. They began to realize, as they
had never done before, how strong a position the European members
of the College Council occupied in the then existing circumstances
of the institution. The bulk of, the funds upon which the life of
the College depended were held by the States and there was no
expectation of getting even the monthly quotas from the States
without the full support of the European members of the Council.
Their complete helplessness became evident especially when, in
1902, the European members opposed the selection of Sardar Sunder
Singh Majithia as Secretary to the College Council and insisted
upon Mr. Cole holding the office of Secretary of the Council in
addition to his own duties as Principal of the College. To add to
their embarassments, by this time Lord Curzon had appeared on
the scene and was unfolding little by little the reactionary educational
scheme that he had brought in his pocket, it was said, along with
certain other plans of political and industrial character.*

* Lord Curzon called an Educational Conference at Simla in

September 1902 which held secret meetings and consisted of the
(Contcl)
30 S T R U G G L E FOR REFORM IN SIKH S H R I N E S

All these difficulties however, vanished when the powerful Sikh

group headed by Sardar Sunder Singh Majithia gave up their
agitation over the appointment of a Sikh Principal of the College.
In 1902 all objections to his own appointment as Secretary of
the College Committee were withdrawn, and once again the whole
college machinery began to run smoothly. In place of the old
unwieldy College Council on which all the Phulkian States were
represented, a small workable, businesslike Committee of 13
members was selected. A most influential Sikh conference under
the presidency of Maharaja Hira Singh of Nabha was held in the
newly completed Rivaz Hall of the College when not only
all the promises of help by the Sikh States were renewed but
fresh offers were also made, and the public confidence in the stability
of the College was fully restored. Sir Charles Rivaz, the new
Lt. Governor, went a step further by passing a law through his
•

Council by which an additional half an anna in the rupee was

(Conld- from last page)
heads of all the provincial departments of Education. Over this
conference the Viceroy himself presided. The object of the
Conference was to survey the entire system of school education
in India. For the higher education, he appointed a Universities
Education Commission (1904) under the chairmanship of a member
of his own Executive Committee. The recommendation of the
Raleigh Commission were of a most drastic character. Both the
school and University education were officialized. For the industrial
education, Lord Curzon appointed an Industrial Committee under
the presidency of Col. Chibbern, Principal of the Engineering
College at Roorkee. The Committee made a tour of the province,
recorded evidence, but for some unknown reasons the Report of
the Committee never saw the light of the day. It was said the
Revd. Mr. Wescott, a member of the committee, who afterwards
rose to be the Metropoletan of India, made certain proposals and
wrote some notes which Lord Curzon strongly disapproved. The
whole report was, therefore, suppressed.
 0

S T R U G G L E FOR REI ROM IN S I K H SHRINKS ?1

charged from all the Sikh landlords of the Province for the main-
tenance of the Khalsa College. This measure at once brought a
huge sum for the maintenance of the College over and above
what the States were contributing.
But inspite of all that the Government was doing for the
Khalsa College in one way or another, the official mind did not
seem to be quite at ease .that the future leaders of the small but
important martial community in the province would fulfil all their
hopes. The fact is that the prevailing conditions and circumstances
were unpropitious and they were some what disappointed to find
that the College did not produce the type of men quite after their
heart. Thanks to the extraordinary times through which they
were passing, the students of the Khalsa College were carried off
their feet as much as those of any other similar institution in the
Panjab or anywhere else in India. First in order of time came
the Boer War. The wonderful stand made by the small peasant
community of South Africa against all the resources of a great
Empire was an eye opener to the people at large as to the British
soldiers and statesmen themselves. After this came the more
impressive Russo-Japanese War. It will be impossible to convey
to the reader a clear idea of the shock of pleasant surprise with
which the whole Asiatic world followed from day to day the
thrilling march of events as the little Japs succeeded in inflicting
one severe defeat after another upon the Colossus of the North.
The story of the Dwarf killing the Giant was being repeated before
our own eyes. In India itself, Lord Curzon thoughtlessly created
no end of trouble for himself by adopting a policy of distrust and
repression. His ill considered speech at the Convocation of the
Calcutta University, the unwanted Universities Act of 1904 and,
a year later, the adoption of a measure like the Partition of Bengal
and a number of ill advised changes set the whole of India ablaze
and, for the first time in the country, gave rise to the appearance
of an anarchical movement in which youngmen were specially
involved. A foreign Government that lives largely upon its prestige
 32 S T R U G G L E FOR REFORM IN S I K H SHRINES

knows no better weapons for putting down popular unrest than

coercion and repression. The history of the first twenty years of
the present century is a record of which the Government had little
reason to be proud. As it was, the harsh press legislation and police
rule quite estranged the people from the Government and, had
not the world war broken out, it is difficult to say what would have
happened.
We have said that at this time the students of the Khalsa
College were as much affected as those of any other similar
institution in the Province. The officials were at their wits' ends
as to how to meet the situation. Small things here and therein
the management of the College clearly showed that suspicion was
rapidly growing between the Indian and European members of the
College Committee. One such incident that created a great deal
of fuss all over the province may be mentioned as illustrating the
state of public feeling at this time. A very able and experienced
Sikh Engineer, Sardar Dharam Singh, had on retirement from a high
office offered his honorary services to the Committee for supervising
the College building which was then under construction. The
Committee thankfully accepted the offer, but a European gentleman,
one Mr. Hill, criticised the "Labour of love" so bitterly that for
months the whole province was agitated over the matter making
the relations between the Europeans and Indians extremely strained
and unpleasant. In 1907, the Europeans made a great discovery,
as they thought, little thinking that perhaps they were making too
much of a fact that was known, or at least ought to have been
known, to every body." In 1907 when these feelings were running
very high

*Not to go farther back, it was weli known that in the Conference

of 1904 held in the Rivaz Hall under the presidency of the Maharaja
of Nabha, the nature of the Endowment Funds of the Khalsa College
was clearly explained. Within a year, however, the Sikh leaders
(Contd.)
 S T R U G G L E FOR R E F O R M IN T I K H S H R I N E S 33

'It was discovered by the Government and the Panjab

University that the Committee had been illegally constituted
in 1902 and that its funds were bogus. The threat of
disaffiliation was held out unless the fundamental rules of
the society were changed, which meant that the society should
consent to the introduction of Government control."*
As was to be expected, a bitter agitation was set up on both
sides and the trouble only subsided when the independent Khalsa
*

party headed by Sardar Sunder Singh Majithia submitted to the w i l l

of the powerful officials who were bent upon keeping control of the
College in their own hands. Eventually
»

" A sub-committee appointed by the Punjab Government and

consisting of the Commissioner of Lahore (Chairman), the
Director of Public Instructions, a Sikh Sardar who was a 'Safe'
man, and Sardar Sunder Singh Majithia, who protested all along,
proposed revision of the constitution of the college. The
draft rules, approved by the Government and passed by the
Executive Committee suggested by the Government, were
placed before the old Council on the 10th June but without
the requisite number of votes forthcoming the rules were
declared passed and the remaining votes were secured later
on by July 3 r d . " * *
Professor Teja Singh from whom I have quoted the above
passage goes on to explain that on the 10th of June 1907 when
the meeting was held the "requisite number of votes" in support
of the motion were not forthcoming "but the remaining votes

Contd> from last page*

raised voice in one form or another that the Funds should be
deposited in a Bank in the name of the College and should not
remain with the donor States.
^Professor Teja Singh of the Khalsa College, Amritsar :
Essays in Sikhism- p. 152.
**lbid page 152.
34 S T R U G G L E FOR REFORM IN S I K H SHRINKS

were secured later on by July 3 r d . " * "By the new arrangement",

we are a?,ain quoting the same authority :
4t
The Commissioner became President and the Deputy
Commissioner, the Director of Public Instructions, the Political
Agent, Phulkian States, and the Principal were appointed
ex-officio by the Government to the College Council. With
the Commissioner as Chairman, the Deputy Commissioner as
Vice Chairmam, of the managing Commistee, and the Secretary
nominated and removed by Government the effective control
of the College may be said to have passed into the hands of
Government." -

No wonder the Principal, Mr. Cole, declared "complacently"

that "the reconstruction of the College Managing Committee on
the lines indicated by the Government and the University has
served to place matters on a more definite basis". The whole
Sikh community, however, was deeply resentful. The more
independent members of the Committee like S. Harbans Singh of
Attari resigned while his life-long friend and co-worker, Sardar
Sunder Singh Majithia, felt himself as fish out of water. He was
m

not happy to remain on the Committee but he was not

sure if the tendring of resignation was the least course
for him to adopt in the interest of the college. Retirement from
it in a huff, he thought, might do more harm than good to the
College. Even the officials began to feel that
"the great influence he commanded in the management was

T h e r e was nothing wrong about the Endowment Fund being held

in the hands of the Ruling Princes, and I believe that no court
would have taken serious exception to it. The princes had been
paying the interest as it became due regularly and were thus acting
as safe enough depositories for the funds of the College. But I
am sure no court would hold that the "draft constitution" had
been "passed" in a regular manner so as to be enforced upon a
legitimately constituted body like a College Committee.
 o

STRUGGLE FOR R E F O R M IN SIKH SHRINES 35

too much for the Principal. Indeed, the official members and
the Government expressed a desire that the constitution
should be changed as it did not w o r k w e l l . " *

The officials attached more importance to the control of the

Khalsa College than that of the Government College. In no
circumstances were they prepared to run the risk of letting the
* •

young bloods of the martial community to be brought up in an

atmosphere of growing mistrust and suspicion. In 1912 things
came t o a head when it was proposed to reduce the number of
representatives from the British districts on the Committee as they
were less amenable to official guidance and direction than those
from the States. A t the same time, it was suggested that the
office of Secretary should be held by a paid incumbent who could
be appointed and removed by the Government. As a servant he
was not to have a seat on the Committee while his powers were
also greatly curtailed. In fact, for every thing he was to take his
orders from the Principal of the College. A hard contest between
the powers-that he and the popular elements in the Committee with
Sardar Sunder Singh Majithia at its head ensued. With great
difficulty, the Secretary himself came out unscathed f r o m the
t r i a l of strength but the number of Committee members f r c m the
British districts was reduced. Worse s t i l l , the Lt. Governor of
the Panjab was empowered "to suspend the rules and to direct

* I have been quoting extensively f r o m a Sikh Gentleman who saw

every thing himself from the inside, for t w o reasons. In the first
place in a delicate matter of this kind, it is best t o rely upon the
w r i t t e n w o r d of an eye witness. In the second place, I am anxious
to show, as this narrative clearly indicates, that my friend, Sardar
Sunder Singh Majithia, was always ready to serve the College
faithfully and honestly to the best of his ability w i t h o u t the least
desireof self-aggrandisement. Indeed, I have no tknown t w o gentlemen
who have done more f o r the good of the College according to their
own lights than Sardar Sunder Singh Majithia and Sardar Harbans
Singh of A t t a r i .
 36 S T R U G G L E FOR REFORM IN SIKH SHRINES

the Committee to take such action as the special circumstances may

appear to demand and it shall thereupon be binding upon the
Committee to take such action". Reduced, to all intents and
purposes, to a position of utter helplessness, in the service and
managment of the institution to which he had dedicated all his
time and energies, S. Sunder Singh at last decided to resign from
the Committee. Some of the best Professors on the staff of the
College, like Prof. Jodh Singh and Prof. Narain Singh, also
submitted the resignations. This latter step was a Godsend to
the Government who at once filled up the vacant places by two
more European Professors. Including the Principal, the College
now possessed three European Professors at its head. The
Government agreed to pay the salaries of these three men. What
mattered it \f the College became very unpopular. With the
outbreak of the Great War (August 4, 1914) special efforts
were made by the European staff of the College, but more
particularly by the new principal (Mr. G. A. Wathen, late of
the Government College) not only to do every thing he could
to help his students in the way> of getting jobs but also to win
over the sympathy and goodwill of the whole Khalsa community.
He told them he had a scheme for raising the College to the
status of a University "in his pocket" and convinced them that
it would not be long before they would be able to occupy
the foremost place in the social and intellectual life of the
province.

The Great War and, specially, the rapid rise of Mahatma

Gandhi's non-co-operation movement soon after the hostilities had
ceased, changed every thing. The Government tried their best to
prevent the Sikhs from joining the new political movement but
without much success. One of their greatest leaders, Sardar
Kharak Singh of Sialkot, who was for sometime the President of
the S. G. P. C.i inaugurated the Sikh Central League at Lahore in
October 1921 which was the means of soon spreading the creed of
the Mahatma throughout the community. Even more important
 Q7
S T R U G G L E FOR REFORM IN S I K H SHRINES

was the fact that through some misunderstandings with* the

Government, the brave community was brought into serious conflict
with the officials. The short-sighted policy of some of the men
at the helm of affairs created great bitterness in the whole Sikh
community and the wonderfully well organized non-violent struggle
that they staged, proved to be a very successful demonstration on
an extensive scale of the meaning, scope and the actual working
of Gandhiji's novel movement that extorted no small admiration
from the greatest leaders of the Congress, many of whom spent
days and months in watching the struggle and lending as such moral
support to the Akalis as they could.
 THE SIKHS A N D POLITICS
The Luckhnow Pact 1916-Sikhs no party to it.

Up to the beginning' of the First Great War, like the

Mohammadans the Sikhs had also kept themselves aloof from the
Congress movement, though not for the same reasons. Owing
largely, as we believe, to the disturbed conditions in the Balkans
and generally in the Islamic countries of the Near East in the early
years of the present century, certain sections of the Muslims in
India had come round to accept the Congress views and, after some
*

three or four years negotiations, an agreement, known as the

Muslim League-Congress compact* had been adopted at a joint
session of the Congress and the League held at Lucknow in
December, 1916. The compact was sanction spoken of as the
Congress-League Re-union.
* The Lucknow Pact authoritatively committed the Indian National
Congress not only to the acceptance of the principle of communal
\

representation on Legislative councils and Municiple bodies, but

also to the grant of weightage in Muslim representation. Many
Congressmen were bitterly opposed to the Pact as incompatible
with the "national" character of the Congress, besides being
undemocratic in principal. Lok. Tilak was, however, bent upon
bringing about the compromise between the two communities at
all costs hoping for some future time when they also would see
the wisdom of reverting to the system of joint electorates. The
Hindu Sabha and some leading Congressmen like Pandit Madan
Mohan Malaviya, Diwan Bahadur V. P. Madhave Rao and others
pressed for a joint meeting with the Hindu Sabha before the
Congress finally committed itself, but the negotiations had gone too
far for them to retreat. The Hindu Sabha had thus to content
itself with sending to the Congress a note of strong dissent
{Contd.)
 *

S T R U G G L E FOR REFORM IN S I K H S H R I N E S 39

The Sikhs did not join these deliberations and, indeed, they
were not by this time generally recognised to be a seprate body
from the Hindus, although they had been proclaiming their
individuality as a separate religious community for some years past
and had even obtained legal sanction for their own marriage laws. So
far as we know, their political consciousness was first awakened by the
separate franchise granted to them under the Montfor dreforms,
combined with the general stir all over the country created by
the Rowlatt Act and the tragic happenings at Amritsar that , followed
that unhappy piece of legislation. As the chief sufferers in the Jallair-
wala massacre, it was natural for them to be drawn in large numbers
to their rights and opportunities. They had done a lot of good to
their community chiefly in expanding the education facilities for
their people and looking after the religious needs of the community
varied by their occasional requests to the authorities for a larger
proportion of posts in the higher services of the province and the
adoption of the Punjabee language as a medium of instruction. If
their outlook upon questions of higher politics was somewhat
limited that was the fault of their upbringing and the environment in
the midst of which their lot was cast.
\

(Contd. from last page)

accompanied by a warning that political franchise should not be
''regulated by racial or religious considerations and that by
consulting only the Muslim League representatives in your
deliberations on the above question, you will not be doing justice
to the great Hindu community." The President of the Hindu Sabha
even administered a mild rebuke to the Hindu members of the
Congress by sending a personal note in which he said, "We do feel
that our views and sentiments are not and cannot be represented by
those Hindus alone who happen to be there as members of the All
India Congress Committee". Although the idea of forming an All-
India Organization was, already being discussed, the Congress-
League rapprochment, gave a strong impetus to the Hindu Mahasabha
movement.
40 S7RUGCLE FOR RKF< RM IN SIKH SHRINE J

77ie Sikhs and the political franchise. As already mentioned,

the Sikhs were as conspicuous by their absence at the Lucknow
Congress as they had been at previous sessions of the National
organisation. But though ignored by the Congress as a m i n o r i t y
community they claimed the same excessive representation as had
been allowed to the Muslim's in the Lucknow Pact*. The Congress
leaders now found themselves in a rather difficult position, for,
besides the Sikhs, there were other communal minorities also that
were expected to demand a similar concession. W h e r e were they
t o stop ?

The claim of the Sikhs to weightage was, of course, limited to

their representation in the Punjab Legislative Council and the
Municipal bodies w i t h i n the province. It must be admitted that
v/ithin the t e r r i t o r i a l limits of the province, they made out a very
good case for themselves. They were the most compact and united
body in the province, being chiefly concentrated in a few central
districts where most of their sacred places of worship were also
situated. Although one of the smallest communities in India, they
contributed no less than 40 percent of combatants t o the Indian
*~'army and supplied not less than one-third of the total number of
men recruited f r o m the Panjab. They were the ruling race not

*When S. Sunder Singh Majithia expressed his disappointment

at the result of the Diwan's humble representations, Mr. Hallifax
(who represented Panjab Government) said to the Sardar tauntingly,
" W i l l you now go to j o i n the Congress Party \"
Again in the autumn Session of the Panjab Council in 1918,
v/hile refusing to accept the amendment of S. Gajjan Singh t o his
resolution recommending the congress division of the seats between
Hindus & Muslims in the Panjab, Mian Fazl-i-Hussain told the
Sardar that as his community had kept aloof f r o m the congress
it had no ground to complain afterwards to amend its decisions.

**These figures refer to the conditions obtaining in 1920 when

the Sikh case was first put f o r w a r d .
 STRUGGLE FOR REFORM IN SIKH SHRINES 4.

long ago, the Punjab being the last province in India proper to come
under the British domination. They contributed 40 per cent to the
provincial revenues and owed % of the agricultural lands.
The Muslim votes in the province numbered 137, 984, while
the number of Sikh votes was no less than 93, 725, the Hindus
and others coming last with 92, 450. They formed about 10 %
of population and on the basis of the concessions made to
the Muslims, they claimed at least 30 % of the representation
in the Province. The political-minded Sikhs blamed the leaders
of the Chief Khalsa Diwan for having slept while the rights
of the community were being ignored. The Chief Khalsa
Diwan was a conservative body of the Sikhs composed chiefly
of big landlords, title-holders and other aristocrats in the
community.
Drawn into whirlpool of Mahatama Gandhi's non-co-
operation movement.* As we know, the movement arose
out of the Amritsar troubles though the formal decisions
were taken at the special Congress Session held at Calcutta
under the presidency of Lala LajpatRai (September 1920). Within
a few days of the adoption of the non-co-operation resolution by
the Calcutta Congress, the more advanced section of the Sikhs
under the leadership of Sardar Kharak Singh decided to organise
themselves as a political body and towards the close of October,
1921 a most enthusiastic and largely attended Sikh Conference was
held at the Bradlaugh Hall, Lahore, where it was decided to
form a Central Sikh League and a number of important resolutions
were adopted.

The Sikhs and the Mont ford reforms. The Government

of India Act, 1919, declared the progressive development of
responsible Government as the political goal of this country. But
"the work of framing rules, whereby not only the questions relating

*The fifth Guru may well be called the originator of the

passive resistance movement in India.
42 S T R U G G L E FOR REFORM IN SIKH SHRINES

to franchise, electorates, election, rules of business, and a hundred

other cognate matters" were to be settled was left to be carried
out by the local authorities. The Montford Report out lined certain
general principles but the working out of the details were left
in the hands of Franchise and Subjects Committees with Lord
Southborough as Chairman. The Sikh community bitterly
complained that in the course of the inquiries and investigations
relating to these matters, the "So called Lucknow Compact had
proved a veritable stumbling block" so far as their interests were
concerned. In a well-reasoned memorandum submitted to the
Secretary of State the Sikh Deputation, appointed to represent
the case of the community before the authorities in England pointed
out that even the joint Report had referred to the serious harm
that the. Pact had done to the. interests of the Sikhs and other
minorities. Thus para 163 of the joint Report says :
"We are not aware on what basis, other than that of
negotiation, the figures were arrived at. Separate electorates
are proposed in all provinces, even where Mohammadans are
in a majority...While, therefore, for reasons that we explain
subsequently, we assent to the maintenance of separate
representation for Muhammadans, we are bound to reserve
our approval of the particular proposals set before us until
we have ascertained what the effect upoy\ other interests
will be and have made fair prevision for them.
Proceeding further, the report said :
"We have elsewhere touched upon the difficulty of denying
to other communities, as the Sikhs in the Punjab, a concession
which is granted to Muhammadans."
The authors of the joint Report even refused to regard the
Hindu-Muslim mandate as conclusive. They said :
"Tha Compact by which the Muslims were to get a
certain proportion of seats in the Councils, in some cases in
excess of those to which their numbers entitled them, and by
 S T R U G G L E FOR R E F O R M IN SIKH S H R I N E S 43

which also the discussion of measures affecting either

community could only proceed by leave of its
representatives in coucil* whose under what pressure
agreement was reached." (Italics mine)
It is strange that the Franchise Committee did not pay any heed
to the important words we have realised in the above paragraphs.
They made no provision for a concession in the case of the Sikhs
like that granted to the Muhammadans. "The Committee felt
themselves justified in accepting the Compact as a guide in
allocating the proportion of Mohammadan representation in the
Councils."** The Franchise Committee thus shirked the problem
with the result that the share of the Sikh representation in the
Punjab Legislative Council was whittled down, i.e., first out of 54
seats the Sikhs were given 8. Afterwards the Sikhs were given two
more (i. e.f 10) but the total number of seats were also increased
to 58.
Extremely unfavourable position of Sikhs
In view of the importance of the subject we consider it necessary
to go back a little and give a. brief history of the case for Sikh
representation as put for/vard by the leaders of the community from
time to time. Inviting the opinions of the District authorities on the
proposed scheme of reforms which subsequently fructified into the
Minto-Morley Reforms, the Punjab Government was pleased to
remark that "In the Punjab the Sikh Community is of the greatest

* Para 154 of the Montford Report.

** In the preparation of this chapter I have freely drawn upon
the representations submitted to the authorities in support
of their case, particularly the Annexure A to the Memorandum.
Now and again, various other authentic documents have also
been brought under contribution in the preparation of this
part of the chapter, so as to present a fair and full summary
of the claims of the community as the material at my disposal
allowed me to do.
44 STRUGGLE I o k REFORM IN SIKH SHRINES

importance and it should be considered if any and what measures

are necessary to ensure its adequate representation." (orignal
italics) Nothing, however, came out of these platitudinous observa-
tions. In spite of the efforts of the President of the Chief
Khalsa Diwan and "the acceptance by the then Government of
India of the principle of separate and adequate, not proportional,
representation of important minorities with special reference to
the Mchammadans, no provision was made for the Sikhs in final
regulations."
The Lieutenant-Governor of the Panjab in his speech in the
autumn session of the Imperial Legislative Council in 1917 observed
that whereas all the Provinces had their Hindu-Mohammadan
problems, we in the Punjab had "the very important Sikh interests
to consider as well", and he stated the results of experience under
Morhy-Minto Reforms as follows :—
"In 1900 all three seats then open to election were carried
by Mohammadans. In 1912 out of 6 seats, 4 were won by
Hindus, I by a Sikh and I by a Mohammadan. Last year (1916),
of I I elected seats 5 fell to Hindus, 5 to Mohammadans, I to a
European, and none to a Sikh."
Again, in 1916 when the question of political and legislative
reforms came up for consideration, the Hon'ble S.B. Sunder Singh
Majithia, as Secretary of the Chief Khalsa Diwan, claimed a
defferential treatement for his community and said that no scheme
of reforms would be acceptable to the Sikhs "which did not
guarantee to them a share in the Provincial and Imperial Councils
as well as in the civil administration of the country, proportionate
to the importance, position and services of the community, with
due regard to their status before the annexation of the Punjab,
their present stake in the country and their past and present
services to the Empire."
In order to be "adequate and effective and consistent with
their position and importance", he demanded a one-third share in
 STRUGGLE FOR REFROM IK SIKH SHRINES 43

their representation on the Punjab Council which he regarded as

the "absolute minimum". Similarly, he added that their share
"in the Viceroy's and the Secretary of State's Councils should be
adequate and fixed on principles of the like nature."
Once again, on the * 22nd of November, 1917, a strong Sikh
deputation waited upon the Secretary of State (the Hon'ble Mr.
Montague) and the Viceroy, Lord Chelmsford, at Delhi in
connection with the investigation of the claims of the various
communities in the new scheme of reforms that was then under
consideration. The deputation put forward their case in some
•

detail in the following words :

"According to the Census figures of 1911, the Sikhs
numerically form very nearly 12 per cent of the population
of the Punjab, the actual figures being 28, 83, 729 out of
2, 41, 87, 750. With regard to the status and importance in the
country and the service and sacrifices in the cause of the
Empire, however, we occupy a unique position, unapproached
and unapproachable by any other community in India. Our
strength in the entire Indian army is 20 per cent, while
among the units recruited from the Punjab, which supplies no
less than 60 per cent, of the Indian combatants in His
Majesty's Army, we supply no less than one-third of their
entire man-power. Our achievements on all the battlefields
of the Empire from the time of the Indian Mutiny of 1857
right up to the present day form some of the most brilliant
chapters of the history of the British Empire, and we are
proud to be able to say that in all the spheres of action in the
present gigantic War, no community in India has proportiona-
tely been able to put forth so much man-power or so much
sacrifice as our community has done. Nearly one-third of the
awards made to the entire Indian Army for deeds of valour
performed and daring sacrifices made on the fields of battle
during the present war, have been won by members of our
community. Proportionately, the largest number of recruits
 4^ S T R U G G L E FOR R E F O R M IN S I K H S H R I N E S

to keep up the fighting of the Indian Army, have been supplied

by us. Our community as a whole, from our premier ruling
prince, His Highness the Maharaja Sahib Bahadur, G.C.I.E.,
of Patiala, who, in the blessed words of the Sat Guru : "Thine
house is mine", is the acknowledged learder of the community'
downwards t o the peasant, has spared neither men nor money
in this gigantic W a r and our all is at the disposal of our
gracious King-Emperor in this world War and we are
determined t o fight this W a r of aggression to a victorious
issue."
Recognising the Sikh claim the joint authors of the
Montford Report also declared :
"The Sikhs in the Punjab are a distinct and important
people ; they supply a gallant and valuable element to the
Indian army : but they are everywhere in a minority, and
experience has shown that they go virtually unrepresented.
To the Sikhs, therefore, and to them alone, we propose to
extend the system already adopted in the case of
Muhammadans" (Italics mine)
This was not all. In September 1918, the Chief Khafsa
Diwan convened a general representative assembly of the whole
community, which after reviewing the entire position submitted
Co the Government a Memorandum in the course of which they said :

"The Sikhs are a living and young community and they

understand the principles of democracy and the art of
administration. They also understand their duties and
responsiblities, and have made and are ready to make sacrifices
in discharging them. They are a race of men possessing strong
poten lities which mark them out as distinct from their
countrymen of other religious persuasions. The present war
and their services to the Empire and their achievements in it
have brought to them a consciousness, which w i l l not be
satisfied t i l l the pledge given to them by the two responsible
 STRUC.CI.H FOR REFORM IN SIF.H SHRINKS 47

ministers of the Crown in a very solemn and formal document,

such as the Report under discussion, is carried out ard fulfilled
in the fullest measure and in all its consequences. The Sikhs
who are an effective factor in the defence of their country
and the Empire and have always been so ever since their
connection with the British, claim and, it is humbly submitted,
* •

are entitled to, an equally effective voice in the administration

of the country."
The Punjab Government was doubtless throughout sympathetic
to the claims of the Sikh community. On November 23, 918,
they pleaded with the Franchise Committee for a liberal treatment
of the Sikhs in the following words :
"But their (Sikh's) influential position in the Province,
which is based partly on historical and poiitical factors,
partly on their military prestige, and partly, on their
comparatively high educational level and economic import a nee
in the Council and Coiony Districts, entitles them to a
considerably greater degree of representation than is indicated
numbers alone. The number of Sikhs in the Army is now
believed to exceed 80,000—a proportion for higher than in
\

the case of any other community—and the amount which they

pay to the State in the form of land revenue and canal charges
is out of all proportion to their numerical strength".
But that the Franchise Committee could say in support of
the Sikh claim w a s brief admission that, following th
recommendations of the joint Report (para 232), they had proposed
for them "a separate electoral roll and separate constituencies." I h e
Committee did not take the trouble to suggest the exact proportion
of seats to which the community was in their opinion entitled On
the basis of the weightage allowed to the Muhammadans, they
claimed that a share of 30 per cent of seats would be their due.
In support of this demand it was explained that, in Behar .d
Orissa with a population of only iO per cent, the Muslims had beer
48 S T R U G G L E FOR R E F O R M IN SIKH S H R I N E S

granted a representation of no less than 27 per cent, and their was

no reason why the Sikhs should not enjoy a representation of at
least 30 per cent in their own province where they had a population
of !2 per cent.
As it was, however, finaly the Punjab Government
recommended the Sikhs for only 19 per cent of the non-special
seats, and, as if this was n-'ot enough, the community was shocked
to find that even this proportion was still further reduced by the
Franchise Committee. There was nothing ieft for the community,
therefore, but to make one more attempt at demanding what they
considered to be their just rights by knocking at the door of the
authorities in England who were their final court of appeal. They
lost no time in conveying to the Secretary of State for India
their feelings of extreme disappointment at the treatment the I

community had received and informing him that it was intended

to send a small deputation of leading members of the community
to wait upon him and submit a representation of their case directly
to him.
Accordingly, early in August 1917, S. Sunder Singh Majithia
submitted a memorial to the Secretary of State through the
Government of India. A gist of the memorial was cabled to
England and a copy of it left by mail for him on the 9th of the
month. In this document they briefly but strongly put forward
their whole case and gave expression to the "feelings of grave and
serious apprehension" which their recent treatment had caused to
the whole Sikh community. The last stroke had, in particular,
greatly shocked them, namely that "the Punjab Government had
recommended 19 per cent seats to be reserved for the Sikhs, but
the Franchise Committee, instead of increasing this percentage, as
they should have done, reduced it to 8 seats out of 54 or
approximately !5 per cent." Later on the Sikhs were given two
more seats but the total number of the non-special elected seats
was also increased, so that the Sikhs had now 10 out of 58
seats.
 STRUGGLE FOR REFROM IN SIKH SHRINliS *

The memorandum submitted by the depuation outlined the

following facts upon which the Sikhs based their special claims :
(a) Our strength in the Indian Army is 20 per cent of the
*

whole ;
(b) Our proportion in the Indian Army raised in the Punjab
has been maintained at about one-third ;
(c) The awards made for distinguished and gallant services
on the field of battle during the recent war have been
won by the Sikhs to the extent of one-third of the total
won by the entire Indian Army and one-half of those
9
won by the Punjabees ;
(d) Nearly one-half of the aristocracy in the Punjab belongs
to the Sikh community, and nearly two-thirds of the
hereditary titular chiefs in the British Punjab are
Sikhs ;
(e) The Sikhs pay the largest amount of land Revenue and
Canal charges in the Province ;
(f) The number of land-owners paying Rs. 25 per cent, as
land revenue, which is the chief qualification proposed
for rural franchise in the Province, is as follows :
Mohammadans 123,926
Hindus 68,899
Sikhs 73,191
The claimed :
(a) A clearly defined share of appointments to the Viceroy's
Executive Council should be reserved for the Sikhs, and
as hitherto no Sikh has been appointed as an executive
member, one of the first three Executive Councillors
should be a Sikh ;
(b) A Sikh should also be given a place :n the first Executive
Council of the Governor of the Punjab and out of three
portfolios to be held by Indians in the Executive
 50 STRUGGLE FOR REFORM IN SIKH SHRINE:

Government of the Panjab one should be held by a

Sikh ;
(c) In the matter of share in the Legislative Council in the
Panjab, the Sikhs should be treated on the same
principles as have been applied to the Mohammadans
* •

in Provinces where they form a minority. In doing so

the pledge of the authors of the Joint Report should
be carried out in all its bearings, and the historic,
military, political and economic importance of the
community should be fully recognised ;
(d) The Sikhs should be given such an adequate share in the
Legislative Assembly and the Council of State as may be
commensurate with their historic and political impor-
tance and their services to the State so that their voice
in those bodies may not be a negligible quantity.

On the question of the Sikh representation in the Council

the whole community in the Punjab was extremely bitter at the
time the deputation to the Secretary of State was preparing to
start. In the briefest words their position was that "even if the
\

historical, political and economic importance of the Sikhs were

considered as equal and not higher to those of the Mohammadans
in Behar and Orissa". On a mere population basis their represen-
tation "should have been fixed at 29.7 per cent of elected seats."
For no reason whatever a smaller proportion of representation
could be allotted to them. The Sikhs were no party to the
Lucknow Pact, "the compact has also not been accepted by the
illustrious authors of the Joint Report."
Only four members* of the deputation could proceed to
England. After it was decided to send a Sikh deputation to England

*The Sikh deputation originaly consisted of seven members,

namely : I. Sardar Sunder Singh Majithia ; 2. S. Joginder Singh ; 3. S.
Sewa Ram Singh ; 4. S. Sohan Singh ; 5. S. Ujjal Singh, M.A.,
Contd
 STRUGGLE FOR REFORM IN S I K H SHRINES ,-»1

they did their best to reach there as early as possible, but

unfortunately owing to certain unavoidable circumstances, the
deputation could not reach England before the I I July 1920, when they
:
learnt to their great regret and disappointment that " t h e Jo nt Commi-
ttee had already six days before our arrival pessed the rules and made
their Report to Parliament." On the 25th July, the deputation met
Mr. Bhupendra Nath Basu, member of the Council of the Secretary
of State and of the India Office Advisory Committee on Reforms,
and he frankly told them that "the poirt of view we (the
deputationists) were able to place before him was not present to
their minds when the members of the said Committee Considered
the Draft Rules" (Italics mine). The deputation also met Lord
Sinha, the Under Secretary of State f o r India. He expressed great
sympathy with the Sikh claims. He also told them that the
Committee had come to know of their having sailed for England
and that "the fact was taken into consideration and had influenced
the Committee to increase our representation in the Punjab by twc
seats, but he could give us no further hopes in view of the danger
of long delay being caused by introducing the Reforms Scheme if
f u r t h e r amendments were undertaken." However, the Sikh Deputation
tried to do all they could to press their point of view upon everybody
who mattered for their purpose. On the 20th July, they appeared
by appointment before the India Office Advisory Committee en
Reforms. Lord Meston presided and of the other members the
following were present : Lord Sinha, Mr. Bhupendra Nath Basu,
Sir Sankran Nair, Sir William Duke (the permanent Under
Secretary), Mr. H.E.A. Cotton and some others." W h i l e all were

Continued from last \m:le-

*6. S. Shivdev Singh and 7. S. Teja Singh.
No 2 and 7 could not ior personal reasons accompany the deputation
t o England while it was decided that S. Sunder Singh should remain
in India, to watch developments here and be in touch w i t h the
deputation in England. As the events showed this was a wise
decision to make.
52 STRUGGLE FOR REFORM I S SIKH SHRINES

more or less sympathetic to their claims, Mr. Basu was particularly

frank in telling his colleagues that the point of view of the Sikh
deputation had not been taken into consideration before. The
Committee
"practically agreed that the Congress League compact could
not affect the Sikh representation and would not be affected
if independent provision outside its terms be made for the
Sikhs on the analogy of the provisions for European and
Anglo-Indian communities who were similarly no parties
to it and had provision made for them outside the
proportions fixed in the compact". (Italics mine).
In the course of the discussion it became perfectly clear that
the whole Committee was "in full sympathy with our claims and
cried 'to approach the question in a friendly spirit." The only
difficulty was that any amendment they might purpose at that stage
would mean delay in the introduction of the Reform Scheme. Sir
William Duke was particularly anxious to know if even with their
small representation, the Sikhs could or could not hold the balance
of Power in the Punjab Council, "position which the Government
desire to allow to us." Sir William "surmised that with proper
organization of strength we could". Another point that came
out in the course of the discussion was that the Punjab Government
had suggested the Sikh constitutencies to be divided into rural
and urban. It was known that in certain statements submitted to
the Franchise Committee, Sir Michael O'Dwyer, the Lt. Governor
of the Panjab, had stressed that point of view.
The deputation was also able to interview Mr. Montague,
the Secretary of State, on the 22nd July. He told them that "all
the members of the Joint and Advisory Committees were in full
sympathy with the claims of the Sikh community and recognised
that the Sikhs had deserved and earned a most favourable treatement
at the hands of the British Government. When the draft Rules,
as proposed by the Government of India, reached the India Office,
he said, they were accompanied with all the representations,
 a
S T R U G G L E FOR R E F O R M IN S I K H S H R I N E S '*

(Memoranda and statement) which the Sikhs had submitted on the

subject. On studying the case, Mr. Montague told us, he and his
colleagues felt that some better provision for the Sikhs was needed.
Thereupon the Government of India were communicated with, who
consulted the Punjab Government. "The latter, Mr. Montague
told us, insisted that the Sikhs were not entitled to any more seats
but eventually agreed that in order to relieve our disappointment
one more seat may be allowed to us. By this time Mr. Montague
learnt that the Sikh Deputation had sailed and was on its way to
England. He again cabled to the Government of India, he said,
urging for a better treatment of the community which had done so
much for the Government, and thus in view of the fact that we
were already on our way to England and could not be expected to
arrive in time before the Joint Committee made their report, and
in view further of the fact that the Joint Cammittee had decided
not to hear any oral evidence, he and his colleagues were able to
make the Government of India agree to an addition of two seats to
the Sikh representation in the Punjab."

While thanking Mr. Montague and his colleagues for what

they had done for the Sikh community, the deputation "urged
that the Sikhs were not fighting for a seat or two, but for a principle
and a proper recognition of their status. Were the Sikhs to be
acknowledged or not as an important minority entitled to an equal,
if not better, treatment with Muhammadans ? All the various
elements, which gave special importance to the Muhammadans in
ndia, applied with greater intensity to the Sikhs, and were
examined one by one. A comparison of figures was made and we
urged that in the Punjab Council the Sikhs were entitled to not
less than 30 per cent of all territorial seats while in the Assembly
of India they should have at least 5 and in the Council of State.
The Sikhs, we urged, felt that they were being placed in a position
of subordination and dependency, which they cannot accept with
complacency. We also protested against the division, created
among the Sikhs, of urban and rural constituencies against tht
54 STRUGGLE FOR RF.FORM IN SIKH SHRl2«'£B

wishes of the community, and without consulting them, by the

Joint Committee, at the instance, as we were told, of the
punjab Government*" (Italics mine).
Mr. Montigue h id cabled to t!i3 Government of India pressing
the justice of the Sikh case as he had promised to them. He could
not unfortunately meet t.he deputation again, but the Lord Sinha
was pleased to receive them on behalf of his Chief. He informed
the deputation, that Mr. Montague had dene his very best to get
them a better treatment in the matter of the reforms, but "the
Government of India were opposed to any further extension of
our representation." All whom they had interviewed since their
arrival in England "appeared convinced that the point of view of
the Government of India was not correct." Even Lord Sinha was
"pleased to concede that the pledge made to us in the Joint Report
was quite reasonably capable of the interpretation put upon it by
us but insisted that the Government of India could not agree to
ncrease our representation with ml offending other communities'
* *

(Italics mine).
The fact is, as became clear on more than one occasion,
that "one link of the chain of constitution could not be modified
«

without upset.ing the whole fabric."The upshot of the whole matter

was that the deputation was officially informed that "the matters
under discussion could not be reopened." The authoritative
document upon which we have so freely drawn in the latter part
of the chapter concludes with a short Paragraph, showing that
while the Sikh deputation was in England, General Dyer had
published a letter in the press to the effect that "he was honoured
by the Sikh community making him a Sikh." "This statement", we
further told, "was much used as an argument in support of his
action at Amritsar." The deputation, however, lost no time in
challenging and contradicting a statement that had so scandalised the
Sikh community.
A few words must also be said now in reference to another
occasion when the Sikhs were called upon to put forward their
 ;
S T R U G G L E FOR REFORM IN SlKII S1IR1N) ^

case before the Royal Indian Statutory Commission, popularly

known as the Simon Commission. The Memorandum submitted by
the Sikh deputation* to the Commission on May 27, 1928, covered
very much the same ground as the Sikh representation to the
Secretary of State eight years earlier. Claming themselves to be
"of the most democratic- frame", and "the most literate" of the
"three main communities inhabiting the Punjab", they declared
that they had no wish "to make any proposals in a spirit of narrow-
minJediess." Conscious of "the essentials of a healthy nationa
growth", they were "always ready to co-operate with their sister
communities for the development of a united nation", and "they
would therefore, be the first to welcome a declaration that no
consideration of caste or religion shall affect the matter of
organization of a national Government in the counrty." They
emphasised that

"they are prepared to stand on merit alone provided

they, in common with others, are permitted to grow, un-
hampered by any impediments in the way of reservations for
any other community. Some other communities, however,
still seem to persist, intone form or another, for the
recognition of religious factions in the constitution of the
country, and if their claims are recognized and creed forms
an intergral part of the basis of representation in the
administration of the country, the Sikhs apprehend danger
to their very existence, unless adequate safeguards are
provided for them. The tyranny of majority is an
expression not- wholly unknown in the political history c
the world, and when such majority is based en religion,

'The deputation consisted of the following five members I. S.

Shivdev Singh Oberoi (President, Chief Khalsa Diwan), 2. S.
Raghbir Singh Sandhanwalia, Lt., O.B.E., of Raja Sansi, 3. Sir Sunder
Singh Majithia, K.C.I.E., 4. S.B. Mohan Singh and 5. S. Harbans
Singh of Attari, Honorary Secrertary, Chief Khalsa Diwan.
Cfi S T R U G G L E FOR R E F O R M IN S I K H SHRINES

the extent to which such tyranny might go is unlimited."

(Italics mine).
The Memorandum illustrates the Sikh point of view with
reference to the excessive share allowed in the existing consititution
on the basis of communal representation. It was, in effect, their
old complaint about the Lucknow Pact over again. They were
particularly bitter that although the Muhammadans were the
majority community and, as such, did not need
"any safeguards for their protection, yet they succeeded by
clever manoeuvring and in the absence of Sikhs to secure for
themselves separate electorates in the Punjab with half the
elected seats, among the Indian population, to be reserved
for them, in the Lucknow Compact which surprised even the
authors of the Montford Report." (page 105).
The Sikhs considered the existing contitutional position most
disastrous to their political interests. Secure against any defeat,
by the other communities or even against their combined strength,
the Mohammadan minister, backed by his co-religionists in the
Council and often by Government, which had to depend upon
this Mohammadan majority for its own maintenance, trampled
the cherished rights of the other communities under his feet.
Even Government was defied at,times by this majority, and was
insolently told that its very existence could be made impossible
by the Muhammadans, upon whose vote it had to rely so much
for its continuance.
In support of their case, they referred to the autocratic
manner in which a Gurdwara Act had been passed by the Muslim
Minister "backed by Mohammandan majority and his official block",
in the teeth of the joint opposition of the Hindu and Sikh members
of the Council. The Act remained a dead letter for three years
when it was replaced by another Act. Th3 Jepj:ati3n also rif^rreJ t:>
some other instances "to prove the mischief of following standing
religious majority to trample upon the feelings and interests of
the two minority communities" The deputation emphasised more
than once that "the Sikhs inspite of being the smallest of the
 STRUGGLE FOR REFORM IN SIKH SHRINES 57

three communities in the Panjab were prepared to forego all

communal representation if this can be knocked out of the
constitution of the country" (Italics mine)
Summing up their demands the deputation asked for the
following reforms :
(a) Removing Communal representation altogether,
(b) Defining the Governor as a purely constitutional head
without any direct hand in the administration, excepting
the power of veto ;
(c) Allowing the legislature full control over the finances ;
(d) Subordinating the Executive and bureaucracy to the
will of the legislature.

•
 The Rikab Ganj Affairs
The Gurdwara known as Rikabganj marks the spot where
Guru Teg Bahadur's headless body was cremated in the 1675. The
story of the persecution and martyrdom of the Guru under the
orders of Aurangzeb is well known and need not be repeated here.
The Gurdwara is situated in the New Delhi (at a distance of about
three miles from the Chandani Chauk) near the village of the
. name of Rikabganj.*
On January 14, 1914, the British Indian Government razed a
wall of this Gurdwara to the ground on the pretence of making the
the road run straight.**
The Singh Sabha movement was then in full swing and this
incident gave it a hotspur. There was a great agitation against this
high-handedness of the Government.
But within a few months of this happening the British
Government had to enter the European War. As the Sikhs formed
a considerable proportion of the British Indian Army, the
Government could not afford to disregard the Sikh sentiments at
that time. The wall of Garden was restored but the Gurdwara wall
remained in the same condition. The Singh Sabha leaders, however,
gave up the agitatation as they wanted the Sikhs to offer whole-
hearted co-operation to the Government during the war.
fc—^^ ^M_ iL i^ ^ ^ M _ »i • •• • Mi • ^^m ^^^m*.^m^i^^^^—m^*—^^^^^*^—^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^*^—* ^ — ^ ^ ^ • -_ _ —L M • • - _ ^ •i• ~ M • _ I _ M _M i . - •__•_ - *MM>—

*This village was founded by a Stable officer of Emperor Shah Jahan.

He was called Ham-Rikab of the Emperor, and so the village founded
by him came to be called by the name it bore. ** This wall was
400 ft. long, 2 ft. thick and II ft. high. The bricks of this wall
were hammered into pieces that were used for the construction of
the road. Fifty bighas of land belonging to the Gurdwara was also
taken for the purpose of constructing a road and a sum of Rs. 8000/-
was deposited to take possession of the garden within the wall.
This wall too was razed to the ground.
 STRUGGLE FOR REFROM IN SIKH SHRINES 59

(The agitation was taken up again after the war by Sardar Harchand
Singh and Master Sunder Singh of Lyallpur and Sardar Sarduf Singh
Caveeshar of Lahore. As the Government refused to respect the
sentiments of the Sikhs in respect of the Gurdwara, it was decided
to send a Shahidi Jatha (a band of Martyrs) to rebuild the demolished
wall and face the consequences of official wrath. The Government
then realized the seriousness of the situation. Before the jatha
arrived at Delhi, Maharaja Ripudaman Singh of Nabha arranged for
the reconstruction of the wall on behalf of the Government.)
 Non-Co-operation and
the A k a l i M o v e m e n t . 1S1S-1922.

With rapid spread'- of Mahatma Gandhi's National Movement,

the Sikhs were as much effected as the other communities, though
their activities found their main outlet in religious rather than
political awakening. At this time, the chief shrines of the Sikhs,
f
such as the Golden temple, the Akal Takht, Tarn Taran Sahib,
3aba Atal were entirely in the hands of the Government. The
remaining sacred places of pilgrimage and Gurdwaras with an income
of I s- of rupees were in the possession of Mahants, who by the
operation of section 92 C. P. C. had become indifferent to public
opinion and entirely dependent upon the wishes of the Government.
Somel > Mahants had become Honorary Magistrates, Kuri Nashins,
Darharis, title-holders, nominated members of Municipalities and
notified areas. Most of them being unmarried and having arge
revenue at their disposal, without any responsibilities to the public
or the slightest check or supervision on their movements and
activities, squandered their huge resources in unworthy objects and
not a few of them lost their characters. It is true that these vices
are common to places of worship of ail denominations. But as the
Gurdwaras in the Punjab are visited as the places of pilgrimage
large numbers of Sikhs, and special!/ as m m / of them are intimately
associated with the life work of the Gurus and other heros and
martyrs, the Sikhs feel the humiliation more keenly than the
o:her communities do. They find it very difficult to put up with
the solution of tneir shrines taking place ever/ day under their
very eyes.

' During the Martial Law ye ime, after theja ianwala massacre, the
Darbar Sahib being under the control of the Government, General Dyer
was given presents of Sikh baptism ii symbols from the Akal Takhat
;
authorities. As mest of the victi : z . jallianwala Bagh happened.
 fil
S T R U G G L E FOR R E F O R M IN S I K H S H R I N E S

to be Sikhs, this white-washing of General Dyer by the Golde

Temple Management was felt as a great insult offered to the who
Sikh community. During the debates in Parliament, General Dy
posed himself Martial law administrator and h
declared with undisguised pride that the Sikh community had accorded
him the honour of marking him a Sikh by presenting these symbols
to him. It will be remembered that some thirteen years back an
agitation was set on foot against S. A r u r Singh, Manager of the
Golden Temple, for having given some valuable present to certain
British officers out of the Tosha Khana of the Darbar Sahib. Now
:
presents to General Dyer recalled and revived the ag tation against
the Manager and a strong protest was made for the removal of S.
A r u r Singh and the restoration of the management of the Golden
Temple to the Sikh community. The Government, however, turned
a deaf ear to all this agitation, and it went on gaining volume and
strength. Soon the excitement became so great that Sardar Bahadur
A r u r Singh thought it prudent to voluntarily relinquish the duties of
.manager of the Golden Temple. ^The movement which had
meanwhile come into prominence for the reform of the Gurdwaras
began to be called the Akali movement. The Akalis are the baptised
| Sikhs who have at critical times in the history of the community
1
come forward, even at the risk of their lives, t o protect the
Gurdwaras, the freedom of worship and the community. The word
'Akali* means immortal.

n July 1920, the Government appointed S. Sunder Sin

Ramgarhia as Manager of the Golden Temple. For a long time
had been the custom for the Pujarie (Priests) of the Golden Temple
to refuse even the baptised Sikhs of the so-called untouchable castes
to enter the Temple freely and worship there without let or
hinderance. A special time had been fixed when they cou'd go and
make their offerings. But even at such times, the Karah Par shad
presented to the Guru Granth Sahib was not accepted if it had
been touched by them, They had, therefore, t o engage the services
of a man of a higher caste to carry it into t o the Temple. The Akalis
62 S T R U G G L E FOR REFROM IN S I K H S H R I N E S

declared their determination to see that the untouchables, after

their baptism, as Sikhs were treated equally with the other Sikhs
and were given full liberty of worship and offerings in the Temple.
One day, sometime (in August 1920) a good many Akalis w i t h a
large number of duly baptised Sikhs from amongst the untouchables
W i t h Karah Parshad offerings went into the Temple, and as the
Pujaries refused t o offer prayers for them, the Akalis offered the
prayers instead and, taking the Karah Parshad, they duly
presented it before the Granth Sahib. It was distributed to those
present there and they cheerfully partook of it. At this, some
Pujaries of the Golden Temple left the place, and informed the
Pujaries of the adjoining Akal Takht of what had happened inside
the Harmandir Sahib. Thereupon, all the Pujaries of the Akal
Takht also vacated it and went away to their homes, When the
Akalis came out of the Golden Temple, they found the Akal Takht
deserted. They declared that the Pujaries had committed a sacrilege
by deserting the Akal Takht and leaving the Granth Sahib unattended.
They then made their own arrangements for the management of
these two shrines. W i t h the transfer of the Golden Temple and
the Akal Takht to the Sikh Community, the attached Gurdwaras of
Tarn Taran and Baba Atal also automatically fell into their hands,
e acatual possession of the Tarn Taran Sahib, however, remained
in the hands of the priests, and it was not till January, 1921, that
the Akalis succeeded in obtaining control of this Gurdwara at the
sacrifice of two precious lives. This was the first instance of absolute
non-violence on the part of the Akalis even when they were being
done to death. Naturally, it created a great sensation. It must,
however, be mentioned that although two Akalis were murdered
and several injured at Tarn Taran, there was no loss of life or
injury to person or property on the other side. ^ As already
remarked, this incident too gave rise to an itense excitement among
the Sikhs and it was thought advisable to organise on a thoroughly
representative basis a responsible Committee to manage the
Gurdwaras. On coming to know of this, the Government at once
constituted, through the Maharaja Patiala-, _a committee of 36

•A\
 STRUGGLE FOR REFORM IN S I K H SHRINES P<

gentlemen to devise plans for the better management of th

I .Gurdwaras. The Sikh community interpreted this as undue
'interference with their wishes and intentions. They at once
summoned a big gathering of men of all shades of opinion at Amritsar
to consider the situation. By a method of rough selection, a
committee of representative of all schools of thought and opinion
was formed under the name of a Shromoni Gurdwara Parbandhak
Committee.
Sunder Singh Majithia b h fi President of the new
Committee, S. Harb , Singh vice President, and
ai S. Sunder Singh
Ramgarhia, Secretary This was in October !920. S. Sund r Singh
Ramgarhia seems to h written to M Craik, h Deputy
>r of Am about h d apacity th as
C
manager appointed by the Government and as Secretary of Sh
Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee appointed by the Panth, d asked
him h h was pected to do if the keys of th
demanded f hi h new committee and if his d as a
shed h h d as Secretary appointed h
g
Mr. Craik ply to him was h he should y
ty
of th C nittee as y At h
th
the Shromoni Gurd bandhak C decided to
time
th y p h a proving and reforming
take
the management of Nankana Sahib They issued a notice g
b held at Nank Sahib he 4th and 5th March
a D
B h D Id b held, the Mah probably
92
pprehend some f h h gement, bega
fy the Janam asthan Gurdwaras.
With this object in view, he erected forty new rooms The
Gurdwara was thus surrounded the back walls of these rooms.
At the same time, he took care to keep loopholes in them to fire
through them, if need be. He also put up a strong iron-sheathed gate
provided with loopholes which were covered up with movable
shutters. The rumour also said that he was collecting arms and
t,4 STUCGLJ. FOR REFORM IN SIKH SHRIKES

ammunitions. Some of these facts were brought to the notice of

Mr. Curree, Deputy Commisioner, by a deputation which included
Dr. Mahan Singh of Gujranwala and S. Uttam Singh of Nankana
Sahib, besides other gentlemen. This was on the occasion of
Guru Nanak's birthday at Nankana Sahib in November 1920. At
the same time, the Deputy Commissioner and other Government
officials had come to know from several independent sources that
the Mahant had collected a large number of men to attack the
Sikhs, if and when they entered the Gurdwara. The Sikhs used to
come as usual, to the Gurdwara, paid their homage, and after
Shabad Kirtan departed peacefully.
When the Mahant came to know that a big Diwan had been
*

convened by the Shromoni Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee for

g

the forth and 5th March at Nankana Sahib, he began to take

measures of a very serious nature. Long before this, reports of
his preparations and collecting arms had been reaching the
authorities. Mr. CM. King, Commissioner Lahore Division,
received a deputation of the Mahant, headed by Baba Kartar Singh
Bedi of Rawalpindi, and gave the Mahant certain legal advice
v/hich was published and distributed broadcast by Baba Kartar Singh
Bedi. This created a very bad effect in the country, and it was
considered that this advice might lead to bloodshed. A Sikh
Association at Sargodha adopted a resolution published in 'the Sikh'
Lahore, and other papers condemning Mr. King's action and said
that it was likely to lead to bloodshed. As a meeting of the reformed
Punjab Legislative Council was comming off on the 22nd February
1921, the Sikh members notified their intension of interpellating
the Government on the important issues arising out of Mr. King's
advice, and the serious results to which it might lead. They wanted
to condemn the officiousness of Mr. King, and specially his ill-
timed advice which was allowed to be published and distributed
broadcast.
His Excellency, the Governor, with all the members, of his
Government and Ministers, visited the scene of the tragedy on the
 *

STRUGGLE FOR REFORM IN SIKH SHRINKS &*

I

afternoon of the 22nd February and assured the Sikh community

that the evil deeds of the Mahant and his companions would be dealt
with by the Government with a strong hand, and that strict justice
would be done in the case.. It was given out that S. Shivdev Singh
ubberoi, Honorary Magistrate of Sialkot, would be appointed as
Superintendent of Police to co-operate with the ordinary Police,
and Sardar Bahadar Mehtab Singh would be put on special duty
to make the preliminary investigations into the case. These open
declarations, combined with the fact that the control of the Janam-
asthan Gurdwara was made over to the Sikhs went to a large extent
towards disarming public criticism of what had been done or left
undone by high Government officials. The Sikhs were afraid that,
as they had not taken any steps against the Pujaries of Tarn Taran,
who had murdered two of their men and injured several others,
the cold-blooded massacre at Nankana Sahib which was without
a parallel in the history of the world, might also be passed over
by Government without due notice being taken of the devilries
that had been committed. It is not improbable that the incident
at Tarn Taran had emboldened the Mahant, and to a certain extent
at least, it might have been responsible for the massacre at Nankana
Sahib. Under these circumstances, the Sikhs gave up non-co-
operation and began to co-operate with the Police in their
investigation. Before this, the Government had suspected the
Akali movement to be a political movement in active co-operation
with the Congress. That this was the general view, is shown by
the C.I.D. report produced in thr Nankana Sahib trial. As soon
as the new of the tragedy became known, the Government took
steps to prevent excitement from spreading. The issue of tickets
to Nankana Sahib Railway Station was stopped and everything was
done to isolate Nankana Sahib for a time, but the Akalis hurried
thither from all parts of the country, and, travelling on foot for
hundreds of miles, gathered together at Nankana Sahib in their
thousands. Their attitude towards Mr. King in the presence of
the Governor was very offensive. They openly accused nim of
£Q S T R U G G L E POR REFORM I N S I K H S H R I N E S

having accepted a large bribe from the Mahant, thus allowing the
massacre to take place. The attitude and the organisation of the
Akalis, who ultimately forced the Government to hand over the
Shrine to them, seems to have given food for serious thought to
the authorities.
The proposal to make- S. Shiv Dev Singh Superintendent of
Police was dropped and there was an apparent change in attitude
of the Government and the Police towards the Sikhs. Mr. Bowring,
a C.I.D. official, who has always been supposed t o be hostile to the
aspirations of the Sikh community, was put in charge of the
investigation. This was not all. While the Police investigation
•

against the murderers was being carried on in a leisurely and

haphazard manner, a vigorous enquiry was being carried on against
the Akalis. On the 5th March I 9 2 i , S. S. Mehtab Singh, finding
the police bent upon mis-managing the case, resigned the post of
Additional Government Advocate attached to the Nankana Sahib
Enquiry. The resignation was accepted. On the 5th March, the
Ministers and members of the Executive Council held a conference
with public bodies and certain points about the situation at Nankana
Sahib were settled and when this was^ publised in the Government
Communique, the

Against the charge, S. Jodh Singh protested and wrote a

letter to Sir John Maynard which was afterwards published in the
'Tribune' Lahore. One week's time was agreed upon for dispersing
the Akali Jathas from Nankana Sa ib, but within a week (i. e. on
the l l t h March 1921), wholesale arrests of Akalis at Nankana Sahib
began to take place. Even before the Public investigation in the
Mahant's case was completed, about 150 Akalis were arrested and
most of them were convicted on various more or less serious
charges. They were convicted of dacoities, robberies, thefts and
other criminal offences. One Sikh leader S. Kartar Singh Jhabbar,
was sentenced t o 18 years imprisonment, S. Teja Singh Bhuchar,
an other Akali leader, to 7 years' imprisonment. It should be
 S T R U G G L E FOR R E F O R M I N S I K H S H R I N E S 6/

mentioned here that the whole Sikh Community felt scandalised

at these arrests and convictions. They contended that the charges
of theft, robberies, desecration of tombs, etc., which had been
brought against their leaders were false and that the real object
of the Government in markirg wholesale arrests was to put down
the Akali movement which was expected to gain immensely in
strength after the Nankana Sahib tragedy end the marvellous
forbearance that the Akalis had shown. An unofficial Committee
of Hindus and Mussalman political leaders made an enquiry into
the more serious charges, specially those relating to the outrages
against Muslim tombs and Hindu shrines, and found them to be
without any foundation. i

During the pendency of these cases against the Akalis., the

Government introduced its first Gurdwara Bill and tried to rush it
through the Council, but the Shrcmoni Gurdwara Parbandhak
Committee refused to accept any bill so long as their
leaders and other Akalis, who had been unjustly arrested, were
not set free. The Government refused to recognise the
representatative character of the Shromoni Gurdwara Parbandhak
Committee. The Committee, for various other reasons, finding its
position somewhat weak, framed a contitution on a strictly elective
basis, dissolved itself and made arrangements for its re-election.
The election was thrown open to ali Sikhs from Karachi to
Kashmere and from Peshawar to Delhi by free voting. By July 1921,
a new Committee had been elected. With its representative character
its influence and prestige also increased. It had a membership of 180,
viz., 140 elected members and 40 members v/ho were selected by
the elected members themselves. On the 26th July, a deputation
of about 20 gentlemen, including the members of the Council,
waited on his Excellency the Governor and asked for the release of
the Akali prisoners. This rcguest was refused. Towards the end
of August, the first meeting of the new S. G. P. C. v/as held at Akal
Takht to elect the office bearers. S. Kharak Singh was elected
President and S. B. Mehtab Singh, Secretary. The Non-Co-operaticn
I'S S T R U G G L E FOR 1 1 FORM IN SIKH S H R I N E S

resolution of the old Committee was reiterated and the Sikh

members of the Legislative Council were urged to resign. S. Bahadur
Mehtab Singh, who had already resigned his post as Public
Prosecutor cf the High Court, now also relinquished his office as
Deputy President and member of the Punjab Council. Within two
weeks, the Akali prisoners were released.

After this, Mr. Dunnet, Deputy Commissioner of Amritsar,

began to visit the office of the Shromoni Gurdwara Parbandhak
Committee to carry on negotiations v/ith a view to bringing about
a rapproachment between the Government and Sikh community.
The Government agreed to give up all its connections v/ith the
Golden Temple and the connected shrines, and the S. G. P. C ,
while refusing to go to court, agreed to note on Mr. Dunnet's
application to Court that the S. G. P. C. being already in possession
of the Shrines shall continue to manage it. He sent up his proposal
to the Government at Simla, but the Government refused to
acknowledge the S. G. P. C. as the sole representative cf the Sikhs
until a mixed Conference of Sikhs of all shades of opinion, called
by the Government, settled the matter. Mr. Dunnet again visited
the office cf Shromoni Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (October
1921), and tried to induce the Committee to agree to accept
possession of the Golden Temple and the connected shrines from
the hands of the Government. The Committee on the other hand
claimed that they had been in possession for the past l | years, and
that by taking formal possession new, their administration during
the previous 18 months might be considered illegal.

At this time, S. Sunder Singh Rarngarhia was the President

of the local Gurdwaras at Amritsar, and, as such, was in possession
cf the keys. During the absence cf the Managing Committee of
the S. G. P. C. at Hothian in Gurcaspur District, L. Amar Nath, a 1st
Class Magistrate, a Court Inspector and other police officers and
men in uniform paid a visit to the house of S. Sunder Singh
Rarngarhia and tock away from him the keys of the Golden Temple
 S T R U G G L E FOR R E F O R M IN S I K H SHRINES 69

treasury, which contains all the jewels and other valuables of the
Temple and other connected shrines. This incident gave rise to
the agitation over what is popularly known as 'the Keys affairs.'
It resulted in the arrest and conviction of about 198 Sikhs,
including 3 successive Presidents, four successive secretaries, and
practically the whole of the Working Committee of the S.G.P.
Committee. As there was no hope of the agitaticn subsiding and
there seemed to be no end to the number of Akalis who were
rushing in to suffer for the freedom of their Gurdwaras, an
unconditional release was offered to the Sikh prisoners if they
would receive the keys through the Court. This they refused.
They asked that the keys be delivered at the Akal Takht. No terms
of compromise were settled when it was suddenly announced in
the Punjab Council (Ilth Janurary, 1922), that the Government
had decided to release the Sikh prisoners.

In the first batch of Sikh prisoners, a non-Sikh gentleman,

Pandit Dina Nath, had also been arrested on the 26th November
1921, though he made no speech at all. When the order for the
release of the prisoners reached Dehra Gazi Khan jail, the Sikh
prisoners refused to leave the jail till Pandit Dina Nath was also
released along with them. They were, however, turned out afiier
being permitted to send a letter of protest to His Excellency the
Governor. They came out on the 17th Janurary at midnight. On
their reaching Amritsar, the 'keys' were brought to them at
Akal Takht, but they refused to accept them till the Government
agreed to release Pandit Dina Nath also. As understanding was
given through Prof. Jodh Singh that Pandit Sahib would also be set
free, the keys were taken. This was on the 20th January 1922.
Two days later, Mr. Dunnet informed the Shromoni Gurdwara
Parbandhak Committee that he had made his recommendations for
the release of Pandit Dina Nath. After several reminders had been
sent, Mr. Dunnet was informed that the Government would release
Pandit Dina Nath if he submitted an application for release. On the
 70 S T R U G G L E FOR REFORM IN SIKH SHRINES

8th February 1922, the Committee decided to break the Seditious

Meetings Act again and go to jail as a protest against Pandit Dina
Nath's detention. That very evening the law was broken by all
the members of the Executive Committee, numbering 35, beginning
with the Secretary and ending with the President. This was at
GuruKaBagh. On the IJth February 1922, Pandit Dina Nath
was released.
Negotiation between the Government and the Shromoni Com-
mittee about the settlement of their outstanding difference were re-
opened. Conferences took place for about a month. In the middle of
/February 1922, the Government recognized that the Kir pan and
i the Talwar (Sword) were one and the samething and that the Sikhs
possessing Kirpans would not be prosecuted. The Committee agreed to
the Government's proposal that the Kirpan should not be carried on
the shoulder in Military formation, or unsheathed, except for the
performance of religious ceremonies and as a guard of honour to
the Guru Granth Sahib by Panj Piaras. The Gurdwara Bill was
generally discussed. The Committee had decided to do its utmost
to accommodate the Government, as it was felt that the complication
of Gurdwara affairs was standing in way of many workers from
undertaking Congress work, which would be a blot upon the Sikh
community when the history of India came to be written.
After practically every thing had been settled, came the decision of
the Nankana Sahib tragedy case by the High Court.

Soon after Government communiques against the Akalis

began to come out and the S. G. P. C. felt that their inability in
coming to an agreement with the Government had been
interpreted as a sign of weakness by the Government. During
the conversation with Government officers, it was given out,
indirectly, that the Congress and the Khilafat movements had
been paralysed, at any rate, for a time.
After the communiques by the Government and the S.G.P.C.
in which it was announced that the Kirpan question was settled,
 Q

STRUGGLE FOR REFORM IN SIKH SHRINES 7l

and the Committee was recognized by the Government as

representative of the Sikh community, the Government induced
the Shromoni Committee to issue communiques asking the Akalis
not to do anything which should disturb the calm atmosphere in
the province in order to make the passage of the Gurdwara Bill
easy. All the meetings and.Diwans were, in consequence, stopped.
But, strange to say, at this very time, the communiques by the
Government against the Akalis began to appear in rapid succession.
Information was also received by the Shromoni Committee that
the Government was contemplating the renewal of their activities
against the Akalis in the impression that the Congress and Khilafat
could give them no support at that time. A notice was, accordingly,
issued by the office of the Shromoni Committee informing the
Akali Jathedars that, basing their decision on the supposed
weakness of the Congress and Khilafat movements, the Government
was preparing to lay their hands on the Akalis. The absolute
necessity of non-violence v/as strongly impressed upon them and
they were warned not to furnish any excuse to the Government
to justify the declaration made by Sir John Maynard in Council
early in March that a rebellion was about to break out in the Punjab.
A Secret Government circular was issued about the same time
to Deputy Commissioners of 14 districts to take conserted action
along with the States of Patiala and Kapurthala against the Akalis
so that the Akalis of one place might not be able to go to the
assistance of Akalis of another place. It was also noted in the
circular that the whole affair should be settled before the
Government moves to the hills for the summer months. As the
arrests of Akalis actually began to be made, the S. G. P. Committee
had no course left open to it except standing by side of the Akalis
against a determined campaign of wholesale and indiscriminate
arrests and other forms of intensive repression.
On the third April, the Government again invited the
S. G. P. C. to take part in the drafting of the Gurdwara Bill.
On the 5th April 1922, an extraordinary meeting of the General
 72 STRUGGLE FOR REFROM IN SIKH SHRINES

Committee of the S. G. P. Committee met at Akal Takht to consider

the general situation. The reports of maltreatment and torture
of Akalis from the different parts of the Punjab and the States of
Patiala and Kapurthala were presented before it. By a unanimous
resolution the S. G. P. C. refused to co-operate with the Govern-
ment or to discuss with them the proposed Gurdwara Bill under
the circumstances deliberately created by the Government. It was
estimated that between 2000 and 2500 Akalis had been arrested up
to the 1st week of A p r i l in the Punjab and the two States. A reply
t o the Government condemning its Police and making it responsible
for the breaking of negotiations between it and the Sikh community,
together with a copy of resolutions, was despatched. Several
;rs were despatched by high Government officers and
messengers
ere also sent by the Home Secretary to arrange for another
conference with a view to discussing the situation that had arisen.
The Secretary of the Shromoni Committee informed the Government
that the conferences were useless and that in the present attitude
of the Government, it was sheer waste of time to he Id them. A
m l t o f this correspondence, however, a conference did, after
take place at the house of S. 3. Mehtab Singh on the 1st hay
1922. The Government was represented by Mr. H.P. Tollinton,
Commissioner of Lahore Division, and Mr. Wilson jhonston, Home
Secretary while the Shromoni Committee was represented by Bhagat
laswant Singh, S. Tara Singh, B. A. and S. Amar Singh of Vasu. The
d the blame on the subordinate magistrates and
G
the police, and agreed to appoint a judge of the Punjab High
Court to revise the cases. The Committee insisted upon the
appointment of a Committee of Enquiry consisting of officials and
non-officials in equal numbers, before it could reconsider its
resolution of Non-co-operation with the Government. As no
-eement
• agreement I was arrived at in the matter of the Gurdwara Bill, the
Conference ended in a fisco. Before taking his departure, however,
Mr. Wilson Jhonston used a threat tha: the Gurdwara Bill would
be carried through the Council with the help of the Sikh members
 STRUGGLE FOR R E F O R M IN SIKH SHRINES 'O

and the outside public and that the Shromoni Committee would be
ignored. The representatives of the Shromoni Committee retorted
that if the Government did anything of the kind, the Gurdwara
Bill would prove to be another Rowlett Bill. The Government
with its Executive members, Ministers and Sikh Members have
drafted the Bill and sent it on for the sanction of the Government
of India. The Shromoni Committee have sent out four deputations
to travel throughout the province from end to end to
create public opinion against the high-handed action of the
Government. The deputations have been received with the greatest
enthusiasm at Sargodha, Jhelum, Peshawar, Rawalpindi, Haripur
Hazara, Abbottabad, Ludhiana, Ambala, Jullundur, Amritsar,
Ferozepore and Lahore. They are about to visit the remaining
districts. It is rumoured that the Government of India have given
its consent to the Bill which, though not made public, has been
seen and discussed by the Shromoni Committee. It is regarded by
the Sikhs an incomplete and unbusinesslike measure. Both sides
seem to be preparing for a struggle and, if the recent indications
in the Civil and Military Gazette may be taken as a guide, the
Government might take action against the Shromoni Committee
for what it calls its "revolutionery and anarchical" propaganda which
is likely to disturb the peace and order of the country.

(N. B.) (This note has been compiled from information suppplied by
S.B. Mehtab Singh in June 1922. It has been shown to him in
its completed form.)
 •

The Nankana Sahib Massacre

Even before the tragedy at Tarn Taran, The S. G. P. C. were

contemplating to bring the'Gurdwara at Nankana Sahib under their
own control. This historical shrine was then in the possession
and under the management of Mahant Narain Das who had made
himself particularly notorious for corruption and vice.

As early as the 23rd of January, 1921, and again on the 6th

February, meetings of the S. G. P. C. were held at which resolutions
were passed announcing a big Diwan to be held at Nankana Sahib
on the 4th, 5th and 6th_March, 1921. Copies of these resolutions
were sent to the Punjab Government and the rulers of Sikh Sutes
as well as to the press. In this open letter, a clear mention was
made of the corruptions and vices carried on by the Mahant of
Nankana Sahib in the sacred Gurdwara ; the Sikhs were asked to
foregather at the shrine on the appointed days in order to devise
ways and means to put an end to the corruption in the Nankana Sahib
Gurdwara. The Sikhs were also directed to observe complete
non-violence on the occasion in spite of provocations. It is
believed the S. G. P. ,C. had come to know that the Mahant had
provided himself with weapons to be used in case the necessity
arose.

On its own part, the Shromani Committee had, as already

mentioned, cautioned the government, the states and the public at
large so that, if possible a settlement might be arrived at between
the Mahant and the S. G. P. C. It was understood that in case no
such peaceful settlement was brought about by the beginning of
March, the Panth would meet on the 4th, 5th, 6th of March, 1921,
to chalk out a plan for carrying out the necessary reforms in the
management of the Nankana Sahib Gurdwaras.
 STRUCC LE FOR REFORM IN SIKH SHRINES 7^

The S. G. P. C. had arranged to hold a Diwen at a pkee a

few miles from Nankana Sahib, en the 20th of February, 1921.
Bhai Lachhman Singh, of Dharowali Chak No. 33, the Jathedar of
this Diwan, started from Chuharkana with his Jatha early in the
morning of 20th February, 1921, to make the necessary arrangements
for the big Diwan that wa-s. to be held on the 4th, 5th and 6th of
March.
Coming to know of this, Mahant Narain Das suspected to that
Bhai Lachhmin Singh was coming to Nankana Sahib with a large
" body of Sikhs to take possession of the Janamsthan Gurdwara. He
therefore hastened his preparations so as to be ready to meet the
"aggressors" on the 20th February. Now as Nankana Sahib lay on
the way of Bhai Lachhman Singh and his party, Bhai Lachhman Singh,
at the time of starting from Chuharkana, suggested to his
companions that they should pay homage to the holy Gurdwara at
Nankana Sahib that day. He was informed by other Sikhs that the
Mahant had collected a large number of gundas and badmashes
in the Gurdwara and it would be better to pay their homage to the
sacred shrine from a distance.
But Bhai Lachhman Singh declared that he had determined to
visit the Gurdwara, whatever calamity might befall him, and-that it
depended upon the sweet will of his companions whether they
would accompany him or not. Upon this the whole party consented
to visit the Gurdwara (see the court proceedings in the criminal
case against Mahant Narain Das).
Reaching Nankana Sahib the jatha had a bath in the sacred
Tank of Gurdwara Bal Lila and paid their homage to this Gurdwara.
The Mahant of the Bal Lila Gurdwara asked the Jatha if they had
come to take charge of the Gurdwara. The Mahant willingly offered
to give up the Gurdwara to the Akalis if they so desired. But he
was told that they had no intention of taking possession of the
Gurdwara, and tha: they had come only to pay their homage at
the sacred place.
Leaving the Bal Lila Gurdwara, Lachhman Singh's Jatha went
7*3 S T R U G G L E FOR R E F O R M IN SIKH S H R I N E S

to the Janamsthan Gurdwara (the main Gurdwara at Nankana Sahib).

Like other oridinary pilgrims, they sat down inside the Gurdwara
after paying their homage to the Guru Granth Sahib. The
karinda of the Mahant spoke to them in a very polite manner.
Up to this time the Jatha did net suspect any mischief on the
part of the Mahant or any'of his men. As usual on such occasions,
the s'nging of Asa di var had began when all of a sudden they heard
the sound of the main gate of the Gurdwara being closed. It may be
mentioned here that this door had been provided to the gate only
a few days back. The door way was covered with thick tin-plates
and, at the same time, a number of openings had been provided
to serve as loopholes. Hearing this sound, the Akalis also noticed
that the door of the other gate was also shut. To their surprise a
large number of men, who had been sitting on the roof out of the
view of the Akalis, started firing at them. The Akalis ran in small
groups into the small rooms attached to the Gurdwara and bolted
the doors from inside.
But the cruel marksmen came down with their guns and
Chhavis. They bolted the rooms, in which the Sikhs had taken
shelter, from outside, and began, to fire at the Sikhs through the
holes in the doors. These holes were one of the marked objects
for the crowds of visitors to seen after the foul deed had been
perpetrated. A large number of the Sikhs received wounds while
others were actually murdered. In the room in which Bhai
Lachhman Singh was acting as Granthi, as many as 150 marks of
bullets were observed by the Government officers while 44 marks
were courted by them on other walls.
So far about the happenings within the four walls of the
Gurdwara. A word must now be said as to what was going on
outside. One Sardar Dalip Singh cf Sargodha was believed to have
some relatives at Nankana Sahib. He was a man of some social
position, being a Rais and Secretary of the Sargodha Khalsa School.
He was also known to Mahant Narain Das and was supposed to
have some inHuar.c? w h him. As he happened to be at Chuharkana
 STRUGGLE FCR REFORM IN SIKH SHRINES 77

at this time, Jathedar Kartar Singh and some other leading persons
of the place asked him to pursuade Bhai Lachhman Singh not to
visit Nankana Sahib Gurdwara as Mahant Narain Das was reported
to be bent upon mischief, Further, he was told that in the event
of Bhai Lachhman Singh not listening to his entreaties, he (Dalip
Singh) should try to convince the Mahant that Lachhman Singh
had come to the Gurdwara only for darshan and should not be
molested.
On reaching Janamsthan Dalip Singh saw the Mahant occupied
with his murderous task?. He shouted to him to desist but
received a gun shot on the forehead and fell dead.
The Sikhs who had come with S. Dalip Singh had stayed
behind in a Sarae. The Pathan murderers hired by the Mahant
rushed to the place and did short work with them. Thus ended the
gruesome drama with Mahant Narain Da> as its chief actor.
Bhai Lachhman Singh's hands were cut little by little and then
he was brought before the Mahant who took great delight in seeing
his head being severed before him. v The Sikhs within the Gurdwara
who could not be killed with the bullets were murdered with axes.
Some of them were even burnt alive. It was reported that the
hired goondas murdered some Sikhs after searching them outside
the Gurdwara.
S. Karam Singh, Station-Master heard the sound of the
bullets and started for the Gurdwara. In the way he was informed
by a Nihang Singh of what had taken place. In the meanwhile
another Sikh, Bhai Labh Singh by name, met the Station Master
and asked him to inform the higher authorities by wire about what
had happened. Accordingly telegrams were sent to the Governor
of the Province, to the Deputy Commissioner as well as to a
number of other high officials* and the S. G. P. C., informing them

T h e telegrams were sent to the following :-

The Governor of the Punjab, D. C. Sheikhupura, D. C. Gujranwala,
Contd.
 78 S T R U G G L E POR REFORM IN S I K H SHRINES

of what had happened at Nankana Sahib. Mahatma Gandhi at this

time was at Rawalpindi and he also got a telegram to the same
!

effect.
The Deputy Commissioner of Gujranwafa reached Nankana
Sahib at 12.30 p.m. and saw the bodies of the Sikhs burning with his
own eyes.
In the evening the Commissioner of the Division with a
military force consisting of 100 Europeans and 100 Indian soldiers,
and D. G. Police and several Sikh Sardars reached Nankana Sahib
by a special Train. The Military was posted all round the Gurdwara.

The Mahant had locked up the gates from within and when he
was asked to open them, he is said to have replied that the Sikhs had
murdered his Sadhus and he was burning their dead bodies so that
the Sikhs may not take them away.
The authorities now set to work to assert the Mahant and his
gang of Pathans who were suspected to have been concerned with
the foul deed. The Mahant Narain Das who had locked himself
in a small room came out of it after hesitating for a few minutes.
He had a gun in his hand which was taken from him by the District
Magistrate, Mr. Curie. After his arrest, two disciples (Chelas)
of the Mahant and 26 Pathans were arrested. The Gurdwara was put
under the protection of the Government.

Several Sikh leaders and Sikh Sardars from Amritsar and other
places reached Nankana Sahib by motor cars. A large number of
Sikhs tried to reach Nankana Sahib by train but they were refused
tickets for Nankena Sahib ar.d were informed that the trains did not
stop at the Nankana Sahib Railway Station. However, a large number
of the Sikhs reached the Janamsthan some by getting down at the

Continued from last page.

and Superintendent Police Sheikhupura ;
S. Sunder Singh Majithia, S. Harbans Singh who were at the Khalsa
College^Amritsar.^^^l^^l^^l^^m^m^^^^l^^l^^B
 STRUGGLE FOR REFORM IN S I K H SHRINES /9

nearest Railway Station and other by walking the whole distance

from Lahore, Amritsar and other places.
The 29 persons arrested at Nankana Sahib were at once sent
t o Lahore by a special train and there confined in the Central
Jail. The Government at once started investigation in which
the District Megistarte, Mr. Curie, the D. I. G. Police, the
Superintendent of Police and some officers of the C. I. D. of the
Punjab took part.
After sometime the military and the Police were withdrawn
from the Gurdwara, its management being handed over t o the
Khalsa Panth. Sardar Harbans Singh of Atari was appointed the
President and Sardar Sunder Singh Ramgarhia the Vice-President
of the first Parbandhak Committee of the Gurdwara.
*

The Governor of the Punjab, Sir Edward Maclagan, reached

Nankana Sahib by a special train on the 22nd of February, 1921, on
receiving a telegram from S. Harbans Singh. A large number of
officials and men of influence accompanied His Excellency to the
sacred Gurdwara. His Excellency saw the place of massacre very
carefully and sympathetically.
Here we may also mention a touching incident that took
place at the time of the visit of Sir Edward Maclagan. A very old
M
woman came before His Excellency and said, My child, my four
sons and a grandson have been massacred. I request you for
justice". Uttering these words the old lady fell down senseless.
The Sikhs had by this time assembled in thousands. They
suspected some intrigue behind the holocaust of the innocent and
non-violent Sikhs, and some of them openly expressed this view
to the Governor. But His Excellency kept calm and collected
showing every sympathy with the Sikhs. He assured the Sikhs
assembled there that the Government would leave no stone
unturned in chastising the murderers and giving full relief to
the Sikh community. After this Sir Edward Maclagan returned to
Lahore.
SO STRUGGLE FOR REFORM IN SIKH SHRINES

Two days after the blood curdling event, the sangat was
permitted to visit the spot when tens of thousands of men and
women, Sikhs and others, poured into Nankana Sahib. The
martyred Sikhs were cremated all together by the half burnt bodies
being thrown into huge iron a n ^ ' 2 k < | ^ m H [ | ^ |
 Mahatma Gandhi at
Nankana Sahib*

On 3rd March, 1921 Mahatma Gandhi and some other leaders,

viz., Maulana Shaukat Ali, L Duni Chand, Dr. Kichlew, Malik
Lai Khan, S. Harchand Singh, S. Prem Singh Sodbans, etc., went
to Nankana Sahib. A Diwan was held there. Bhai Kartar Singh
Jhabbar, Jathedar, related the incident of Nankana Sahib. He said :-
"Just as the rising sun awakens the people from sleep, in a
like manner preparations for Swaraj have raised the Sikhs
from their slumber. That is why they have demanded religious
freedom as the first step towards the attainment of their objective.
That is how Gurdwara Reform Movement took its birth. The
Mahants have been doing untold corruptions in the past," and he
made mention of these corruptions especially in Nankana Sahib.
He also mentioned the misdeeds of Mahant Deva Dass, who had
been arrested and handed over to the Police. After this, S. Amar
Singh of Vasu delivered his address. He said that the Sikhs were
always considered as fiery-tempered but that they have now given
proofs of their sedateness. After this Mahatama Gandhi stood up
and gave the following lecture : "It was in Rawalpindi when I heard of
this incident. My heart got frightened. I thought. I thought, are
there persons in India who are so callous and hard-hearted as
to kill and butcher their own brethern. L. Lajpat Rai told me
that perhaps this news may be baseless and that we should go to
Lahore to see whether it was correct. I have come here to tell
you that your suffering is my suffering. I would have gladly laid
down my life instead of letting these Sikhs being killed. My own
Dharma, Sanatan Dharma, forbids me from committing
suicide and becoming one with them. This is really a thing of wonder
that the Sikhs have remained non-violent throughout. This has added
. another feather to the glory and dignity of India." Addressing all,
 32 S T R U G G L E FOR REFROM IN SIKH S H R I N E S

the Mahatma continued : "This work is not solely of the Sikhs.

'] Everybody should share it. The British rule is based on devilish
/tricks. They divide and rule. One part of the Sikhs favours the
Government's policy. This is not wanted. Give a united front.
I Follow the path of non-violence. Do not co-operate with the
j Government. The Mahant Narain Dass and his followers with all
• their elaborate preparations cannot do so much mischief. I
strongly believe that in this matter this Imperialist Government
also had a hand".
After the Mahatma Maulana Shaukat AM arose. He said,
"There is no difference between an O'Dwyer and a Maclagan. All
Englishmen are the chips of the same block. Do not hope for any
help from them. The Government is mainly responsible for the
mischief. Why did the Deputy Commissioner remain outside the
Gurdwara ? And how did the Mahant make any preparation unless
backed by the Government ? Do not expect any help from them."
He rebuked those Muslims and the Pathans who had helped the
Mahant in this matter.
5th April, 1921, was fixed as the Nankana Sahib Martyrs' Day.
Mahatma Gandhi gave the following message to the Sikhs
after his visit to Nankana Sahib :-
*

"I paid a visit to Nankana Sahib yesterday (3rd March, 1921).

I want to say a word to my Sikh brethern to that effect. That sight
of what I saw of those who were killed and the sad tale that they
told affected me a great deal. There is no doubt that on Sunday
20th February, !92l, the men of the Akali Jatha numbering 150
were mercilessly butchered. It is also told that one of the Akaiis
was bound with a tree and burnt alive. The Kerosene oil was
poured over the dead bodies and set to fire. All those who entered
the Gurdwara were killed and no one of them survived to relate
the whole thing. The holes for fire-shots were made in the walls.
In Nankana Sahib where even the poisonous snake had shadowed
the Guru Nanak, the people have become demon-like and inhuman.
•
 STRUGGLE FOR FEFCRM IN SIKH SHRINES b3

I think that the Jatha went inside for homage. They had got
weapon with them. But as they had pledged not to raise any
weapon, they had not done so. All of them were shot down.
The task of the Akalis is to do reform work. That is why their
sacrifice is very great. '-The murderers are our own people and
therefore we should pardon them."

An Inquiry Committee for investigating the incident of

Gurdwara Nankana Sahib was apppointed on
Disbelief in the Inquiry Committee : Copy of the resolution
passed on 4 , 5 , 6 March 1921 of Shromoni Gurdwara Parbandhak
*

Committee on the matter :-

(a) Passed that the Sikhs had already doubts that the
Government would not do justice in the matter, but on the
assurance of the Governor of the Punjab that the Government
would do full justice and that it would fully investigate into the
matter, the Shromoni Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee stopped
doing anything further in the matter itself and helped the police
in investigation. But on February 27, 1921 reading in the
Government communique that : Legal procedure would, be taken
against persons who would raise any voice against the investigating
officials, the Committee has come to the conclusion that the
Government is not prepared to bring to light the real nature of
slaughter and that was the reason why no witness was taken. The
conduct of the investigators shows that they are not doing their v/ork
properly and that they have threatened many Sikhs who can throw
light on the subject, as for example, S. Uttam Singh member
Gurdwara Committee Nankana Sahib. The Committee, in the
light of above circumstances, is forced to decide that the
Government Inquiry Committee should not be trusted and that the
Committee appointed by the Sikh League should be helped in its
investigation work. The other resolutions were :-
(I) In future when the Ardasa should be done, the names
of the Akalis martyred and other Sikhs be mentioned.
 S T R U G G L E FOR R E F O R M IN S I K H SHRINES

(2) An arrangement should be made for the maintenance of

the families of the martyrs.
(3) A notice should be given to the Gurdwaras that up to
April 3, 1921 all the Gurdwaras should hand over their
management to the Shromoni Gurdwara Parbandhak
Committee, otherwise it would be taken over forcibly.

\
 THE AKALI MOVEMENT
The Organization and Administration
of the S. G. P. C

Having watched the whole movement at close quarters and

enjoying, as I did, the intimate confidences of the leaders for a
considerable time, I must say a few words here about the
organization and day to day administrations of the Shromoni
Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (S. G, P. C.) which was the
recognized machinery for guiding and controlling the activities of
the whole Akali movement with its remifications all over the
province. I wish it to be understood that throughout this book,
and more particularly in writing about the working of the S.G.P.C.,
I have taken scrupulous care not to say one word which I did not
I consider myself to be justified to utter. Some of the statements
that I will be forced to make will, I am afraid, look like gross
exaggerations and I have, therefore, thought it necessary to say at
the very outset that I can vouch my personal word for everything
which will be found recorded in these pages*.
The offices of the S. G. P. C. were in those early days located
in a small humble two-storeyed building at one corner of Guru ka
Bazar, close to the Golden Temple. The seven or eight men who
were chiefly concerned with the conduct of the day to day and hour
* I have also further fortified myself by showing the manu-
script of this chapter as also some other chapters to two or three
Sikh friends who were themselves intimately associated with the
Akali movement at the most critical period of its history. These
gentlemen are : S. Teja Singh Principal, Khalsa College, Bombay,
Sardar Niranjan Singh, Principal of the Sikh National College,
Lahore, and Bawa Harkishan Singh, Principal Guru Nanak College,
Gujranwala.
86 STRUGGLE FOR REFORM IN SIKH SHRINES

to hour business of the organization and who held in their hands

the reins of the whole movement lived on the spot. As a matter
of fact, they iived nowhere in particular. They were to be found
wherever their immediate duties carried them, within the town
itself or out of it. As a rule during the day and the greater part
of the night they were on their legs returning now and again to
the "office" to give instructions t o the men who were to be sent
out on various errands, sometimes, t o distant parts of the province.
The "office" was the one place where they were sure to be found
if they were in town. No body knew and no body could ask one
of them what he was about at a particular moment. They formed
a compact, well-organized " W a r Council" and, in fact, that was
exactly the word that was frequently used about them.
A t night they slept together in one fair-sized room about
fourteen feet by fourteen feet. They all lay stretched pell-mell
on the floor.covered with a thin durree with a ceiling fan overhead.*
The " W a r Council" went on practically for the greater part of
the night. The general meeting of the " C o u n c i l " was held about
I I or 12 p.m. No particular hour was fixed, but as soon as all or
most of the principal men were present, they would squat together
in one part of the room to exchange notes and discuss the business
of the day or, may be, some important change in the programme
for the future.
I should mention here that, in those days, S. Teja Singh
Samundri was the President of the organization. I have not had
occasion to watch the working of the Akali machine at such close

*This description holds good chiefly about the time when the G u r u -
ka-Bagh morcha was in progress. For more than a month I also
t

slept in the same room and when an occasion arose-but this was
very seldom— I would be awakened for consultation on a point
under discussion. This was the case, of course, only when they
thought that my opinion or advice might be of use to them, or
when they were in need of some information which they thought
I could supply better than any one else present there.
 STRUGGLE FOR REFORM IN SIKH SHRINES 87

quarters when S. B. Mehtab Singh, S. Kharak Singh or one of the

other leaders was in power. But what I saw of it during the
month or more of the Guru ka-Bagh struggle, when I was privileged
to be practically one of them, was enough to give me more than
a peep into the smooth and orderly running of the whole minute to
minute administration which filled me with no small admiration
for those at the helm of affairs. In particular I can honestly say
that I find it difficult to convey to the reader anything like an
adequate idea of the wonderful personality of the President, his
calm and unruffled temper in the midst of a tumultuous sea of
troubles, of insistent demands from various quarters and not
infrequently uncomfortable information about what the high-placed
and all-powerful authorities at Amritsar and Simla had done or were
contemplating to carry out, his remarkable resourcefulness and
the light hearted manner in which he would habitually speak of
things that would have frightened many other leaders almost to
despair ; these and other things that one noticed from hour to
hour filled every body with infinite confidence in the man under
whose command they were working. Tall, wiry, with no pomp
or show, or hurry about him, one could easily mistake him for a
man of no particular importance. And yet when the occasion
required, even in the midst of a vast crowd he would pull himself
up erect and asserting his presence there he would give the word
of command in the full assurance that it would be implicitly obeyed.
On such occasions and even when he was approached by small
groups of men with complaints and questions, he would generally
address them familiarly as chhors (boys). I never heard him
speak in any language but the simplest colloquial Punjabi as one
hears in the countryside in the province. I do not think he could
make a ten minute speech in urdu and certainly not at all in English
with which he had only a nodding acquaintance. I do not think he
could clearly follow a speech in the English language. All his own
correspondence was carried on in Gurmukhi. I believe he had
some system of obtaining correct and prompt information from
 *

83 STRUGGLE FOR REFORM IN SIKH SHRINES

official sources. On a few occasions within my knowledge this

information proved to be of very great use to the Committee. I
have also reason to believe that the Committee had a secret code
of their own. This code was in my possession for a time, but I
never attempted to look at it.
One interesting incident illustrating the importance of the
secret information department of the Akalis may here be mentioned.
On or about report came to the S. G. P. C. that the Deputy
Commissioner of Amritsar had received information from his own
sources that the Akalis who had always been present in large
numbers—sometimes as many as two to three thousands being
available—to be sent to Guru-ka-Bagh in batches of 100 a day had,
for one reason or another, become dissatisfied with the movement
and were therefore dispersing to their homes. Tired of the never-
ending struggle with the obstinate Akalis, the Government was at
this time thinking of approaching the S. G. P. C. for a settlement
and were for this purpose prepared to go a long way towards
meeting the demands of the leaders. On receipt of this information,
however, the authorities, at Simla, which meant practically Sir
John Maynard, sent immediate instructions that no approach should
be made to the Akalis since dissensions had broken out amongst
them and the movement was fizzling out. Such at least was the
report that was received at the office of the S. G. P. C. The
President got confirmatory information to the same effect. As I
have already explained the S. G. P. C. had system of espionage of
their own and they believed that they were in possession of all
the important information that was reaching the Government and
upon which the Government was basing its own decisions.
Anyway, on receipt of this information, the President himself
got up in an excited manner, (a rather unusual thing with him), and
told his principal co-workers that he would be absent from the
station for two or three days at least. To my knowledge he did
not explain at the moment why he was leaving Amritsar so abruptly
and on what mission. It is possible that he may have mentioned it
 4

STRUGGLE FOR REFORM IN SIKH SHRINES &-

to one or two members of the Council of Action. But certainly

most of them did not know or did not like to tell me why Teja
Singh Samundri had left Amritsar at a time when his presence was
most needed. Of course, we.all came to know of the whole truth
of the matter after his return.
The fact was that on account of the near approach of the
Guru-purb (Guru Nanak's birthday festival) at Nankana Sahib, a
couple of thousand of Akalis who were then present at Amritsar
begged the S. G. P. C. to allow them to go-home and take their
families to Nankana Sahib to join the festival there. They promised
to return as soon as the function was over. The S. G. P. C. kept
about five hundred men at Amritsar and allowed the rest of them
to absent themselves for a few days. Teja Singh Samundri wanted
to show to the'authorities that far from having lost their control
over the rank and file of the Akalis, their hold on their allegiance
was unbounded. From Amritsar, therefore, Teja Singh went straight
to Nankana Sahib and as soon as the festival was over returned
with some ten thousand Akalis bubbling with enthusiasm to take
part in a great demonstration at Amritsar and thus show to the
authorities that the S. G. P. C. was still the master of the situation
and commanded an unlimited supply of men and even women to
take part in the jathas for the Guru ka bagh morcha. The
demonstration had its effect upon the Government, and it was from
this moment that the situation began to improve, the Government
being once for all convinced that the hold of the S. G. P. C.
continued unabated and that they could command, if need be, many
thousands of men to come forward for service in connection with
the morcha. The credit for this sudden turn of events was given
by everybody to that remarkable man, S. Teja Singh Samundri,
who had with the ungrudging help and support of many other
equally determined leaders organized the whole of the Guru-ka-bagh
struggle. I have not words enough to describe my admiration for
the calm, cool, but determined manner in which he conducted the
90 STRUGGLE FOR REFORM IN SIKH SHRINES

complicated organization of the S. G. P. C. in its various branches

to a successful issue. In spite of his literary deficiencies, Teja Singh
was a remarkable man, one among tens of thousands of men, who
was born as an organizer and leader of men and movements. More
than this I consider it quite unnecessary to say.*

Religious propaganda and recruitment

of Akali Jathas*
The most essential part of the activities to which the S. G. P. C.
devoted their special attention was the holding of religious
Diwans in all parts of the province. Small tracts consisting mostly
of selection from the Sikh scriptures were printed and sold by
tens of thousands for private daily recitations. Care was taken that
these tracts (gutkas) be offered to the public at an exceedingly low
price so that they may be available within the means of the poorest
members of the community. It need not be pointed out here that
the standard of literacy is much higher among the Sikhs than either
Hindus or Mohammedans, the proportion of literates among women
being particularly high. The professional singers were specially
in evidence at religious Diwans and very frequently the Diwans
were held because some famous group of professional singers had
offered their services to the Akali organiser. It must be added,
however, that the itinerant singing parties had now become more
active because they discovered that they met with greater apprecia-
tion for their performances. The local S. G. P. C. leaders were
generally present at the Diwans but on special occasions some of
the topmost leaders were also invited.**
*For an account of the grand demonstration staged at Amritsar after
the Nankana Sahib festival see page
**lt must not be supposed that the movement about holding the
Diwans was initiated by the S. G. P. C. Their cnly credit lies in
greatly extending the sphere of such activities and thus creating a
Contd.
 S T R U G G L E FOR R E F O R M IN S I K H S H R I N E S 9l

Incidently, these Diwans became important centres for the

recruitment of men for the Akali struggle f o r the control of the
Gurdwara and, generally, for the revival of the Sikh faith on
puritanic lines. It was in the spirit of the causaders that the men
enlisted themselves. When, the time came, an army of volunteers
arose, nobody knew from where, to carry on the work of enlistment.
The volunteers went about the country and held Diwans in the
remotest parts of the province. In spite of my inquiries I was not
able to discover if any of the volunteers were in the regular pay of
the S. G. P. C. On coming to know from the lips of the leaders
that jathas were being formed for service in connection with a
particular duty, those that were moved by the appeals would offer
themselves there and then but, move frequently, the work of
recruitment was left t o the volunteers. *

Information arid Publicity Bureau

OF THE S. G. P. C.
Certainly, the most remarkable department of the publicity
bureau was the small office directly attached t o the Council of Action
f r o m which the S. G. P. C. communiques were issued. As a rule, at
least one communique was issued every morning, sometimes even
two or more. So long as he was free, S. Bhag Singh, B. A., LL. B.,

Coninued from last page.

*a most remarkable religious reawakening in the community. The
Chief Khalsa Diwan was primarily responsible for starting the
tractarian movement—the chief object being the popularisation of
the Punjabi language. A considerable progress was made in this
direction, chiefly through the efforts of Bhai Vir Singh assisted by
several other enthusiasts. So far as the purely religious side of these
activities is concerned, the credit must go mainly to S. Harbans
Singh of Attari seconded by his life-long friend, Sir Sunder Singh
Majithia. They were responsible for creating the new horizons,
which they themselves were not destined to enter.
92 STRUGGLE FOR REFORM IN SIKH SHRIEES

was incharge of this important and delicate business. During the

Guru ka Bagh morcra he would regularly appear in the Council
of Action room at about midnight and show his draft to the
particular leaders to whose special charge the various items
belonged. It is worth mentioning here that Prof. Teja Singh and
next to him Bawa Harkishan Singh of the Khalsa College at
Amritsar had a considerable hand in the preparation of the drafts
of the communiques. For some time Prof. Teja Singh was solely
in charge of the publicity department of the S. G. P. C.
Occasionally, when a particularly difficult or dangerous point
was to be dealt with, Samundri could also be shaken out of his
deep slumber on the hard floor. It may be that now and again the
draft had to be submitted to the whole Council before it was
considered to be ready for publication. A confidential staff was
present In an adjoining room to prepare the required number of
cyclostyled copies of the communiques, and as soon as they were
ready, they were sent out to their destination. The list of addresses
consisted of all the important nationalist pipers in India, certain
Sikh and other gentlemen sympathetic to the Gurdwara Reform
movement and certain prominent bodies in the country. It must
be pointed cut here that on certain occasions when it was feared
that the copies of a particular communiques may be seized by the
authorities and forfeited, a certain number of copies meant for
particular individuals were posted from some outside station.
Reliable sewadars were always ready to be sent out at a moment's
notice with copies of communiques which the) were instructed to
post from distant places. They were, of course, directed to be on
the look-cut for police detectives who might be shadowing them.
Besides the important items of news about the movement
itself, the communiques often referred to official orders or other
information which they considered it necessary to challange. The
communiques contained the Committee's own version o^ the facts
and cpinicrs as set out in the official announcements. No other
pc!i:ical organization, so far as I knew - r.ot even the Indian
 S T R U G G L E FOR REFROM IN S I K H S H R I N E S vo

National Congress was ever so prompt and efficient in carrying

out this part of their propaganda as the Akali Bureau. The reason
for it was obvious. The Akalis were openly engaged in a real war,
and every member of the organization was deeply conscious of
being on active service day and night and lived and worked on
the danger line. I have not known any other political body so
dircetly and fearlessly challenging and counteracting official
statements, orders and directions as some of the S. G. P. C.
communiques did. On the other sice, the official administrative
machine was also never so alert, active and thorough in dealing with
any community as with the "dangerous Akali e r u p t i o n " . Above
everything else, they knew that if the menace to their prestige was
not suppressed in time, the stability of their whole administration
might be undermined. Sir Michael O'Dwyer, and following him
other high officials, often declared that with the Sikhs there wcs
very little interval between thought and action. Besides they ccu!d
not understand why the Akalis had been led so suddenly and
completely to change their places—from faithful and devoted
friends they had become sworn enemies—and they were determined
either to suppress them altogether or, if possible, to win them
back to their old allegiance and friendship Officials would some-
time remind their Sikh friends of the danger the community ran
of being reduced to the condition of landless and homeless
labourers as the Poorbias after the Great Mutiny. The very
comparison showed what a serious view the authorities took of the
Akali defection.

Newspaper propaganda of the

Akali Movements
Conscious of the importance of journalistic propaganda, the
S. G. P. C. took great pains in organizing this department of their
Publicity Bureau through their own daily Journals in the Erglish,
Urdu and Panjabi languages. As they had no English daily newspaper
under their ov/n control, on the 27th August 1923, they acquired
94 STRUGGLE TOR REFORM IN SIKH SHRINES

an interest in the Nation*, then published at Lahore. The Nation

had started some years earlier and had by this time a circulation
of about five thousand copies a day. After some of the leading
members of the S. G. P. C. had joined the Company that owned
the Nation, S. B. Mehtab Singh, Bawa Harkishen Singh, S. Mangal
Singh, S. Teja Singh Sam'undri, Giani Sher Singh, S. Bhag Singh,
all prominent members of the S. G. P. C. became Directors or
Managers of the paper. The Nation now also began to have a
Dummy Editor after the fashion of some of the Russian revolutionary
journals. A youngman of the name of S. Gurdit Singh became the
first " D u m m y " Editor. These dummy editors were popularly
known as " j a i l editors."
The S. G. P. C. owned and controlled three vernacular Dailies.
The Akali-te-Paydesi (daily Gurmukhi paper) was published at
Lahore. It was the chief paper of the S. G. P. C. with a circulation of
about seven thousand copies. The well known Akali leader S. Hari
Singh of Jullundur, was the printer, editor and publisher, while
Master Tara Singh was the joint editor. As an organ of the S.G.P.C.,
it vigorously supported the cause of that body and, as such, was
constantly appealing to its Sikh readers to help the Jaito Morcha
which was then agitating the whole community in every possible
way even t o the extent of joining the struggle. On the Nabha Day
(9th September 1923), this paper came out as a single leaf issue
with the streamer "Jaito Morcha : Sikhs reach the Morcha \
running accross the whole of the front page.

The urdu daily paper was known as the Akali. It was under
the same management and control as the Gurmukhi paper. It had
a circulation of about five thousand copies and was published

* l donot know if with their wonderful sources of information

the Akali leaders had got an i n k l i n g of the official plans to start
criminal proceedings against the movement, but in any case it was
fcrtunate f o r them that they had by this time a well established
English paper also under their control.
 S T R U G G L E FOR REFORM IK SIKH S H R I N E 3 95

at Amritsar. Several Sikh leaders were directly connected with

the paper as contributors, managers, etc. As has already been
remarked, the S. G. P. C. attached great importance to the propagada
side of its activities and therefore they took care that the organs
of the Society should be under the control and guidance of some of
the top leaders so as to get most out of these important instruments
of the public opinion.
 •

Hindu Muslim Riots at Amritsar

Now reffer to an unfo'rtunate incident that occured at Amritsar

shortly before the Baisakhi day of 1923. No one could say how
the trouble arose. The popular story that was current at the time
was that a common street fight between two boys or youngmen, a
Hindu and a Mohammadan, on the Nth April 1923, gave rise to
mellee and in the strained relations that prevailed at the time between
the two communities all over the province, it soon developed into a
serious communal riot, the af:er effects of which lasted for several
days. In big cities like Amritsar there is always present a considera-
ble section of hooligans who are on the look out for mischief. The
presence at this particular time of thousands of stalwart villagers
who had come to the town to pay their homage at the Darbar Sahib
further added to the confusion.
The S. G. P. C. showed great courage and resourcefulness and
at once organised Akali Jathas to patrol the streets with a view to
maintain peace and order. Throughout the night of the I Ith April,
1923, bands of Akalis patrolled the streets while at places which
were likely to become centres of trouble and disorder strong pickets
were posted. It is necessary to mention that as soon as the Akalis
heard of the trouble in the city they organized and sent out Jathas
to patrol the city, but as a precaution least their action might be
misunderstood by the authorities, the S. G. P. C. also se.u an
intimation about it to the Deputy Commissioner. The Deputy
Commissioner appreciated the action of the Akalis and both he and
the Superintendent of Police welcomed the Committee's action in
posting pickets for the maintenance of peace and order. The Deputy
Commissioner further asked the President to meet him "with a view
to discuss arrangements with you in order :o take the best advantage
of your aid." On the following day also the Deputy Commissioner
 £7/
S T R U G G L E FOR R E F O R M IN S I K H SHRINES

sent a note that he "would be glad to have your help at Namak Mandi
and Katra KararrvSingh."
Again, in their communique dated April 27, 1923, the
Government publicity acknowledged the services of the Akalis
"during the recent trouble at Amritsar."
The following day witnessed more or less serious outbreaks in
various parts of the city. Solitary Hindus and Muslims going about
their business were roughly handled, some of them being even
seriously injured. Several of these men were brought to the Golden
Temple Akali Hospital and admitted as indoor patients. By this
time British military and machineguns had also been requisitioned
for patrol duty in the city. The Deputy Commissioner issued a
proclamation by beat of drum that in case the rioting in the city did
not cease he would be compelled to resort to arrests. At the same
time, soma A'<a!i Sardars on horse-back rode through parts of the
city imploring with folded hands the Hindus and Muslims not to
destroy thoughtlessly and in a frenzy of excited passion the work of
years and injure the cau;2 of psace and amity. At the request of
the S. G. P. C. about two hundred students of the Khalsa College
with their teachers volunteered their services for patrolling in the
city. So well was this work done that by evening order had been
restored. The Deputy Ccrr missicncr, Mr. (afterwards Sir) ]. M.
Dunnet promptly expressed his greatfulness to the S. G. P. C. " f o r
the timely assistance which they had given the authorities in an
anxious and difficult situation.*

T h e following letter, which the President of the S. G. P. C. received

from the Deputy Commissioner will speak for itself :
Dear Sardar Bahadur,
You weie good enough this morning to place two hundred
Akalis who have been employed in patrolling definite portions of
each of the four divisions of the city. I have now received a strong
reinforcement of cavalry, enabling me to relieve your men of their
Contd>
98 STRUGGLE FOR REFORM IN SIKH SHRINES

At night the order was maintained by military patrols moving

up and down the throughfares. But as the S. G. P. C. was over-
whelmed with requests from bankers, merchants, magistrates,
Civil judges, lawyers and other well-to-do citizens to help them
in protecting their houses and properties, they sent out Akali
volunteers for night duty, many of them under the supervision of
Congress and Khilafat leaders. It is said that no less than five
hundred Akalis were on duty that night along with a large number
of Congress volunteers.
The 13th April was of course a critical day, but except for
a few isolated cases of beating and stone-throwing everything
passed off quietly. Throughout these troublesome days the
atmosphere was electric and so great was the panic that even on
the Baisakhi day most of the shops remained closed, and the whole
town wore the appearance of a city of the dead.

As soon as things had settled down, the S. G. P. C. took the

initiative by approaching prominent Hindus and Muhammadan citizens
to discuss with them means and ways of restoring the old friendly
relations between the communities.' A conference of about 60 /
leading Hindu and Muslim gentlemen was held on the 14th April in
the Town Hall. S. Teja Singh Samundri was elected Chairman.
After a good deal of friendly discussion the following resolutions
were unanimously adopted :—

Continued from last page.

fatiguing and anxious duties. I, therefore, write to ask you to be
good enough to withdraw your patrols, lam very grateful to you
for the timely assistance which you gave me in an anxious and
difficult situation. *

Yours sincerely,
J. R. Dunnett,
Communique No. 482.
Press 483. ^ | ^ | ^ | ^ | ^ | B 9 ^ | ^ | ^ | i
 STRUGGLE FCR REFORM IN S I K H SHRINES 99

i. "Resolved that a committee of the following three gentle-

men be appointed to inquire into cases of alleged
negligence on the part of any division-member and to
take necessary steps :
Rai Bahadur Gopaldass Bhandari, President, Municipal
Committee, Khwaja Ghulam Sadiq, Vice President
Municipal Committee and Sardar Tara Singh. The last
named gentleman was to act as Secretary of the
Committee,
2. Resolved that the Shromoni Committee be requested to
undertake the work of combating false, mischievous and
exciting rumours, and of publishing the above proceedings*."
Before dispersing those present expressed their appreciation
of the service which the Akalis had rendered in maintaining order
ritical time.

Press Communique No. 483.

 THE AKALI MOVEMENT

KARSEWA
Encouraged with the unique uprush of popular enthusiasm
that had now overtaken the whole Sikh Panth, its supporters and
admirers, the S. G. P. C. decided to undertake the tremendous task
of cleaning the big beautiful tank in the middle of which stands the
Golden Temple, the Holiest of Holies of "the brave little community,
of black-turbaned long-haired, braceletted warriors" whom Guru
Govind Singh had created on the Hindu-Sikh New Year Day in 1699.
The last time the tank was cleaned under the direction of Maharaja
Sher Singh. The work had long been waiting and the new gaurdians
and custodians of the Gurdwaras all over the Punjab and beyond,
naturally felt that the S. G. P. C. should lose no more time in
removing the mud and silt that had accumulated to the depth of
several feet at the bottom of the tank. Accordingly, under the
impluse of a sacred urge, in the summer of 1922, the S. G. P. C.
set up a special Karsarovar (service of the Tank) Committee with
Bhagat Jaswant Singh as its Secretary. The enthusiasm that the
Karsewa called forth battles description. Not only the Sikhs of all
classes, ranks and strata of Society, but also tens of thousands of
pious Hindus were stirred to their depths to take part in the sacred
work. The ruling chiefs were represented by the Maharaja of
Patiala, Maharaja Bhupendra Singh, who was seen going down the
steps, filling up a basket with mud and carrying it on his head to the
pavement in the midst of tens of thousands of others engaged on the
same -vork. It is a pi:y that while the biggest feudatory
chief in the province, the head of the Phulkian States, was seen
earring a basket of mud on his head from the bottom of the tank to
the marble pavement for about an hour, no other representative
of the princely order even put in his appearance during the 22 days
when the work of clearing lasted. A remarkable feature of the
 STRUGGLE FOR REFORM IN SIKH SHRINES 1J1

peaceful activities of the Karsewa, no less than the organization of the

B of a different kind in connection with the non-violent
chc s at Guru-ka-Bagh and Jaito, was that the whole plan of work
was Jpped out with the minutest details and completed with clock-
work regularity and thoroughness. It is worth noticing that along
with Hindus and Sikhs, a few hundred Mohammedans also joined
in the actual work of cleaning the tank. The sight of the thousands
of men and women of all ranks of society engaged in this sacred
work day after day was as inspiring as it was an actual d
of the deep religious faith of the whole community.
The inauguration ceremony began with a religious Diwan held at
Gurdwara Plpli Sahib (June 17, 1922) not far from the Khalsa
College. After the prayers were over, a grand procession started
early in the morning. The procession was several miles long and
it was estimated by a fairly correct counting by the present writer
himself that not less than a lac and a half persons took part in
it. As soon as the head of the procession reached the Golden
Temple, prayer was offered for the successful performance of the
sacred duty which the Sangat had undertaken. As is customary
with the Sikhs on all religious occasions, after invoking the
blessings of the Gurus and the Sikh martyrs and those who had
served the Panth in one way or other, karahparsad was
distributed. The actual Karsewa was inaugurated by five pe
*

(the Panj Piyaras) who were specially chosen for the occasion by
the Panth at the Akal Takhat. The five chosen ones were provided
with gold spades and silver baskets**, for digging up and carrying
the sacred mud from the bottom of the tank to the pavement of
the Prakrama. The procession moved slowly singing hymns in
*. Sant Sham Singh, S. B. Mehtab Singh, President, S. G. P. C,
Bhai Teja Singh, Jathedar Akal Takht, Bhai Pritam Singh of
Anandpur and Bhai Gulab Singh of Gholia.
<

**. They are kept in the Toshakhana (treasury) of the Golden

Temple above the Darshani gate or the main entrance.
 1 0 2
STRUGGLE FOR REFORM IN SIKH SHRINES

lines of five each. Numerous Iron baskets were provided for

and women of every rank and position to take part in the kar~
work. Some even carried the earth in the excess of Ireligious
rel
enthusiasm in their shawls or in their aprons. The biggest in the
land joined with others in this work. From the second day
different parts of the tank were assigned to parties from the
different districts and the whole work went on in a regular and
systematic manner, from early morning till sunset, many of them
chanting Wah-i-Guru, Wah-i-Guru Ji> Satnam, Salnam Ji all
the time. It was sight for the gods to see. On one day a party of
a couple of hundred Muhammadans after saying their Namaz
(Prayers) in the adjoining Guru-ka-bagh marched to the sacred tank
and joined in Karsewa. All who joined in the sacred work took
their food in the Guru-ka-langer close by. The Karsewa work
continued for 22 days and terminated on the 8th July. On the 9th
the tank was filled up with water again.
 The Black Turban
The black turban was an anethima to the British officials and in
many places any Sikhs - w e a r i n g black turban was harassed
and persecuted in every possible way. No Lambardars or no clerks,
not to speak of higher officials even in courts, could wear a black
turban. Even in courts, both the parties in a case were afraid of
displeasing the Magistrate by appearing before him in a black
turban. In the army very strict instructions were issued against
Sikhs wearing black turbans even when they were off duty. The
following orders issued by a high military officer to regimental
officers will be read with interest : -

" I am directed to bring to your notice that a case

recently cccured in which a sepoy was punished by his
commanding officer for appearing in a regimental Gurdwara
wearing a black pagri in defiance of orders forbidding the same.
(2) A regimental pattern of pagri to be worn in mufti
should be laid down in Regimental orders for dress. If any
time a sepoy appears in mufti wearing a pagri not of the
regimental pattern he should then be punished for disobedience
of Regimental orders."*

It is a significant fact that despite these orders a very large

number of high military officers** came forward to take part in the
Akali activities at Guru-ka-Bagh, jaico and elsewhere.
They sincerely believed that in helping the Akali movement,
they were earning religious merit of a high order, as we shall see in

*S. G. P. C. Press Communique No. 330.

**ln this connection the names of the following officers may be
specially mentioned. Subedar Amar Singh, Jathedar cf the first
Military Pensioners Jatha, Rasaldar Ranjodh Singh, Jathedar of the
2nd Military Pensioners jatha.
104 STRUGGLE FOR REFORM IN SIKH SHRINES

another place in this book, a large Jatha composed entirely of

retired military officers took an active part in the non-violent
struggles in which the cammunity was engaged during the early
twenties of the present century for safeguarding the sanctity of
their Gurdwaras. ^
 I

THE GURU KA BAGH MORCHA

The ceremony of administrating the vow of truth and

non-violence :
It was an Inspiring sight that one saw morning after morning
in front of the Akal Takht before the daily jathas started for Guru-
ka-Bagh. At sunrise the members of the Jatha assembled on the
spot after a dip in the "tank of immortality."* All wore long shirts
coming down to their knees, and every one without exception had
a black turban on his head. Sometime the Jathedar also wore a
piece of yellow cloth tied round his head immediately underneath
the black turban. The whole dress was simple in the extreme and
was made of Khaddar cloth. Assembled at the Akal Takht, the
proceedings began with prayers in which the whole congregation,
the members of the Jatha and a few hundered others who were
present to witness the ceremony, took part. Then the men were
administered the vow of truth and non-violence. Usually a short
sermon followed, in which they were remaindd of their pledge and
the traditions of the Panth not to turn their back till the destination
was reached. A small garland of snow-white jasamine flowers was
tied round the turban of every member of the Jatha as an emblem
of purity and sincerity in the performance of the sacred mission on
which they were now embarking. Before they left the Akal Takht
and marched forth in procession along the marble pavement of
the sacred tank, singing hymns from the Sikh scriptures, sometime
very touching scenes were witnessed. In many cases, the wives,
sisters, mothers and even aged grandmothers had travelled long
distance to see the inspiring ceremoney and bless their dear ones
who were now going on a sacred mission but whom, they sure,
they would see at the end of the day brought back, more or less,
seriously wounded and, may be, half unconscious. At the
*"Amritsar" literally means the ''tank of immortality".
106 STRUGGLE FOR REFORM IN S I K H SHRINES

clock-tower overlooking the Tank they were photographed. The

march through the town in lines of four each was most impressive
and was witnessed by thousands of people crowding on both sides
of the road. They walked slowly in step singing shabads (Wahi
Guru, Wahi Guru, W a h i . G u r u j i , Satnam, Sarnam, Satnamji) all
the while. Here and there the shop-keepers, men and women
sitting in the balconies waiting for the Jatha to pass and the sight-
seers in the streets had provided themselves with loose flowers
which they showered upon the procession as it passed in front of
them.
It is noteworthy that the land attached to the Gurdwara, with
only some kikar trees growing on it (sometimes called garden
the press reports) was duly entered in the official Revenue Records
as belonging t o the Gurdwara. This fact alone ought to have been
enough to convince the authorities that the Akalis who were
persisting in their efforts to cut fire-wood for Guru-ka-Langer,
attached to every Sikh Shrine, had at least the legal right on their
side, and that there was no justification for the violent action
taken against the whole community because, in a fit of religious
fervour, they followed the principle of non-co-operation which
was in vogue at the time and which had been practised by some of
their own Gurus and martyrs. Doubtless, they took the law into
their own hands instead of seeking redress in a court of law, but
in times of political or religious excitement it would have been a
part of wisdom for the Government not to follow too strictly the
injunctions of the law books.

It is worth noting that a large number of the men taking part

in the daily jathas were military men who had joyfully served in
the Indian army during the critical time of the Great War. The
S. G. P. Committee claimed that they formed about 30% of the
total number of those who had participated in the Jathas proceeding
to Guru-ka-Bagh, but without admitting the absolute correctness
of this estimate, it would be safe to say that a very large proportion
of them consisted of retired military men many of whom had
 S T R U G G L E FOR RFORM I.N' SIKH SHRIKES ]07

distinguished themselves by a long and meritorious service and

some of them risen to the highest position in the army open to
Indian soldiers.
On March 25, 1923, a resolution was adopted in the Punjab
Legislative Council recorri'm ending the release of the Akali prisoners.
The Government missed a great opportunity in not accepting the
resolution and doing a graceful act in applying balm to the wounded
feelings of the Akalis. At the end of April, however, when
loud complaints were heard all over the province about severe
ill-treatment of the Akalis and political prisoners in the Multan,
Attock, Montgomery, Ambala and other jails almost all the Akali
prisoners were set free in small batches of 100 to 200 men. Sardar
Kharak Singh and S. Sardul Singh Caveeshar were among those whom
it was not considered safe to set at liberty.
For several weeks great excitement prevailed in the bazars
of the Punjab towns as the released prisoners marched in procession
on their way to Amritsar where after a Darshan at the Golden
Temple they dispersed to their homes. These processions, it may
be noted, did not differ much from those proceeding to Guru-ka-
Bagh. There was the same religious fervour in evidence. They
marched in military formation and sang hymns as in the fateful days
of August and September of the previous year. There was however
one great difference noticeable. There were no white jasamine
garlands round their turbans, but instead each man carried a bundle
of clothes behind his back.

As the struggle proceeded, far from dying down the enthusiasm

of the Akalis went on increasing. And after the 3rd or 4th
September, there was a distinct rivalry in evidence among the
Akalis that had come from the various places to be sent forward to
serve the Panth, as they called it.*

*Asked as to what had brought them there, Panth Sewa was

the word that one often heard on the lips of the waiting jathas of
Akalis.
 10S STRUGGLE FOR REFORM IN SIKH S H R I N E S

The Morcha. My personal testimony. The Guru-ka- Bagh

morcha, to call it by the name by which it was generally known
at the time, was an event which would live not only in Sikh history,
•

but also in the history "of Mahatma Gandhi's non-violent, non-

co-operation movement. Having been in the thick of both the
movements myself and having watched their progress from day to
day from the inside, I can say in all sincerity that I do not know
of another instance of a large community observing absolute non-
violence, in word and deed, day after day in the face of the
severest provocation, and suffering abuse, ill-treatment and tortures,
not only without uttering a word of complaint, but literally with
the words "Wahi Guru, Wahi Guru Ji" on the lips of one and all •
members of Akali Jathas. I wish to record here that having read
some of the harrowing accounts of the tortures which the old Sikh
martyrs are said to have suffered uncomplainingly and even cheer-
fully, I was in my heart of hearts reluctant to believe that such
things could have really happened, and that, probably, the historian
of those days under the impulse of religious enthusiasm had been
carried away to indulge in the language of exaggeration, but after
I had myself accompanied from day to day Jathas of a hundred
Akalis from their start at the Akal Takht to their place of
destination till they were stopped, and having witnessed with my
own eyes the inhuman beatings which they received at the hands of
a batch of policemen, generally under the orders of a European
cfTicer, till they had either become unconscious or were at least
unable to stand on their legs and every one of them had to be
carried to a special hospital established at Amritsar, having seen
all these things not for a day but for almost the whole period during
which the Guru-ka-Bagh struggle lasted, I cannot but add my own
personal testimony to the absolute truth of the harrowing incidents
I have narrated in the following pages in this chapter. I consider
it a privilege, though of a painful kind, to have lived through these
tragic times and witnessed the strange things which not only the
elect few but the masses of the Sikh community suffered and bore
 S T R U G G L E FOR REFORM IN SIKH SHRINES 109

/ith a patience, courage and fortitude I frankly find myself unable

o describe. I may mention here that towards the end of August
922, I along with another member of the Committee was deputed
the Punjab Provincial Congress Committee to proceed to
Amritsar and make a report on what was happening there. The
struggle was in its initial stages. But even so it had a considerable
stir in the province, and as it was claimed that the movement was
being conducted strictly in accordance with the novel principles of
Gandhiji's political gospel in which we Congressmen all believed
and which we had been practising as far as possible, it was
considered desirable that the Provincial Committee should provide
itself with first-hand information about it obtained after personal
inquiries on the spot by some of its own members. Proceeding
in a tonga from Amritsar to Guru-ka-Bagh where the beatings
were then taking place, we were stopped half way near Raja Sansi
by some Gurkha* policemen armed with lathis with one end shod
with iron or brass bands. We were also abused and pushed back and
threatened with violence in case we attempted to proceed further.
We heard a good deal here about the ill-treatment of the Akalis in
the surrounding villages.
*lt is worth mentioning that after some time the Gurkhas were
replaced by Muslim policemen drawn chiefly from the Jhelum,
Rawalpindi and Attock districts. The Gurkhas refused to take part
in beating the unarmed Akalis. They said they had fought shoulder
to shoulder with the Sikhs. They were brave men. As soldiers
they (the Gurkhas) could not attack men even with lathis till
their opponents were also provided with the same weapons. They
considered it unsoldier-like to beat unarmed men pledged to non-
violence. The Gurkhas were dismissed from service. I saw them
myself narrating their story to S. Teja Singh Samundri. Some 26 or
27 men were dismissed. Samundri got them employed as Chowkidars
local Hindu Sahukars and factory owners. Towards the end of
the Guru-ka-Bagh morcha some Gurkhas were employed again in
be ating Akalis in batches of 5 each at Guru-ka-Bagh.
 HO S T R U G G L E FOR R E F O R M IN S I K H S H R I N E S

I was so much impressed by what I saw and heard about the

strange things that were reported to be taking place, that I made up
my mind to accompany the Jatha cay after cay and report to the
Press the daily happenings. To facilitate my work, I asked the
Editor of the " T r i b u n e " of which I was Trustee to designate me as
" O u r special Representative." In that capacity I walked with the
Jatha from day to day right up to the time when a settlement was
arrived at. My daily report duly appeared in the columns of the
Tribune. I reprint two or three of my daily reports as an Appendices
to this volume. I was informed by the Editor that very frequently my
reports were reporduced in full by influential daily papers in the
other provinces of India. It may be of interest to the reader
t o know how the whole business of organizing and managing the
Guru-ka-Bagh morcha was being carried on. The S. G. P. Committee
had organized a Council of Action. A t the time I joined, Sardar
Teja Singh Samundri, President of the S. G. P. Committee, was
chairman of the Council of Action, with Sardar Bhag Singh, A Vakil
at Gurdaspur, as its Secretary. As I have already explained
elsewhere, all the seven or eight members of the Council slept in
one moderate sized room in the upper story offices of the S. G. P.
Committee. They all slept on the, floor covered with a dari
w i t h a ceiling fan overhead. I enjoyed the privilege of sleeping
in the same room with them. A still greater privilege was that
I enjoyed the fullest confidence of the Council of Action and I
knew most of the secret matters regarding the management of the
Morcha w i t h which they were concerned. The meals of the members
of the Council of Action were brought f r o m the Guru-ka-Langer
situated nearby. Only t w o meals were served. I cannot speak of
the dishes because there were no dishes. The meals were severely
uniform and each meal consisted of nothing but Roti and mash seeds
(unground) and yet so great was the enthusiasm, I may well call
it the intoxication, of the moment that no one even thought of the
monotonous character of the dietary. Speaking for myself I must
say that I found it to be quite tasty and certainly nourishing. The
 STRUGGLE FOR REFORM IN SIKH SHRIVES 111

only variation which I allowed myself to make in my own case was

to steal away early in the morning to a neighbouring shop and help
myself to a couple of cups of hot tea with a considerable quantity
of boiling milk. As a rule, I did not take my morning meal from
the Lanier as I had to walk all the way v/ith the jatha day after day.
I carried with me a small attache-case packed with bananas ;
oranges and some sweetmeat to which I would help myself on
the way whenever I felt hungry. Many a time when I was not
far from the Jatha I took my meals with the Jatha itself. These
meals were provided on the way by some of the neighbouring
villages.
One other point about the meals served at the office of the
Council of action I cannot help mentioning. It was a strictly observed
P

rule that no one should leave any food behind in his thali, the man
who left even a morsel of food behind was fined Rs. 1/4/-and,
similarly, Sewadar himself was fined double the amount in case he
offered more food than was demanded of him.
More imortant than the question of food was the fact that it
was in this room that all the communiques which were issued day
after day were framed before they were cyclostyled and sent out.
At about midnight the member whose duty it was to frame the
communiques appeared in the room, where all the members of the
:;:
Council of Action were sleeping. During the day he had been
receiving reports. He would wake up the particular member who
was specially concerned and if he felt uncertain as to whether a
certain fact should or should not be mentioned in the communique
or if he did not quite know how it should be phrased, he would
*As a rule this important duty was assigned to Prof. Teja Singh or
Bawa Harkishan Singh. It is not for me to say how well it was
performed. The collection of communiques kept in the Samundri
Library at Amritsar will speak for itself. I am conscious that I am
repeating these details, but considering their importance I must
apologise for doing so.

'
112 S T R U G G L E FOR R E F R O M IN S I K H SHRINES

wake up Sardar Teja Singh Samundri, the Chairman, himself. Some-

h b shak f th i\r deep slumber and
th« g f h f Cou f A Id take pi
Th d q< hort or h h y
discussions, b P f pinions, breif, d<
and to the poi g d and a greater insp
to see how de< w re tak even on diffi d troub
controversia Every one howed g defe h
P of h Ch d as I h •eady had occasion to
h 2ly Sardai T Singh Samundri was a
kab rdinary language
d not p he fo an
ducated Of course he was perfectly at home in th
d history of Sikh He struck me very frequently as d
the discussions a possessing a critical knowledge of Sikh history
d pecially of h hard times in hich h Khalsa- had been
hammered beliefs and pra< h had d e the community
what it is d it was Samund b to live
g Pt
the highes d d d h had come dow to h
from those hard times. Samundri k English. He could
peak the language, but with his strong ncn sense he could
understand in a ge y wh being said to him or wi:h
his hearing in th H also k
guag a little Urd
I

b
hough deficient, as we judge such thing ning and edu
Samundri had kably k d d judg He could
grasp the essentials of a prop t •

diately and examine th

separately from the non-esseni hich ould be ignored. He \
dating in the extreme so fa as the r.cn-essentials were
d. b P hich h dered b d
fundame he would stand f] k reck, A b d h
was, I h; k )wn hi in h g t day to sense a critical
situation diately d act promp:ly in a manner which
hed many of i O h incid have ventured
-ate this bcok Naturally ybedy looked to him for ad
 •

w
S T R U G G L E FOR R E F O R M I N S I K H S H R I N E S *

and guidance. I never saw him ruffled. Indeed, even in the midst of
the greatest excitement he was the one man who remained calm
and self-possessed. Tall and.robust without being stout like a typical
village jat, he did not give one the impression of being a man whose
broad rustic shoulders carried such a wise head.
The severe persecutions and the necessity of defending them-
selves against fearful odds had early kneaded and moulded the small
community into a well-organised and disciplined body, content with
leading a simple life, habituated to suffer extreme privations and
with the name of their Gurus on their lips to feel cheerful confident
*

of coming out victorious through the severest ordeals. No other

body of men and women that I know of in history has so lived up
(i
to the words of their teachers Tera Bhana Meetha Lage" (Thy
will is sweet tome). Even in peaceful times and in the ordinary
routine of life they think and talk in terms of military significance.
As everyone knows in the course of their struggles and privations
they had devoloped a terminology of their own. If one had time
enough one could easily fill an intersting volume with Sikh abhorisms
and their peculiar phraziology embodying and illustrating very
important facts and principles. In the course of Guru-ka-Bagh
affair while their outlook was entirely one of religious faith, their
behaviour and the words they used often suggested as if they were
engaged in a military compaign. Even the commonest villager spoke
of the Guru-ka-Bagh affairs as a Morcha or military front which it
was the duty of the whole community to defend at all costs.
The Guru-ka-Bagh Gurdwaras ; The G jru-ka-Bagh Gur-
dwaras are two historical shrines situated close to one another
at a distance of about 12 miles from Amritsar, a little off the trunk
roid leading to Ajnala. The Twin Gurdwaras are sacred to the
memory of the two martyr Gurus who set the example in their
own person of passive resistance to evil by supreme acts of self-
sacrifice.*
*This place should not be confounded with what was at the
Contd>
JJ4 STRUGGLE FOR REFORM IN SIKH SHRINES

The Guru-ka-Bagh Morcha

How the trouble at Guru-ka-Bagh arose. During th

the Sikh Gurus themselves, the Gurdwaras were either under th
direct sup
• •
d control or under their mas and s (missionary
agents;. After the tenth Guru, when the Panth (community)
was recognised, as a matter of doctrine as the corporate repres-
entative of the Guru on earth, the conduct of the Gurdwaras
naturally passed into the hands of the Panth and was exercised
through Granthis and other Sewadars (incumbents) who were under
the direct Supervision of the local Sangats (congregations)."*

Continued from last page.

time of the Akali struggle an open piece of ground, called Guru-ka-
Bagh, lying close to the Golden Temple. The Akalis have since
built' their own office on the spot as well as a large Library known
as the Guru Ram Das Library. The Guru-ka-Langer is also located
h re, as also a free dispensary. This last, it may be mentioned,
is the site where a large camp hospital with several section was
improvised during the time the Guru -ka-Bagh struggle lasted, when
day after day large number of Akalis were accommodated and treated
after they had received severe beating in defending the Morcha
and been carried here in loories-some of them still unconscious,
b ly hammered with Police lathis that they could
stand on their legs. The smaller Gurdwara is sacred to memory
of Guru Arjan Dev, while the bigger one was built to commemorate
the visit of Guru Tegh Bahadur, the ninth Guru of the Sikhs.

This section is based mainly upon communique No. 214

d the S. G. P. C. towards the close of October 1922,
when the Guru-ka-Bagh morcha was about to come to an end.
The communique is headed ''What led npto the Guru-ka-Bagh
Affair" In following this communique, I have taken care not
to mention anything which I donot consider to be supported by
or th the known and authentic fact of Sikh history
 STRUGGLE FOR REFORM IN SIKH SHRINES 115

During the reign of Emperor Farrukhsiyar when the small Sikh

community was exposed to the severest persecution and when a
price had been fixed upon the head ol every long-haired man, the
Sikhs fled away to the jungles, leaving the Gurdwaras in charge,
or chiefly though not exclusively, of the Udasis (a mones:ic order
of Sikhs). According to the communique to which I have referred
above ''the Udasis had originally been appointed in the time of
the sixth Guru as preachers of Sikhism and the peculiar dress they
; wore had been bestowed upon them by Baba Gurditca, the eldest
son of the Sixth Guru in the memory of the dress wcrn by the Great
Guru Nanak during his Udasis or preaching tours". Subsequent
to the formation of the misals (political confederacies), the Sikhs
earnestly set about taking control of the Gurdwaras and removing
such of the custodians as they considered to be unfit for their sacred
charge. "The degenerate Udasis at the Golden Tempie were
replaced by regularly baptised Sikhs." The same plan was also
adopted in the case of several other important Gurdwaras.
After the establishment of the British rule (1849), a radical
change came about in the legal position of the Mahants in respect
of the Gurdwaras. The new law in its practical working converted
the Mahants, who were mere servants of the Panth, into virtual
proprietors of the temples. Being no longer responsible to the
community, the Mahants began to misappropriate the income of the
Gurdwara to their private use and alienate or sell the trust property
at will. Irresponsibility and wealth inevitably resulted in immorality
and the places of worship became the haunts of evil men. "In these
circumstances the first thought of the Sikhs was to recover control
of their Gurdwaras through the law-courts, but it was not very
long before they came to realize the difficulties of the new situation
in which they found themselves. To the dilatory procedure of the
courts and the heavy expenses involved in litigation was added, as
they now realised, the unsympathetic attitude of the Government."
The officials were reluctant, they came to believe, to see the
Gurdwaras pass into the hands of the Panth because nothing was
116 S T R U G G L E FOR REFORM IN SIKH SHRINES

likely to consolidate them so much and make them into a compact and
powerful body as the control and supervision of their holy places.
Round the Holy Granth and the Gurdwaras revolved the social
and religious life of the whole community.
I have thought it fit to give this brief summary from the
S. G. P. C. Communique, because apart from the intrinsic importance
of the facts embodied therein, it presents the native soil from
which the poisonous three of most serious misunderstandings
between the Government and the brave Khalsa Panth grew up and
spread with alarming rapidity. According to the communique, in
November 1921 the Government suddenly determined to take
possession of the Golden Temple. The decision surprised the whole
community, the more so because owing to the uneasiness created
by the Jallianwala Bagh and the Martial Law happenings, the official
control of the Golden Temple had been abandoned after a great
deal of deliberation. What had happened to make the Government
change that decision and upset the Khalsa after they had been in
possession of their Holiest of Holies for more than a year" ?

*The answer to this question would be found in the fact that the
non-co-operation movement of Mahatma Gandhi had by this time
thrown of the whole of India into indescribable commotion. It was
part of the official policy to appease the Sikhs that the Golden
Temple had been handed over to them.
m

In October 1921, however, the Sikhs had finally decided to

throw in their let with Mahatma Gandhi. In scenes of tumultuous
enthusiasm a great political conference was held at the Bradlaught
Hall, Lahore, under the presidency of an intrepid leader, Sardar
Kharak Singh, and it was feared that the whole province might
soon witness a repetition of similar demonstrations. At such a time
of popular excitement and upheavel the possession of the Aka
Takht from which Hukam Namas (Bulls) could be issued for the
Sarbat Khalsa was regarded as a source of great danger. The
ConttL
 S T R U G G L E FOR REFORM IN B l K H S H R I N E S 11/

To return to our story, on the 31 st January 1921, the Kahant

was approached by S. Dan Singh of Wachhao along with a number
of other Sikhs who were able to persuade Sunder Das to agree to
work under a Local Committee subordinate to the S. G. P. C. of
Amritsar. We are told that the hahant also signed an agreement
that "he would take the Sikh baptism and marry one of his
mistresses......Gian Kaur."
Things went on smoothly for a short time, but soon after
the tragedy of Nankana Sahib, when large numbers of Akalis began
to be arrested all over the province, Sunder Das, like many other
-

mahants, went back upon his plighted word, ignored the agreement
and returned to his old ways of life. The Secretary of the Local
Committee who had his office in one of the rcoms of the Langar
attached to the Gurdwara was turned out bag and baggage by the
Mahant who was then living in some other rooms in the same building.
At the same time the office records were burnt.
Things could be left long in this indefinite condition. On the
23rd August, 1921, the Shromoni Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee
finally took the matter into its own hands.
The rest of story may be told in the words of a Press
Communique issued by the Shiromoni Gurdwara Prabandhak
Committee. According to this document :
"The Mahant sought the help of the authorities and the
Superintendent of Police hurried to the spot. But realizing the
actual state of affairs he confirmed the possession of the Sikhs.
5 Akali representatives of the Shromoni Gurdwara Prabandhak
Committee were put in charge of the place and a sufficient
force of police was left to protect them in the discharge of

Continued from last page.

Government was doubtless taking great risks but after due
delibration they apparently came to the conclusion that the risk was
well worth taking.
US S T R U G G L E FOR R E F O R M IN S I K H S H R I N E S

their duties. When the danger of attack from the Mahant's

party decreased the Superintendent of Police wrote to the
Shromoni Committee that the Police force would be removed
unless the Gurdwara Committee desired otherwise and paid
for its maintenance. The Gurdwara Committee consented to
the withdrawal of the Police.*"

In view of the importance of the facts embodied in this extract

it is desirable to reproduce here the following correspondence
which passed between the Superintendent of Police and the S. G. P.
Committee :

From
C. A. Macpherson Esq., I. P.,
Superintendent of Police, Amritsar.

To
The Secretary,
S. G. P. Committee, Amritsar.
*

No. I 1633/4/4/21 -v Dated 5th September 1921.

Dear Sir,
I inform you that the present Police Guard at Guru-ka-Bagh
w i l l be withdrawn and request you will kindly intimate if you
require any Police Guard, if so, the number required, in order to
enable me to send you a bill for the cost of the same.

Yours faithfully,

S d / - Macpherson
Superintendent of Police.

Shromoni Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee Press Communique

No. 48, page 39.
 STRUGGLE FOR REFORM IN SIKH SHRIKES IP

From
The Secretary,
S. G. P. Committee, Amritsar.
No. 1340/167 •'•. . Dated 9th Seotember 1921.
Dear Sir,
In reply t o yours of 5th September, 1921, I have no objection
to your withdrawing the Police Guard from the Gurdwara Guru-
ka-Bagh, at least f o r the present. When we require the Police
protection I w i l l ask for it in due course.
Thanking you for the kind intimation.
I remain,
Faithfully yours,
Sd - Sahib Singh
Assistant Secretary.
From this time on, the Guru-ka-Bagh Gurdwaras remained
under the sole management and control of the S. G. P. Committee
without "any let or hindrance from any one". All of a sudden on
the ICth of August, 1922, Mr. Be'aty, Additional Superintendent of
Police, accompanied by a number of men in uniform in motor
lorries appeared at the Guru-ka-Bagh and arrested five Akali sewaks
working there under the orders of the Shromoni Committee. The
men were produced without delay before Mr. Jenkins, a First Class
Magistrate at Amritsar, on a charge of theft of a small dry kikar
tree which they had cut from the adjoining lands said to be the
property of the Gurdwaras, for use in the Guru-ka-Langar attached
to the shrines. The news descended as a thunderbolt in the peaceful
atmosphere that had sometime since been established between the
Sikhs and the authorities at Amritsar. Those more curious than the
rest who searched fcr an explanation of the recrudescene of the
trouble between the Government and the cummunity that had
deserved well at their hands had no difficulty in finding it in the
fact that the Akalis had been foremost in the ranks of the non-
co-operation movement of the previous year, and the present
 ^^^•^^^H ^^^^H^^^^l ^^^^H^^^^H ^^^^^H^^^^^H ^^^^^H^^^^^H ^^^^^^H^^^^^^H ^^^^^^^K^^^^^^^M ^^^^^^^H^^^^^^^H ^^^^^^^^B^^^^^^^^l ^^^^^^^^H^^^^^^^^H ^^^^^^^^^H^^^^^^^^^H ^^^^^^^^^^l^^^^^^^^^^fl^^^^^^^^^^H^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^I^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^H^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^H^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^h^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^H^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^H^^^^^^^H

1 JO STRUGGLE FOR REFORM IN SIKH SHRINES

trouble in their view was nothing mere than a part of the plan and
general policy of repression of those connected with Mahatma
Gandhi's movement immediately after the Mahatma himself had been
securely lodged behind the priscn bars*. According to his instructions
no demonstrations f o l l o w e d ; the official circles were convinced that
- the whole movement had collapsed.

, T h e Guru-ka-Bagh M o r c h a Begins The Sikhs were the

! last community to take things lying down. As their whole history
> testifies they have always opposed coercion and persecution.
|j Passive resistance to evil is in their biocd. The two Gurowaras at
Guru-ka-Bagh itself provided living examples of their own Gurus
I

who allowed themselves t o be tortured to death not only uncom-

plainingly but cheerfully and with the words of prayer and praise
on their lips. The land from which the dry Kikar tree had been cut
by duly appointed sewadars was attached to the shrines. It is said
no one has contested the report, that it was usual f o r sewadars t o
cut fire-wood from the land and store it for use in Guru-ka-Langar,
specially when the rainy season had come to an end. In any case
the incident was too trivial a matter * to be taken to a court of lav/
and thus set ablaze the whole peaceful community which had come
to the help of the Government in times of its dire need. As it was,
the news of the Police interference with the work of the G u r u - k a -
Langar leading to the conviction of the sewadars spread like w i l d -
fire through out the countryside. In the words of a press com m u n i : ue
issued by S. G. P. Committee at this time, "Akali volunteers from
the surrounding iiaqa immediately reached the s p o t * * " , and began
t o help in cutting and storing wood for the Gurdwaras. Good sense
seems to have prevailed and no further arrests were made for t w o
x
Mahatma Gandhi was sentenced to six years imprisonment on March
18, 1922, on three separate charges of sedition. For fuller detail;
see present writer's History of the in India, chapter, Famous
Trials.

* * S. G. P. C. Press Communique Mo. 4, dated 21. 8. 1922.

 STRUGGLE FOR R E F O R M IN S I K H S H R I N E S 121

or three days. Although batches of Akalis were sent out to cut

wood from the lands, no one was molested by the Police. On the
23rd August, however, the Police awakened to a sense of their duty
and making up for their remissness of the last few days arrested
no less than 66 volunteers and took them away in motor lorries.
As was to be expected, this acted as a signal for batch after batch
of volunteers to rush to the spot each vying with the others to be
the foremost in the "service of the Gurdwaras"*.
Nor were the local officials slow to reassert the authority of
the law against the Akali volunteers at Guru-ka-Bagh and take such
action against the offenders as was considered necessary or desirable.
0

Mr. Jankins, the officiating Deputy Commissioner, accompanied by

Mr. Macpherson, Superintendent of Police, soon reached G u r u - k a -
Bagh and arressted several se/vadirs who were busy storing wood for
Guru-ka-Langar, weeding the adjoining garden or repairing roads,
etc. Later on four more sewadars, who are said to have been in
attendance on the Guru Granth Sahib at the time, were "called
out and arrested under Section 107, Criminal Procedure Code."
On the following day^ even a larger number of arrests was
made, bringing up the total, we are told, to as many as 187.
The plot chickens. Everywhere people, astonished and
aghast at the news, asked each other "want has happened" "what
n e x t " ? Among the Sikhs themselves, strange as it might seem, the
greatest enthusiasm prevailed and hurrying groups of volunteers
poured in their hundreds and thousands into the city of Amritsar.
We doubt if ever in its long history the "Pool of Immorality" had
witnessed the like of what was now happening or was about to
happen.

Mr. J. M. Dunnet, the Deputy Commissioner of Amritsar,

was at Simla when these startling events took place. He hurried
back to his post and immediately paid a visit t o Guru-ka-Bagh

* These men were drawn from districts so far apart ?s Amritsar,

Gurdaspur, Sialkot, Sheikhupura and Jullundur.
122 S T R U G G L E TOR REFORM IN ElKH SHRINES

accompanied by an other European officer said to be Mr. Beaty,

the Additional Superintendent of Police. But there was no change
for the better in the treatment of the Akalis. If the reports are to
be believed, things even went from bad t o worse and it was
considered necessary to make arrangements for establishing a
temporary hospital at the-, open piece of ground close to the
Shromoni Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee officies for receiving
indoor patients and providing for them such medical treatment and
small comforts as might be possible.*
Meanwhile the arrests continued. Friday, the 25th of August,
was the Amawas day when large crowds of sewadars are attracted
to the Guru-ka-Bagh Gurdwara but so great was the congregation
on the present occasion that it became necessary to hold the Diwan
in the adjoining garden, instead of the Gurdwara compound. But
hardly had the Granth Sahib been taken out in procession with
*

befitting ceremony t o the garden than Mr. Beaty, the Police Officer
in charge, appeared at the head cf a pest of Pclice and protested
*The determined action of the authorities to stage the daiiy
beating of tho Akalis proceeding in small batches to the kikar grove
close to the Gurdwaras at Guru-ka-Bagh to assert their right to
the waste land and cut fire wood for the free-kitchen attached to
the Gurdwaras had no relation or but a remote relation to the
legal quibbles about the so-called aggressive action of the Akalis.
On a common sense view of the matter, the position of the Akalis
in sending large daily jathas of 100 men after taking a vow of truth
and non-violence at the Akal Takht is perfectly understandable
even by these who may not be in sympathy with the Gandhian
movement. In a religious movement an appeal to logic and reason wil
often be regarded as out of place. It is the ideal and the sentimental
that moves and rouses a community more than an appeal to reason.
In this connection I cannot do better than ask the reader to study the
touching letters of the C. F. Andrews on the Guru-ka-Bagh morcha
some of which I have reproduced as an appendix to the present
volume.
 S1KT.CCLE FOK FEFCFM IK SIKH SHRINES ]13

that he could not allow the Diwan being held there without
the permission of the Deputy Commissioner. In view of the
persistent attitude of Mr. Beaty it was eventually arranged to send
a policeman with the Akali sewadars in Mr. Beaty's car to inquire
from the Deputy Commissioner, on the one hand, and the S.G.P.
Committee, on the other, as to what was to be done under the
circumstances. The story of Guru-ka-Bagh reads like one of those
unbelievable tales which one heard from grandmamas of fates
playing strange pranks with the lives of men. Meanwhile the men
there in Mr. Beaty's car were busy making inquiries about trifling
details as to whether the religious Diwans could or could not be
held in the gardens attached to the Gurdwaras at Guru-ka-Bagh.
Further serious trouble arose between Mr. Beaty and the Akaii
sewadars present there. The sewadars considered it necessary to
move the Granth Sahib a little further from the place where it had
originally been accomodated, because they could not tolerate to
let the sacred volume representing the body, of the Guru remain
in the sun. The suggestion to move it a little further up into the
shade had come from Sangat and was conveyed by means of a slip
of paper written by Sardar Waryam Singh. S. Waryam Singh and
S. Suchet Singh who had carried out the request were also
subsequently arrested. "On this", we are quoting from the account
of the incident given by the S. G. P. Committee, "Mr. Beaty got
so wild that he ordered his men to attack the Akalis with lathis
and not one Akali was allowed to remain in attendance of the
Guru Granth Sahib." We have purposely ommitted to reproduce
here a detailed account of the merciless beating which the police
are said to have administered to the Akalis on this occasion.*
A few minutes after the Police attack, S. Bhag Singh Vakil
and the sewadars who had been sent under Mr. Beaty's order
returned to Guru-ka-Bagh.
*S. G. P. Committee Press Communique No. 15 dated 23. 8. 1922.
The Akalis claimed to have taken some photographs of the actual
beating administered.
124 STRUG< l\ FOR REFORM IN SIKH SIIKINI 3

The tug of war b e t w e e n the A kalis as represented by

the S-G.P. Committee and the authorities starts in right
earnest.* The only explanation which the public were
able to discover for the strange events that were happening from
day to day at Guru-ka-Bagh and, specially, the fact that the arrests
and severe beating of' Gurdwara sewadars who were found cutting
some old kikar wood for Guru-ka-Lingar from the piece of
land attached to the Gurdwara itself was that it was a part of a
carefully considered campaign of repression which was started ail
over the Province at this time for crushing the Akali movement
as also the general political movement associated with the name
of the Congress. However, whatever the explanation of it might
be, from this time the tussle between the Akalis, on the one hand,
and the authorities, on the other, started in right earnest. On
the 25th/August S. Kharak Singh, President of S. G. P. Committee,

*The S. G. P. Committee communique as well as my own notes

written at the time are silent as to what instructions, if any, the
men brought from the Akali leaders. Mr. J. M. Dunnett did
not send any instructions in writing. Re did not see any objection
to the holding of the Diwan in che garden. The S. G. P. C. claimed
that they had been in undisputed possession of the garden for at
least a year and that during the whole of this period they had
been cutting fuel for use in Guru-ka-Langar and holding Diwans
in the garden attached to the Gurdwaras. I have personally known
Mr. Dunnett for several years. I had also occasion to see him at
his house during the Guru-ka-Bagh affair and I have great p.'eaure
in bearing testimony to my strong impression that I always found
him a most reasonable and conciliatory official. I believe that if
he had been left to himself and allowed to action his own independent
judgement, the Guru-ka-Bagh trouble would never have occured.
But the trouble is that in such matters, the conduct of affairs is
not left to the man on the spot but that he must receive and follow
instructions from above.
 S T R U G G L E FOR R E F O R M IN SIKH SHRINES 125

the three Secretaries along with several other leading members

were taken into custody. On their way to the jail they gave a
parting message to their co-workers in the cause of the Gurdwara
mcvement in the course of which they said :
"We the undersigned'; the humblest of Kalgidhar's humble
sewaks, including the President and all the three Secretaries
of the S.G.P.C., go to jail in the cause of our God and Satguru.
We are full of joy and satisfaction that Akalpurkh, in the
abundance of' His^mercy, has chosen such humbie instruments
as ourselves for the consummation of His divine purpose.
So long as we were allowed we did our duty to the best of
our humble lights. We firmly trust that those on whom has
devolved the great and holy task of holding aloft the banner
of Guru Nanak and Guru Gobind Singh will do nothing
calculated to lower in the slightest the dignity of the great
panth in the eyes of either friends or foes. Before finally
taking leave of you we wish to make but one request and
it is this.
"Le every Sikh, man or woman, firmly stand and implicity
carry out the directions of the Shromoni Gurdwara Prabandhak
Committee, the only living symbol of Sikh national honour."

According to the instructions of the S. G. P. Committee the

Akalis continued to proceed from the Gurdwaras at Guru-ka -Bagh
to cut wood for Guru-ka-Langer in the adjoining garden. On the
way they were stopped by a group of Policemen who were waiting
for them, belaboured with regulation lathis till they had either
become unconscious or were otherwise unable to stand on their legs
and proceed further towards the garden.*

* The message (i.e. Press communique No. 18) bears the

signatures of the following leaders.
I. Mehtab Singh, President, 2. Bhagat Jaswant Singh, General
Contd.
126 S T R U G G L E FOR REFORM IN S I K H SHRINES

As soon as one batch of five Akalis was disposed of in the

manner just described and removed by sewadars to an improvised
hospital within the Gurdwira compDund, another batch was soon seen
proceeding for the purpose of cutting wood for Guru-ka-Langar with
the result that like the first batch it was mercilessly beaten, till the
men were unable to proceed further on their appointed mission.
As a rule, five such batches were disposed of in the course of the
day. By way of diversion sometimes the men after they had been
soundly beaten were treated to a good ducking in an adjoining pond,
and then left on the ground to be carried away on stretchers, or
charpais by the sewadars. Some of these scenes were so heart-
rending that very often the lookers on—there was always a crowd
of people to witness the frightful sights-were so disgusted that
some of them found it difficult to stay there. I may mention that
in the month of September when the struggle was at its height I
had frequent occasions of seeing these sights myself.
It must be added that, while day after day batches of Akalis
were being beaten at Guru-ka-Bagh or large jathas were similarly
treated on the road from Amritsar to the Gurdwaras, a regular
campaign of repression against the Akalis was in progress all over
the Province, but more specially in the villages round about Guru-
ka-Bagh. In particular, the men with black turbans on were the
betenoire of the Police and the authorities. There were complaints
Continued from last page-
Secretary, 3. Narain Singh, Secretary, 4. Sahib Singh, Assistant
Secretary, 5. Tara Singh, Editor of the Akali te Pardesu 6. Sarmukh
Singh Jhabbal, 7. Teja Singh (of Chuharkana) 8. Baba Kehar Singh
of Patti, 9. Kewal Singh.
The word garden has been used in this book because it is so
called in Sikh history and also in the S. G. P. C. press communique.
It may have been originally a garden, but now it is nothing but an
open spot of waste land with some kikar trees standing on it. It is
situated quite close to the Gurdwaras.
 STRUGGLE FOR REFORM IN SIKH SHRINES ]_

of cases where black-turbaned men were prevented frcm travelling

by train or crossing a ferry. In some cases, those proceeding to
Amritsar were even taken out of the trains unless they agreed to
buy return tickets and "declare on oath" that they would have
nothing to do with the activities of the Akalis. The country-side
round about Guru-ka-Bagh was scoured by policemen, sometimes
on horse-back, and those wearing a black turban were said to have
been mal-treated in various ways. Police pickets were posted on
the important bridges leading to Guru-ka-Bagh and, in particular,
no Akalis and even other men bound for Guru-ka-Bagh were allowed
to proceed beycr.d Rsja Sansi, half way between Amritsar and Guru-
ka-Bagh. On one occasion at least (August 28, 1922) as a group of
about 50 Akalis arrested in connection with the Guru-ka-Bagh, were
being taken to the District Court, they shouted out Sat Sri Aka!,
close to the jail gate. This infuriated the European officer in charge.
He ordered them to stop that "nonsense". He further declared
that if they repeated the shout they would be gagged. The head
Granthi of the Golden Temple and S. Teja Singh Samundri after-
wards President of the S.G.P.C. who wsre present on the spot protes-
ted against such interference with the exercise of religious liberty of
the Akalis. As the Akalis went on producing the same shout at
short intervals the officer became wild and ordered the Police to tie
r
cloth pieces over their mouths. - It was in this gagged condition
that the men were marched to the court muttering all the while
their sacred hymns.
Failing in their attempts to cow down the Akalis at Guru-ka-
Bagh and prevent them frcm proceeding with their resolve to
continue the cutting of wood for the langer from the adjoining

* See S. G. P. C. press Communique No. 22 dated 28. 8. 1922. The

present v/riter witnessed this jatha marching to the District Court
at Amritsar with their mouths gagged in the manner described
above, but he was not present earlier when the gagging actually
took place.
 123 S T R U G G L E FOR REFORM IN SIKH S H R I N E S

'garden', the Police tried to starve out the men by seizing all the
rations that were meant for the Akalis at the Gurdwaras. The men
bringing such supplies were sometimes beaten severely and the
wheat, flour or other eatables seized by the Police. Even milk
meant for the wounded Akalis was not allowed to pass the pickets.
On the 28th August, the beating seems to have been ever of a more
brutal character than on previous days. On this occasion no less
than 50 men who were proceeding from the Gurdwara to cut fuel
for the langer were assaulted with lathis and severely beaten t i l l
they became quite senseless. Even medical assistants who were run
from Amritsar in motor cars to take care of them were not allowed
to proceed, but were stopped at Raniwala Bridge at a distance of*

about four miles from Guru-ka-Bagh. Meanwhile the wounded men

at Guru-ka-Bagh were left to fare themselves as best they could
without the milk, medicines or doctors.

A notable milestone in the Guru - ka - Bagh struggle

The incident of the 28th August, 1922, made a deep impression
upon the minds of the whole Sikh community. As was to be expected
from a determined body like the Akalis, the S. G. P. C. initiated a
new move which within a few days not only attracted the attention
of Indians all over the country, but stirred them in a manner no
one could have dream of before. The first act of the S. G. P. C.
was to issue a touching appeal in the course of which they said :

" A t this hour of trial we expect of you nothing more

than to come and watch the ideally non-violent, spiritual
struggle that is going on at Guru-ka-Bagh to obviate the
possibility of misrepresentation at the hands of the clever
bureaucracy."*

* S. G. P. C. communique No. 27, dated 28. 8. 1922. unlike other

communiques which were issued under the signature of the Secretary,
S. G. P. C., this one was signed and issued under the authority of
the then President, S. Sunder Singh Risaldar, President of the
S. G. P. C.
 i<>4
L
STRUGGLE FOR KliFOUM IN SIKH SHRINKS ~

The appeal had the desired effect. A number of Pressmen

hurried to the scene of the Akali struggle to see things for
themselves. At the sametime several medical men and boy-scouts
and other volunteers offered their services to attend to the wounded
men. The Punjab Provincial Congress Committee deputed two
of their members, Prof. Ruchi Ram Sahni and Mian Fazal Din. Both
proceeded to Amritsar to see things for themselves. They started
for Guru-ka-Bagh accompanied by two members of the S. G. P. C.
(S. Gurdyal Singh of Raja Sansi and S. Hari Singh of Jullundur)
who were also proceeding to the same place to look after certain
arrangements. The party was, however, not allowed to proceed
beyond Raja Sansi, where a picket of policemen was posted. Even
an appeal to Mr. Beaty whom they found at a distance of half a
mile off the main road proved to be of no avail. A communique
of the Shromoni Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee referring t o
this incident reports that sometime after we had left, S. Gurdyal
Singh received a severe beating and was otherwise insulted for
having dared to accompany us.
In addition to small jathas proceeding from the Gurdwaras at
Guru-ka-Bagh to cut wood from the nearby 'garden' the Shromoni
Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee now began to send large daily
jathas from the Akal Takht to Guru-ka-Bagh. They were able
to do this because of the crowds of men who had by this time begun
to pour in from the countryside all anxious to seize the earliest
opportunity t o be sent forward for the Guru's service, as they
called it. At first daily jathas of fifty Akalis were despatched
from the Akal Takht, but within a few days, the number was
increased to 100 men. In all cases the procedure observed was
the same as the Jathas were not allowed to proceed to the Guru-ka-
Bagh, but were stopped by a row of Policemen drawn up across
the road at the Gumtala Bridge (not far from the District Courts)
at Raja Sansi (six miles from Amritsar on the Amritsar-Ajnala
Trunk Road), or near the Chhina bridge (about 8 miles from
Amritsar) etc. the distance being increased at intervals of a few days.
1^0 STRUGGLE FOR REFOM IN SlKH SHRINES

On these days when the jatha was stopped from proceeding

forward at one place or another on the road, the treatment of the
Akalis did not differ much from day t o day. A line cf policemen
under a European officer would be drawn up across the road where
it was intended to administer the beating to the men. Finding the
road blocked to them, the Akalis would generally squat down on
the bare ground with joined hands as if in prayer singing hymns
all the while. They would be asked to disperse and go back to their
homes and on their continuing to sit and sing as before, they would
be dragged about and beaten brutally with lathis, often on their
private parts, t i l l they became senseless. They were then lifted
*

up and thrown on one side of the road, where they were attended
to by the scouts and medical men who were always present for
rendering first-aid and then carrying the men in ambulance cars
to one of the three hospitals improvised for the purpose at
Amritsar near the Shromoni Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee
offices. Fuller details of the beatings on certain days will be found
on other pages.

On the evening of the 29th August, 1922, a jatha of 50 Akalis

started from Akal Takht, but was stopped at Raniwala Bridge,
where they found a strong police gaurd on duty. They were asked
to disperse, but on their refusing to do so they were placed under
a nominal arrest and kept there. Next day another Jatha also
arrived there from Amritsar when both the Jathas were allowed
together to cross the bridge "under a heavy shower of Lathis.""
As a result of the beating 30 men had to be left behind, "some
of them in a very serious condition." The wounded men were a
little later removed by lorries to Amritsar.
Meanwhile the usual beating of small batches of Akalis
continued at Guru-ka-Bagh. Jathas of four or five men at a time
attempting to go forward to cut wood from the nearby lands

*See Shromoni Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee communique

No. 29, dated 30th August, 1922.
 S T R U G G L E FOR R E F O R M IK SIKH S H R I N E S \.i]

for Guru-ka-Langer, were stopped and beaten with lathis to semi-

unconsciousness. On the day of which I am speaking an old Akali
is said to have implored Mr. Beaty that he might given a specially
severe thrashing, because "that alone would purge his very sinful
soul."
* «

I know there are some sophisticated people who consider such

things in the light of a joke. At one time I myself used to look
upon such statements as exaggerations, but having seen such strange
things to happen in connection with the Guru-ka-Bagh morcha,
I have come to realize better that I did before the wonderful power
of the spirit in life of a man of faith.

To turn to our story, the plot was now thickening, if it was

not already gruesome enough. A regular hunt was started for the
black-turban Akalis in the villages all round the Guru-ka-Bagh.
Mr. Beaty himself on horse back and accompanied by one or two
other Policemen was often seen moving from place to place and
giving the black-turbaned rnen, wherever they were discovered,
a taste of his cane. Guru-ka-Bagh itself became like a blockaded
area. Closely surrounded by . the Police, all provisions were
prevented from reaching the A <' a I i s there. Even the supplies of milk
and medicines required for the Akalis who had only recently been
beaten and had not yet been removed to the Amritsar hospital were
stopped from reaching Guru-ka-Bagh. In some cases they were
seized by the policemen for their own personal use. The offices of
both the S. G. P. Committee and the Shromoni Akali Dal were
raided by the Police. Both the places were locked up and sealed
with a view to their being searched later on.

Nothing daunted the Akali Jathas continued to proceed day

after day from the Akal Takht to Guru-ka-Bagh. Thus on the 31st
August a jatha of about 60 Akalis started from Akal Takht at about
I p.m. after taking the necessary pledge of non-violence. Overtaken
by night between Raja Sansi and the Chhina bridge they decided
to spend the night on the road, but even here they were attacked
I (2 BTRUGG1 ,. FOR REFORM IN SIKH SHRIKES

with lathis by Mr. Bcat/'s policemen so much so that more than

half of them are said to have been rendered unconscious. Next day
(September 1st) even a severer trial awaited the Gargaj Akali Jatha
of about 120 men on its way to Guru-ka-Bagh. Near the Gumtala
bridge, about a mile beyond the District Courts, the jatha was
surrounded by the foot and mounted police. Mr. Dunnett, the
Deputy Commissioner, and a military officer were also on the spot.
Presently, they were charged by the mounted police who succeeded
in breaking up the jatha into several small parties which v/ere
chased in different directions far into the fields on either side of
the road. Prof. Jodh Singh of the local Khalsa College, who was
then editing a moderate Sikh paper, The Khalsa Advocate, and
who had accompanied the jatha as an interested sight-seer gave a
graphic account of what he saw with his own eyes. According to
Prof. Jodh Singh the Akalis are said to have been charged, beaten
and some of them seriously wounded with lathis. As soon as the
information about the incident reached the Akali office at Amritsar
search parties were sent out with doctors and first aid relief and
late at night only some of the men could be picked up and brought
to the Akali hospitals at Amritsar. ,

The same story of beating was repeated, only with somewhat

greater mercilessness, both at Guru-ka-Bagh and en the road
leading tD it. At Gur-ka-Bagh three jathas of five each went out
one after the other. By this time the policemen had been specially
drilled and trained* in administering the lathi blows on the chest
and on the private parts as well as on the feet and legs. These
methods were repeated for several days as they seemed to have
appealed to the officers in-charge. Mr. Beaty, himself was seen on
these occasions to be taking a prominent part in the beating. The
Boy-scouts who were on duty as well as some of the medical men

*A booklet v/as officially published laying down the regular procedure

fo using the lathi.
 STRUGGLE FOR REFORM IN SIKH SHRINES 13J

rendered ever/ assistance. As the beating proceeded from day to day

the Shromoni Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee took care to post
photographers at places of vantage in order to be able to take
snapshots of what was happening. The scenes were witnessed by
large number of Akalis who were present as also by some other
persons who had succeeded in obtaining a permit to visit Guru-ka-
Bagh. It was by no means an easy matter to succeed in taking a
good photograph from a safe distance, and in one case at least a
camera was snatched away and returned in a damaged condition.
The medical relief parties were also abused, assaulted and sometimes
ordered to leave the place.
A word may also be said here about the sympathy and support
which the Shromoni Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee received in
their present severe ordeal at the hands of the citizens of Amritsar,
who provided the Committee with clothes, charpais, milk, medicines
and other requirements for the wounded men. By the end of
August, three hospitals had been fitted up and equipped with
an adequate staff of doctors, dressers, warders and all other
servants. Here I must not omit to mention an interesting story
which I heard very early from the lips of S. Teja Singh Samundri
himself. As President of the Shromoni Gurdwara Parbandhak
Committee Teja Singh was in main charge of the Guru-ka-Bagh
opperations. One day he surprised me by telling me that he had
won the morcha. "But Bhaiji," said to him, "the morcha has
hardly begun. How can you say that you have won it." He then
gave me the following story.
As large numbers of wounded persons began to be brought
into the hospital at Amritsar S. Teja Singh Samundri wanted a
couple of hundred Darris immediately for the wounded patients. He
went to a merchant who was known to keep a large stock of
darris in hand for sale. The merchant soon came to know who
the customer was and for what purpose the darris were really
required. Addressing Samundri he said, "Sardar Sahib, you need
not trouble about the price." The Sardar was sent away with the
134 STRUGGLE FOR REFORM IN SIKH SHRINES

assurance that the whole lot of darn's would soon follow him along
with a Bill and that he would have no cause of complaint on account
of his charges. The required number of darn's arrived at the
hospital together with a Bill fully paid up. What the shop-keeper
had done was this. He looked up his own invoice for the darris.
He paid for two or three darris himself as his personal contribution.
He then went round to some of the other shop-keepers and got
each of them to pay for one two or three darris each, till the
whole amount was made up. No profit was charged. A list of
the contributors accompanied the paid up Bill together with a
proper receipt for the amount. The Sardar was very much struck
with this mark of sympathy on the part of a shopkeeper whom he
did not know. It is only necessary to add that the same experience
was repeated time after time not only with further supplies
of darris for the wounded persons, but also for many othe r things
required for their use. It is only necessary to add that not less
than two thousand men passed through the hospitals each of them
spending several days while some had to remain there for practically
the whole time the Guru-ka-Bagh morcha lasted and, in fact, for
sometime after the trouble was over. Some of the Hindu merchants
of Amritsar paid for an ambulance car or two and if I am not mistaken,
at least one man lent the use of no less than half a dozen such
ambulance cars for the occasion. The total expenses incurred in
connection with the equipment and management of the hospitals
and the relief parties ran to many thousand of rupees, practically the
whole amount being made up by voluntary contributions by the
people of Amritsar, the Hindus contributing a lion's share of
it. While there is not much to choose between the hammering
which the Akalis received on one day or another, the story of
the 1st of September contains features which are not ccmmcn
to the scenes enacted on other days. On that day, a jatha of about
100 Akahs started from the Akal Takht after taking the necessary
vow of non-violence and after being blessed from the Akal Takht
for the success of the mission on which they were being sent and
 *

STRUGGLE FOR R E F O R M IX SIKH S H R I N E S 135

after they had been photographed, each member wearing wreath

of jesamine flowers round his black turban as a symbol of purity
and sincerity which they were expected to observe in the discharge
of their sacred duties. They proceeded towards Guru-ka-Bagh
followed by four well-equipped ambulance cars with the necessary
contingent of doctors, dressers and other assistants. They had
hardly reached the Gumtala Bridge early that afternoon when they
were stopped by the Police and asked to disperse and on their
refusing to do so they were set upon by a large number of
policemen who administered them a severe hammering, with
lathis. Learning from the experience of previous jathas they soon
sat down on the ground so as to remain as close together as
possible. The lathis continued to rain upon them. They were
now charged by a body of cavalry under a European officer. What
happened can well be imagined. Two of the men are said to have
received greivous hurts while most of the others were more or
less seriously wounded. Throughout the lathi beatings and the
cavalry charges the Akalis continued chanting Wahi Guruji and
bursting into Sat Sri Akal now and again. The shouts became
fainter and fainter and them completely died down when all the
men had been sufficiently disabled in one way or another even to
utter a cry. It wes truly a heart-rending scene and but for one
fact that it was witnessed by hundreds of respectable persons who
had followed the jatha from the city, it could hardly have been
believed that such things were possible at the present time of
boasted modern civilisation. Prof. Jodh Singh who was present on
this occasion wrote in his paper, The Khalsa Advocate as follows :
"It is a pity that in spite of the fact that a European officer was
at the head of the men on horse-back who rode backwards and
forwards through the squatting Akalis and was himself in fact
leading the charge, the official version of the incident was grossly
inaccurate and mis-leading. By September 2, the scene had shifted
higher up the road to Raja Sansi, where the jatha reached at about
5 p.m. when they found their further progress barred by a line
 STRUGGLE IOR REFORM IN S I K H SHRINES
136
icemen armed with regulation lathis standing across the road.
f P
Another novel feature which was now added to the proceedings
of the day was the presence of a man w i t h a long black shirt ^nd
drum hanging from his neck. The usual lathi hammering on
a
this day proceeded in tune with the beat of the drum. After the
men had received the usual lathi blows and had fallen to the ground,
they were lifted up one by one and thrown over a mass of kankars
from a height of t w o or three feet into the low lying ground on
the one side of the read. Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya had come
to see the gruesome drama that was now being enacted at
P
Amritsar. But as he reached the spot a little too late he was not
able to see the actual beating. He however saw the men lying on
the side of the road and in the ditches and was greatly moved at
the sight. He characterised the scene as "shambles."- As a press
•esentative and as one who had taken care to provide himself
P
with a permit from the Deputy Commissioner, I was present en
this as well as on most other days and saw the cruel happenings
with my own eyes.** Most if not all the policemen were either
Gurkhas or Muhammadans, a few were Pathans and others seemed
to be muslims from Shahpur and jhelum Districts.
By the beginning of September, the struggle //as in full swing
and the publicity department of the S.G.P.C. and the press representa-
tives who had been reporting the tragic events in full from day t o day
had done their work. There was great excitement all over the
country and because of the bitter comments that had been appearing
in the press the Government felt called upon to justify themselves.
In a communique issued on September | * * * , the Government gave a

* l t may be noted here that by this time according to the S. G. P. C.

Report, the number of wounded persons had reached the
figure 340.
X X
Cn this day L. Duni Chand, h t l i k Lall Khan and Captain Gopa
Singh, M. L. C. of Bhagowal were also present throughout.
* * * T h e S. G. P. C, communique No. 53 (pages 62 & 63)
(copy from bound b o 0 k )
 STRUGGLE FOR REFORM IN SIKH SHRItfES 137

brief history as to how the trouble had arisen. The S. G. P. C

at once repudiated the official version and pointed out that by a
signed and stamped agreement the Mahant at Guru-ka-Bagh had
consented to hand over the Gurdwara to the S. G. P. Committee
and that, as a part of this agreement he was working under a
Committee of I I Sikhs who had been in full control of the shrine on
behalf of the S. G. P. Committee by whom they had been appointed.
This was sometime before the Nankana Sahib tragedy. But when
the whole province was violently agitated and convulsed over the
massacre of a large number of Akalis at the very birth-place of
Guru Nanak, and large number of Sikhs began to be arrested for
one reason or another, the Guru-ka-Bagh Mahant, like many
others, was emboldened to defy the Akalis and sent at naught
the terms of the agreement. It was at this time that, according
to the S. G. P. Committee, they decided to take the control of the
Gurdwara into their own hands. The Mahant approached the
authorities for help, but when "the Superintendent of Police"
we are quoting the S. G. P. C. version,— "came to the spot with
a force of Police and studied the actual situation with his own eyes,
he confirmed the possession of the Sikhs and left a body of
policemen to protect the Akalis.* After sometime when the Police
Superintendent was convinced that the storm had blown over, he
wrote to the Gurdwara Committee that he was going to remove
the Police guard unless the Gurdwara Committee wanted the guard
to be kept at their own cost. This version is supported by the
correspondence which has been reproduced earlier in these pages.**
About some of the other matters dealt with in the official

::
See S. G. P. Committee press communique No. 54. This communique
gives the details of cases of persons robbed, assaulted and otherwise
badly treated by the police near the Chhina bridge.
**The two letters, first No.I 1633/4/4/21 and 2nd No. 1840/167 dated
the 9th September i922, are quoted on page -of the present
volume.
 831 STRUGGLE FOR REFORM IN SIKH SHRINES

communique and the Shromoni Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee

rejoinder thereto we are not much concerned ; the facts are outside
our personal knowledge and we do not undertake to sit In judgement
on the conflicting view of the parties. All we would like to say is
that, so far as we know, in general the Government was ill-served
by its informants. I can personally vouch for the fact that a great
many people in the surrounding villages bitterly complained to me
and to many other persons about the manner in which they had been
insulted, robbed and disgraced. The provisions that the villagers
wanted to carry to Guru-ka-Bagh from a religious motive were
often seized by the Police. I myself saw more than enough to
convince me of the high-handedness of the Policemen at the Chhina
Bridge as well as elsewhere, towards people who were in sympathy
with the Akalis and were anxious to help them with supplies or in
any other way, the behaviour and treatment of the custodians of
peace and order was disappointing in the extreme. Even men who
had gone to see the tragic scenes from a motive of curiosity were
not spared and some of them had distressing tales to tell of their
treatment. Speaking for myself. I wish to record that had I not
witnessed the scenes it was my misfortune to witness in connection
with the Guru-ka-Bagh atrocities, I would never have believed that
such things were possible and had actually happened. In the present
narrative I have deliberately tried to understate the facts rather
than otherwise.
with the beginning (1922), the tragic events connected with
the Guru-ka-Bagh morcha were following each other in quick
succession. Pt. Madan Mohan Malaviya arrived on September 2, and
after addressing a crowded meeting of the Sikhs at Amritsar
proceeded to Guru-ka-Bagh. A large number of press reporters had
also by this time appeared on the scene including Mr. Sundram,
representative of the Independent, an enterprising English Daily
of Allahabad which had lately been started by Pt. Moti Lai Nehru.
The Independent was true to the name it bore and within a short
time made a great reputation for itself as a fearless exponent of
 S T R U G G L E FOR REROM IN BIKH S H R I N E S 13 9
/

official wrongs which other papers had taken many years to build
up. Besides Pt. Madan Mohan Malaviya and a number of other highly
respectable men were also generally present to witness the strcnge
things that were daily occuring bcth at Guru-ka-Bagh and en the
road between Raja Sansi and the Chhina bridge eight to r i r e miles
f r o m Amritsar.*

*Among these persons I saw the Hon'ble S. Jogindra Singh,

Member, Council of State, S. Bhakhtawar Singh, M. L. C , Prof. Jcdh
Singh of the Khalsa College, Amritsar, 5. Sunder Singh Ramgarhia,
ex-Member Golden Temple, Fellow Punjab University and Honorary
Magistrate of Amritsar, S. Sobha Singh Rais, S. Sujan Singh, B. A.,
I

LL. B., advocate and Mill-owner, Sargoc'ha, S. Basakha Singh

Contractor, S. Ujjal Singh, M. A., Sarcar (now Sir) Sunder Singh
Majithia, S. Tara Singh, B. A., LL. B., (afterwards prominent member
of the Punjab Legislative Council and subsequently Judge of the
Patiala High Court, S. Tara Singh, Headmaster, Khalsa High School
Amritsar, S. Jaidev Singh, son of Rai Bahadur Bcota Singh of Rawal-
pindi, S. Shiv Dev Singh Oberoi of Sialkot, a prominent member of
the Chief Khalsa Diwan and, subsequently, member of the Secretary
of State's Council, London, S. Takht Singh, Manager of the Sikh
Kanya Mahavidyala of Ferozepore, S. 3. Capt. Sardar Gopal Singh of
Bhagowal, M. L. C , Lala Duni Chand, Bar-at-Law, Lahore, President,
Punjab Provincial Congress Committee, Malik Lai Khan, Member of
the Khilafat Committee and Punjab Provincial Congress Committee,
L. Rup lal Puri, President of the Amri:sar Congress Committee,
S. Sunder Singh Chav/la Rais and Landlord of Lahore, S. Gurbux
Singh of Delhi, Syed Atta Ullah Shah, Congress and Khilafat Leader,
Jullundur, Lala Devi Dayal and S. Ghulam Mchd Hafiz, Secretary
and General Secretary respectively of the City Congress Committee,
Sialkot, S. Amar Singh Vakil, President, Congress Committee,
Jullundur, S. Thakar Singh, General Secretary City Congress
Committee Gujranwala, Sheikh Abdul Rehman, Sh. Mohd Umar and
Sh. Alia Ditta raises the Hide merchants, Amritsar, S. Abdul Rehman,
Cent a
140 STRUGGLE FOR REFORM IN' S I K H SHRINES

As regards the tragic scenes witnessed during the first fey/

days of the month I need not know more than to give the following
extracts from some of the reports issued by the press
correspondents.

Continued from last page*.

Superintendent, Provincial Khilafat Committee's Office, Lahore and
numerous other prominent men.
The press was fully represented. For about two months I
accompanied the jatha from the Akal Takht, as a special represen-
tative of the Tribune, Lahore and witnessed the harrowing scenes
with my own eyes. Day after day I contributed a long account of
the beatings to the columns of the Tribune. The editor told me
more than once that my reports were being reproduced in the
leading daily papers in the other provinces. The following press
correspondents were also present on the scene of daily beating in
connection with the Guru-ka-Bagh affair. Mr. Sundram of the
Independent, Allahabad, Mr. G. C. Rampal, representing the
Bindematram, Lahore, S. Amar S ngh of the L^yal Gazette, Lahore,
Mr. Charan Singh, editor of the Jathedar, Amritsar, Mr. Atiqi,
Assistant editor, Zemindar of Lahore, Mr. Milkhi Ram, Corres-
pondent of the Swaraj, Madras, besides a number of other corres-
pondents who put in occasional appearances. Among the more
prominent medical men who were attending to the wounded on the
scene of beating or in the hospitals, the following may be specially
mentioned :
Dr. Mirza Yaqub Beg, L. M. S. of Lahore, Dr. Ghulam Mohd,
M.B. B. S., Dr. Ghulam Haider, M. B. B. S., Dr. Abdul Aziz, Dr.
Noor Mohamed, L.M.S., all of whom had been sent on behalf of the
Punjab Provincial Khilafat Committee. Besides these the Khilafat
Committee also sent a European lady who rendered conspicuous
services in attending to the wounded. In addition to these a large
number of other medical men offered their services and were put
Contd.
 STRUCCJ-E FOE REFORM IN SIKH SHRINES M»

Day after day we find a jatha of about a hundred men

assembling at Akal Takht taking the vow o f j i o ^ - v i o j e n ^ M h ^

Continued from last pai'e

in charge of either motor ambulance work or looking after the
wounded men in the three hospitals established at Akali Bagh near
the Golden Temple.
The following is the complete list as given in the S. G. P. C.
press communique No. 34 page 50-51 :
I. Lt.Col. Ghulab Singh, LRCP., & S., (Edin) Director of
Medical-S 2. Dr. Khan Chand Dev, M. D., Incharge M
Ambulance, 3. Dr. Mani Ram, Attached to above, 4. Dr. Bhagwan
Singh, S. A. S., Incharge Hospital No. I, 5. Dr. Sant Das, MBBS.,
harge Hospital No. 2, ward No. I., 6. Dr. Mohan Singh MBBS.
harge Hospital N D 2 ward 2, 7. Dr. Chuni Lai Bhatia, LRCP &
S., Incharge Hospital No. 3, ward No. I, 8. Dr. Partap Singh, MBBS
Incharge Hospital No. 3, ward 2, 9. Dr. Manohar Lai, MBBS
harge Hosp _ No. 3 Ward 3, 10. Dr. Mohan Singh, S. A. S
II. Dr. Ram Rakha Mai Senior S. A. S., attached to
Registrar. ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^
Hospital No. 3, Ward No. I, 12. Dr. Ganga Ram, S. A. S., attached
to Hospital No. 3, Ward 3, 13. Dr. Raju Singh, attached to Hospital
No. 2, Ward No. 1,14. Dr. Hari Ram Singh, attached to Hospital
No. 3,' Ward No. 3, 15. Dr. Wasakha Singh, attached to Hospital
No. 2, Ward No. I, !6. Dr. Gurdit Singh, S. A. S. Incharge Med
Stores and comforts, 17. & 18. S. Jaswant Singh & S. Aya Singh
Compounders, attached to above, 19 to 24. Compounders.
In addition to the above, three lady doctors were helping in
dressing the wounded. Among the medical men in charge of the
Hospitals who had volunteered their services in this work of mercy
were the following :
I. Dr. Anup Singh, L. R. C. P. & S. (Edin) with his two com-
pounders, Bhais Sohan Singh and Salig Ram ; 2. Dr. Santram Arora,
Contd.
142 STRUGGLE FOR REFORM IN SIKH SHRINES

resolve not to turn their back till they had reached Guru-ka-Bagh
and gone forward to cut fire wood from the adjoining land for
Guru-ka-Langer. As we have already described the daily jathas
continued to go forward on their mission, to be intercepted some-
where on the road to be beaten down to unconsciousness, to be
carried back by the Boy-scouts and other volunteers under the
direction of a number of medical men who had volunteered their
services either on their own behalf or on behalf of some political
or social service organization to one of the ambulance cars which
were standing at a short distance, and be driven back to Amritsar
and lodged in one of the hospitals established by the S. G. P. C. in
the Akali Bagh close to the sacred tank. It should clearly be men-
tioned here that contrary to certain reports which are said to have
sent to the press by the Associated Press Agency, the Government
did not provide any medical assistance or first aid to the wounded
men, nor did they make any arrangements for carrying them to the
hospitals at Amritsar. We are told that all these arrangmenets were
made by the S. G. P. Committee with the generous offers which they
received from the public of the Province. By the 7th September
the number of men in the Akali Bagh Hospitals had reached the
figure of seven hundred men lying there more or less seriously
disabled.
By the evening of the 8th the number of the wounded had
swelled to 936. In addition to this number there were not less
than two hundred men lying at Guru-ka-Bagh who were being
treated there.

Continued from last page-

3. Dr. Mangal Singh, 4. Dr. Kirpa Ram, 5. Dr. Ganga Singh,
Rawalpindi, 6. Dr. Ishar Singh, 7. Dr. Harnam Singh Gujranwala,
8. Dr. Gurbachan Singh, 9. Dr. Gurbakhsh Singh, 10. Lady Doctor
Ram Piari, II. Compounder Diwan Singh, 12. Compounder Basant
Singh, 13. Compounder Hira Singh, 14. Compounder Gurbakhsh
Singh and 15. Compounder Partap Singh.
 STRUGGLE FOR REFORM IN SIKH SHRINES 14 5

On certain days even when it was raining the daily jatha

proceeded on its mission and was received with lathi blows*
as usual.

On the 9th September, to the amazement of everybody

present, there was a sudden change in the attitude of the Police.
On reaching the Chhina Bridge the jatha found no policemen lining
up on the road and barring their way to proceed. In the elation
of the moment, they proceeded rapidly forward, crossed the bridge
and moved on straight towards Ajnala instead of turning to the
right along the canal. They had gone about a hundred yards beyond
the turning point when they discovered their mistake. Risaldar
Anoop Singh who was among the spectators and who knew the road
very well came up to the Jathedar and pointed out the mistake to
him, I shall never forget what followed. The Jathedar who was
at the head of his men atonce stopped the jatha and in a commanding
voice, as if he was giving the word of command on the field of
battle said in simple Punjabi ; "O Singhs, we have made a mistake
and have left the road to Guru-ka-Bagh behind. We did not know
exactly that v/e had to turn (to the right) after crossing the bridge
s
i , ^ _ ^

*ln view of certain communiques issued by the authorities denying

the severe nature of the beating administered by the policemen it
may be mentioned here that day to day beatings were witnessed by
hundrejs of very respactable independent, men of whom the
following may specially be mentioned. Pt. Madan Mohan Malaviya,
S. Sunder Singh Ramgarhia, Sodi Lai Singh, M. L. C , S. Sangat Singh,
M.L.C., S. Dilbagh Singh, M.L.C., Th e last three issued a joint
statement about what they had themselves witnessed on the 7th Sept.
1922. In the course which they said "In our estimate the beating
was very severe, brutal and inhuman. And on enquiry it was
confirmed by the doctors at the spot that injuries were more serious
on this occasion. We saw that the Akalis were perfectly non-violent
and ware falling senseless under the blows of lathis and singing
Sat Nam Sri Wah Guruji all the time." (See Appendix )
]44 STRUGGLE FOR REFORM I.N' SIKH SHKINI 3

but since you have taken the vow before the Akal Takht that you
will not turn your back, nor will, therefore, move forward and
will now reach Guru-ka-3agh by wending our way through the
fields. Corr.e." So saying the Jathedar moved forward followed
by his men. A more than usually loud shcut of Sat Sri Akal went
up revibrating to a considerable distance and the Akalis continued
their march singing sacred hymns as before. I may mention that
the path of the Jatha lay through fislds and kacha roads which were
covered with water. It is no exa3g2ration to say that at several
places the men—the Akalis, the spectators and ail—had to wade
through literally knee deep of mudd/ water here and there. Their
feet fell upon thorny bushes but so catching v/as the enthusiasm of
the moment that no one, not even the spectators, thought of the
i

inconvenience but moved forward till they reached Guru-ka-Bagh

at about 4 P. M.
I may indulge in a little digression here. On a previous
occasion while a jatha was squating on the ground with the Jathedar
in front of them, a photographer tried to take a snapshot of the
Jatha fr:>m the side of the road, because the police were barring
the v/ay of the Jatha and the Phorographer could not find a suitable
place in front of them for fear of his camera being snatched away
from him as had happened on one or two other occasions. In the
natural desire to face the camera, some of the men turned their
heads backward, noticing this, the Jathedar at once shouted
an order to his men to look straight forward reminding them at
the same time of their wo// taken at the Akal Takht that very
morning no: to turn bad: their faces till they had reached their
destination. This reminder v/as enough for them.
As we have already explained, the three hospitals which the
S. G. P. C. had equipped were managed by competent medical men
all of v/hcrn had volunteered their services for the purpose. They
were maincained at the daily cost of more- than two thousand rupees.
The whole amount being said a S. G. P. C. communique, ''mainly
borne by the kind citizens of Amrltsar."
 STRUGGLE FOR REFORM IN SIKH SHRINKS 14^

It should be mentioned that the three hospitals consisted

merely of a large number of tents or shamianas when it rained and
the condition of some of the men required greater care charitably
disposed Hindus came forward to place at the disposal of the
S. G. P. C. spacious builJing belonging to them for the accomodation
of the wounded. In the same way on one occasion the committee of
Hindu gentlemen in charge of the old Mission High School placed the
building at the disposal of the Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee.
Cases were not wanting where the citizens of Amritsar offered
to accomodate the wounded in their own houses.*
i

At Guru-ka-Bagh itself the usual daily spectacle continued

to be witnessed without a break. As already explained a small
jatha of five Akalis at a time would proceed towards the garden,
be stopped on the way by a posse of police nen armed with lathis,
received a severe beating till they fell down in a state of semi-
consciousness and were then removed. As a rule, four or five
of such jathas received the daily doze of Police beating. Even when
medicines and comforts like milk, sugar and f r u i t for the sick and
wounded were sent to the Guru-ka-Bagh with the permission of
the Deputy Commissioner, they were sometime seized by t h i Police
on the way for their own use.

As at this time no letters and even newspapers were being

received at the S. G. P. C. Office in the daily dak through the post
office, the Secretary of the committee wrote to the Post Master
as to why the office dak was not being delivered and whether
"there were any orders for the suppression or opening of
correspondence." Two days latter he received a bundle of letters
with a note from the Deputy Superintendent of city police saying
"herewith 48 letters and 18 newspapers addressed to S. G. P.
C o m n i t t e i detained in the post office vide Section 95 the C. P. C."
All the letters had been opened before they were delivered, and

*S. G. P. Committee communique. No. 58. '_J

146 S T R U G G L E FOR REFORM IN SIKH SHRINES

even the ordinary newspapers addressed to the Committee had been

treated in the same way.*
As there was considerable rivalry among the Akalis for
precedence in being sent to Guru-ka-3agh, after sometime the daily
jathas were arranged by districts and the turn of the various
districts was fixed, sometimes jathas having such names as Shahidi
Jatha, the military pensioner's Jatha, the Gargijj Akali Jatha, the
Nirbhai (Fearless) Akali Jatha etc. were formed. The ramesv\ere
sleeted by the Jathedars themselves.

From the 9th September, the Guru-ka-Bagh had assumed

the appearance of a regular military camp. From the early morning
of the 10th September, a large number of military men under the
direction of t w o experienced officers had been busy erecting
entanglements of barbed-wire all round the place, leaving only one
narrow outlet for the Akalis within the Gurdwara precincts to
come out and for those outside, to go in. Many of us had seen
such a sight for the first time. It was an elaborate arrangement
with a base about ten feet in breadth. It tapered to a point which
was considerably higher than the tallest man. It was impossible
to get through it but some Akalis who had been through the army
explained to us that for properly trained men it was not at all
difficult to jump over an entanglement of that kind with the help
of long enough poles. In special cases entanglements were errected
which were more difficult to negotiate. For such otstinations
powerful scissors were used to cut the barbed wire and then creep
through the hole.

Over-looking the spot where the final stages of the Police

beatings at Guru-!<a-3agh were witnessed, there were some ordinary

*The order intercepting and withholding the entire dak of the

S. G. P. C. was issued in the beginning of September, 1922 and
continued to b e in force t i l l the close of the following December
The order applied to the telegrams also (See S. G. P. C. communiqe
No. 368.)
 STRUGGLE FOR REFORM IN SIKH SHRINES 147

buildings attached to the Gurdwaras. The roofs of these houses

provided a most convenient place for accomodating important
persons to see the harrowing scenes. Among these persons, I saw
on one day or another and sometime for several days in succession
the following gentlemen : -\Hakim Ajmal Khan, Mr. C. F. Andrews,
Swami Shardhanand, M. Kifayat-ullah (President of the Jamiat-ul-
ulema), Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya, Dr. Ansari, Sir Jogindra
Singh, Sirdar Harbans Singh of Attari, S. Jodh Singh and the Sikh
members of Punjab Legislative Council, besides a very large number
of other gentlemen. It is worth noting that Swami Shardhanand
was arrested as he was getting into his car just outside the entangle-
ment, at Guru-ka-Bagh after he had witnessed the beating en one
f

of these days, because he had made a speech earlier at Amritsar in

the Akalis. ^ ^ | ^ | ^ | ^ | ^ | ^ | ^ | ^ H
 About interruption of Sir Ganga Ram in bringing about a
settlement of the Guru-ka-Bagh matter and extricating the Govern-
ment from the serious situation in which it had entangled itself.
See S. G. P. C. communique No. 297 dated 18th November 1922,
pages 243-46.

About the middle of November, the Government began to see

the wisdom of not taking serious notice of the offence much as it
was of the Akalis at Guru-ka-Bagh, Jatha after jatha who had
f

been arrested when produced before the court was released on

the recommendation of the Public Prosecutor, because the offence
was not such as to justify conviction (Communique No. 295,
page 242-43).
About the middle of November the barbed wire entanglements
were removed and the police withdrawn except f r o m the building
where the Guru-ka-Langar was situated and in another part of
which the Mahant was living. The Amawas fair which fell soon
after the withdrawal of the police combined w i t h the removal of
the barbed-wire entanglements attracted an exceptionally large
number of pilgrims who came to pay their homage at the Gurdwara.
(Press communique No. 295 page 292).

At least sometime before the 18th November, 1922, the

matter of the lease of the land to Sir Ganga Ram by the Mahant
had become public property as is mentioned in communique
No. 293 p. 240.

The Mahant had no right to lease the land, but it was simply
dene to get the Government out of an awkward position. The lease
v/as given for one year and Sir Ganga Ram allowed the Akalis to
cut wood from the lands without any hinderance. This did not
solve the general problem of the Gurdwara, nor it was brought
 STRUGGLE, FOR REFORM IN SIKH SHRINE9 149

nearer any solution. It was only a make belief affair but did
in any way tend to reconcile the Sikhs t o the position in which
they found themselves (Press communique No. 292, page 236-37).
Up to the middle of November 1922, i. e. the 12th of November
1922, the number of arrests in connection with the Guru-ka-Bagh was
given by the Akalis as 5422 (see S.G.P.C Press communique No. 287,
page 235).
The military jatha proceeded on November 12, 1922,
subsequently there was a 2nd military jatha also, each consisting
of a little over a hundred men some of them who had by sheer
dint of . merit risen t o very high position as a Risaldar and a Subedar
in the army.
On the 16th November, the total number of arrested Akalis
in connection with the Guru-ka-Bagh had reached 5533 (press
communique NoJ
On the 15th November it became known that some Hindu
gentlemen had already approached the Mahant o r were going t o
approach ostensibly on behalf of the S. G. P. Committee to lease
out the land t o him and that he would allow the Akalis to cut
wood from the Guru-ka-Bagh lands. This was taken t o be a device
to get the Government out of the scrape into which they had been
involved with the minimum loss of prestige. W e will soon hear
more about i t .
On the 13th an emergent meeting of the Pensionholder Sikh
Soldiers' Association passed a resolution condemning the action of
the Government in interfering with their religious privileges
and assuring the S. G. P. Committee that the retired soldiers
sympathised with them and supported their activities. (Communique
No.,282 page 231)

Among others the beatings at Guru-ka-Bagh were witnessed

on one o r t w o days by Shri Swami Sankracharya of Sharda Peeth
a recognised leader of the orthobox class of Hindus who had come
specially to witness the scenes engaged at Guru-ka-Bagh. It was
on the 922.^H^^I^^I^^I^^I^^^B^^H
150 S T R U G G L E FOR REFORM IN SIKH S H R I N E S

The first Gurdwara Bill

The official Gurdwara Bill was introduced by Sir Fazil-i-
Hussain, in the Punjab Legislative Council on November 7, 1922,
(Press Communique No. 274). At this time the talk was going
on and was well known to the public, about Sir Ganga Ram leasing
the land and thus getting the government out of the whole trouble.
According to the Akalis the object of the trouble was to establish
the principal that the lands of the Gurdwara are inseparable from the
shrine and are the property of the Gurdwaras.

Early in the month of November, the Jathedar of the 2nd

Military pensioners Jatha sent the following telegram to His
Excellency the Commander-in-Chief in India :
"Continued Government persecution of Sikhs compels
military pensioners' second Akali jatha, hundred strong, to
proceed to Guru-ka-Bagh on 12th, leaving hundred more to
follow for sharing jail tortures with brothers in holy cause.
W e are glad to suffer at the hands of those in whose service
we grudged neither life nor limb and feel no longer surprised
at most loyal services being rewarded with brutal repression
and unjustifiable retardation of Gurdwara Reform." (Press
communique No. 289 page 222.)
Sometime about the 10th of November, 1922, prisoners
Relief Fund was started and subscriptions invited from the public
for it to help the poor relatives and dependents of those Akalis
who had gone to jail and specially those relatives whose cattle
and other property were being attached to pay the fines imposed
on the imprisoned Akalis. (Press communique No. 270, page 22).
A hundred Akalis began to be arrested at Guru-ka-Bagh itself,
instead of on the road leading to Guru-ka-Bagh. These men were
sent in small batches, generally in the afternoon. The beatings
were witnessed by thousands of men till barbed wire entanglements
were put round the whole place when they could be witnessed only
from outside the entanglements but with the permission of the
 STRUGGLE FCR REFORM IN SIKH SHRIKES 151

Deputy Commissioner, some men could go in and see the beatings

at close quarters. Hakim Ajmal Khan, Dr. Ansari, Swami
Shankracharya of Sharda Peeth, Swami Shardhanand, Mufti
Kifayat Ullah, President of the Jamaiat-u-Ulema-i-Hind, Delhi,
Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya, Prof. Ruchi Kam Sahni, Mr. Duni
Chand, Bar-at Lav/, President of the Punjab Provincial Congress
Committee, etc. etc. were among those who witnessed the
beatings of small jathas at a time at Guru-ka-Bagh, from the roof
of a building just over-looking the place of beating. They could
see the beatings in every detail and hear all the talks and the abuse
that very often took place between the police officers and the
Akalis.
Five Sikh M. L. Cs were appointed on the Gurdwara Reform
Bill but four of them had refused to act. The fifth member, Bawa
Hardit Singh Bedi attended meetings of the Select Committee for
sometime but from the 5th November, 1922 he too refused t o
work on the Committee at the request of the other four Sikh
members and others.
If is a noteworthy fact that the Gurdwara Bill introduced in
the Legislative Council by Sir Fazil-i-Hussain was framed in
defiance of the desires and opinion of even the moderate sections
of the Sikhs who were then on the Legislative Council. They,
therefore, refused to serve on the Select Committee, four of them
who were actually named did not attend a single meeting and the
fifth Bawa Hardit Singh Bedi etc.

The 2nd military pensioners' jatha started en the 12th

November for Guru-ka-Bagh to cut weed. (See press communique
No. 261.)
After only when the reports coming out of the Attock
jail about the treatment of the prisoners there and the
communiques of the S. G. P. Committee were taken to be
j52 STRUGGLE FOR REFORM IN SIKH SHRINES

correct, the state of the things would be discreditably bad.

W e w i l l not t r y to characterise the treatment of the Akali
prisoners in five or six jails in the Punjab where they were kept
but more particularly in the Attock jail because in making such an
attempt would be courting failure. (Press communique No. 256.)

By the 5th November at-Jeast it became known to a well-known

Hindu gentleman of Lahore who was trying to arrange taking lease
etc. of the Guru-ka-Bagh lands. (Press communique No. 250.)

Shri Swami Shankracharya

Shri Swami Shankracharya Ji of Sharda Peeth came to Sri Darbar

Sahib, Amritsar, today and paid a visit to the Shromoni Committee
Office. He was deeply moved to hear the details of the G u r u - k a -
Bagh affairs and expressed great sympathy with the Sikhs in their
present sufferings. It was through his persuation that a Bengali
medical relief party, consisting of t w o eminent doctors and twenty-
four senior medical students, was sent in September from Calcutta
to Amritsar t o serve in the Shromoni Committee's hospital. His
interest and sympathy for the Gurdwara Reformers laid the Sikh
community under the deep debt of obligation. Last year too, he
took great pains *
to counter-act the mischievous attempts of
interested parties to sow discard between Sikhs and Hindus. He
personally visited many important places in the Punjab greatly tended
to remove mis-understandings. His presence markedly contributed
to the harmony and effection which characterise the relations
between the t w o communities. His Holiness is proceeding to Guru-
ka-Bagh tomorow.

Sd -General Secretary
16th October 1922. Shromoni Gurdwara Parbandhak Committe
Amritsar.
 5 3
STRUGGLE FOR REFORM IN SIKH S H R I N E S I

What led us to the Guru-ka-Bagh affair, for details see

ccmmunique No. 214, page 195).
Subedar Surain Singh holding a high rank in the military
department, arrested in connection with the Guru-ka-Bagh
(Communique No. 213 dated 26. 10. 1922).
Havaldar Chatar Singh who had lost one leg in action in
Waziristan was also arrested in the military jatha.

^ ^ • ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ H Press communique No.

Arrests of Military Pensioners.

A Jatha of 101 military pensioner Akalis, while vindicating
their right to cut wood from land belonging to Guru-ka-Bagh for
Guru-ka-Langar, under the jathedarship of Subedar Amar Singh,
were arrested on the 25th October. The sight was very impressive
indeed so many stalwarts offering themselves for arrest, humiliation,
insult, and religious provocation for the sake of their religion at
the hands of the agents of the self-same British Government for
the extension of whose dominicn they had not grudged the best
blood of their being Immediately after their arrest, for the formal
personal search, they were one and all stripped so completely
naked that nothing but Kachhairas were left on their persons. The
cheerfulness with which they submitted themselves to this peculiar
humiliation was simply praise-worthy.
General Secretary
Shromoni Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee,
Amritsar.
25th October, 1922.

As after the middle of October, 1922, the courts would often

turn out a few of the arrested persons because they v/ere too old
 154 S T R U G G L E TOR REFORM IN S I K H SHRINES

or too young or had some other serious bodily defect such as one
leg or one arm. The next day the S. G. P. Committee sent 100 men
plus as many as rejected on the previous day. (Communique 202-
dated24. 10. 1922.)

The Inquiry Committee apointed by the All-India Congress

Working Committee started its work on 2. 10. 1922. R. R. Sahni
was Secretary and Mr. Srinivas Iyengar was the President. Mr. M. V.
Abhyankar and others were its members.
Pt. Motilal Nehru, Mr. V. J. Patel, L. Jamnalal Bajaj, B. Rajendra
Parsad, Mr. T. Parkasham, Mr. Stokes, Swami Vishwa Nand and
other members of the W o r k i n g Committee of the A l l India
Congress Committee, visited Guru -ka-Bagh today the 18th
September, 1922, and one batch of four Akalis was arrested in
their presence. They were much impressed on seeing a strange
spiritual light beaming from the faces of the Akalis who offered
themselves for arrest.
(Communique No. 86 page 109- back side part II)

An ambulance corps consisting of Dr. J. M. Das Gupta, M. B.,

Professor Bacteriology University of Calcutta and Dr. Kiram
Chander M. B. with 24 6th year students of the Calcutta Medical
College and Carmichael Medical College Calcutta arrived here this
morning to render medical aid to the Akalis, who had been wounded
by the police. As, however, the beating by the police has happily
ceased they will return to Calcutta tomorrow, with the affectionate
gratitude of the Akalis in particular and the Indian public of
Amritsar in general (Communique No. 86 part iii page 109
back side).

Act:; of robberies at Guru-ka-Bagh, Mr. Mercer making

investigations (See communique No. 85 page 109).
 STRUGGLE FOK REROM IN SIKH SHRINES 1S5

About the injuries which the Akalis received at Guru-ka-Bagh

in connection with the struggle regarding Guru-ka-Bagh Gurdwara,
see communique No. 84, page 108.

See Guru-ka-Bagh by C. F. Andrews (page 105-6, see C o m m -

unique No. 82, page 14.

Statement of Bhai Amar Singh before Mr. C. F. Andrews see

page 101.
1st December ordered to be observed as a prayer day for
the Reform of A l l Gurdwaras. Japji to be recited five times.
Akhand Path to be kept wherever possible.
(Communique No. 388)
Medical relief offered by Government. S. G. P. C. Committee
reply to the above. (See press communique No. 75, page 99).

From the 14th September, it seems the beating ceased but

Akalis v\ere going en to the Kiksr grcve (cr asserting their right to
cut fire wood were arrested instead. (See press communique
No. 75, page 99)

Serious medical cases reported by Lieutenant Col. Gulab

Singh, Dr. Yaqub Beg Mirza, L. M. SM and D r . Khan Chand, M. D.,
Scate Surgeon and other competent and qualified doctors (See
Communique No. 74, page 98 A ) .

The Home Member made a statement about the Guru-ka-Bagh

affairs on a date little prior to 13th September, 1922 (See his
statement) a contradiction of certain facts in this statement is
given in S. G. P. Committee (Communique No. 74, dated I 3. 9. 22
page 96-98.)
156 S T R U G G L E FOR R E F O R M I N S I K H SHRINES

After giving the previous known history about the possession

o- t i J Gurd//ara the co nmunique says " t h a : o 1 August 23rd, 1922 the
Shromoni Committee was obliged to take charge of the institution
into their own hands." Read the p o r t i o n of the communique
following the above words, (page 96).
Communique 74 is a long but an important one. Read the
whole of it.

Read the statement of Sir W i l l i a m Vincent, Home Member

Government of India in the Legislative Assembly of September I I ,
1922. After the Nth the beating of Akalis is said to have ceased
and the alternative method of arresting th m was adopted but
complaints came in even afterwards of severe beating on certain
days. For instance in spite of this denial beatings went on the 13th
as usual. In the presence of His Excellency the Governor and the
Executive Council member. The Police rammed the feet of Akalis
(Communique N o . 73, dated I 3th September, 922.)

Serious beating on the 12th September, 1922. Mr. Vincent's

statement. (Communique No. 72, ^page 94).

Barbed wire. Akalis starved, thus no provision were allowed

to go in. (See communique No. 70, part »
page 93.)

Hakim Ajmal Khan was at Guru-ka-3agh and witnessed the

beatings for two days and left on the night of the I I th September,
922.

On the 10th Septemter the Sikhs were beaten " i n a novel

t»
way. (See Press communique No. 63, page 89. This is an
 STRUGGLE FOR REFORM IN S I K H S H R I N E S 1 >7

important communique read the whole of it. I saw these things myself.)

The Postal department and S-G-P- Committee.

Up to the 10th October the Dak was being sent through the
Superintendent of Police but stopped afterwards. (Communique
No. 116 page 134).
(Press Communique No. 90 dated 20. 9. 22)
The following correspondence has passed between the S. G. P.
Committee and the Post Master, A m r i t s a r .

From
The Secretary,
The Shromoni Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee,
Amritsar.
To
The Postmaster
Amritsar.
No. 5788/6-A-2. Dated 20th Sept., 1922.
Sir.

For the last ten d\ys we have not received a single letter, or
a packet unregistered, registered or insured, either directly from
you or through the police. May I know If you or the police has any
right to withhold our dak altogether and to open our registered
and insured letters and packages ? I beg also to inform you that if
anything be missing out of the registered or insured articles
sent to us we will hold you responsible.
An early reply *yil| oblige,

Yours faithfully
S d / - Gurcharn Singh,
General Sectary.
 158 S T R U G G L E FOR R E F O R M IN SIKH S H R I N E S

From
The Postmaster, Amritsar.
To
The General Secretary,
S. G. P. Committee;. Amritsar.
No. C. I. 872 Dated 20. 9. 1922.
Sir,
In reply to your letter No. 5788/6-A-2, dated the 20th
September 1922, I have the hour to inform you that under orders
° f the Local Government, the mail matters addressed to you are
being dealt with under Section 26 of the P. C. Act.

I have etc.,
Sd/- T. Singh,
Postmaster, Amritsar.

Attock Jail

No footwear. Many have to fetch water from Indus, specially

hard condition of jail life. Bare footers common. (Press
communique No. 364).
S. Amar Singh son of S. S. Sardar Khazan Singh, given bar
fetters for one week for asking a warder not to use abusive
language, jailor Gokal Chand, his treament very harsh, became
notorious. (Press communique No. 357 date 17. 12. 1922).
Considerable lung trouble. Sancty clothing, prisoners kept
in shouldaris.
Bronnchial troubles, Several deaths in jail (Communique
No. 314).
Subedar Amar Singh was Jathedar of first military pensioner's
jatha.
*

STRUGGLE FOR REFORM IN SIKH S H R I N E S 159

Early in December the Government was tired of maintaining

such a large number of Akalis in the jail and began to release them
on one pretext or another, so it was believed by the Akalis (Press
communique No. 340).
Equally 1700 Akalis kept in shouldaris in Attock jail. Several
cases of prisoners scumbling to death. (Communique No. 301.)
On 12th the exact number of Akalis in Attock jail cannot be
easily ascertained, but the number of the prisoners must be very
large indeed considering that on the 12th October, the prisoners
sent to Attock jail numbered to as many as 700. (Press communique
No. 193).

Sometimes 25 out of every hundred persons arrested, were

released on one pretext or another. To make up the deficiency,
therefore, the S. G. P. Committee w i l l send 122 instead of 100
Akalis to cut wood in batches of four or five.
From the middle of October at least the court began to find all
kinds of excuses for letting off as many as of the arrested persons
as they possibly could, because the idea v/as to lesson the number
of convictions as much as possible. (Press communique No. 173).

•
 APPENDIX
The medical men in charge of the three Hospitals at the Akali
Bagh submitted the following statement to the S. G. P. C. which
was published in their communique No. 63.

Brief statement of injuries received on the 6th.

1. Injuries to the organs 32
2. Contused wounds 12
3. Brain injuries 15
4. Injuries above the trunk 20
5. On the front part of the body 15
6. Tooth shaken I
7. Urine trouble 7
8. Simple 55
9. Badly hurt 25
10. Very badly hurt 3
I I. Serious 18
203
The S t a t e m e n t of injuries received on 7th •
I. Injuries above trunk 12
2. Contused wounds II
3. Punctured wound I
4. Front part of body 15
5. Brain
II
6. Organs 15
7. Urine trouble
I
8. Fracture of bone 3
9. Simple
59
10. Badly hurt
14
I I. Very badly hurt
3
12. Serious H ^ I H I H
15
Total
 APPENDIX
I came Amritsar on the 2nd September I 922, and went along
with an ambulance corps as a medical man to help the wounded.
A t about 5 p.m. the Jatha reached just close to the Ekka stand
of Raja Sansi. I found that the Police was standing their and the
Jatha was stopped. What actually passed between the Jathedar
and the Police I cannot say, as I was a little bit behind the Jatha,
but in a few minutes time I saw that the police began to beat the
Akalis with long brass bound lathis without any discrimination and
kick those who had fallen down. Mr. Beaty too was seen using his
cane and kicks. After this the fallen Akalis were dragged either
their head-hair or otherwise and thrown on the side of the road
in mud or water even. They were dragged over the kankars collected
for the repairs of the road.
After some minutes Mr. Beaty asked Dr. Khan Chand, In
charge Ambulance corps, to pick up the wounded etc., and we all
commenced to see the Akalis and treat them accordingly. As I
did not see all the patients quite closely I could not say where they
all were hurt, but I certainly saw one of them bleeding f r o m the
head and dressed him, others seen by me were found with marks
of lathis blows on arms, back, neck, side of chest and legs. Their
Kurtas or other dresses were torn, heads naked. A t the commence-
ment of beating I found that one man with a black long kurta was
beating a drum, as I had seen on the Frontier, which meant that
it was to excite the poiice people for beating.

W e had commenced to look after the wounded, when Pandit

Madan Mohan Malaviyaji came back from Guru-ka-Bagh side and
saw the Akalis in this condition and did all that was possible for him
for the afflicted. He was there t i l l after 8 p.m. or so and left for
Amritsar. When a very large number of the wounded had been safely
removed to Amritsar, we left the place after 9 p.m. with last batch of
 162 STRUGGLE FOR REFORM IN SIKH SHRINES

wounded and the scouts. When the beating was going on and the
Akalis were lying down on the ground, I saw one European
gentleman with a hand camera who on enquiry was found to be a
representative of the Associated Press and was seen to be deeply
effected by the sufferings of the Akalis. He is the manager of
local liquor distillery and was asked to take up this work.

Next day I again accompanied the Jatha as usual, which was

stopped near Chhina Canal bridge and a very large number of
spectators also accompanied them upto that place. As usual one
official lately found to be a Naib Tehsildar talked to the Jathedar
while the Jatha was sitting on the road. He was said to have told
them to go back and disperse but the Jathedar took no notice of
i

this order. After this the police began to beat the Akalis while
sitting in the same way as yesterday and dragged them to the sides
of the road. One or two were thrown in the water of a nalla
running by and beaten there too. After a while the wounded were
allowed to be attended by the Ambulance people, who examined
them and treated accordingly and sent them on to Amritsar in
lorries. Today, too, the Associated Press man was busy in taking
photographs while the Akalis were being beaten. Today there
was no drum beating. Other Press representatives also were
*

present like yesterday. The marks of lathi beating were found

on all parts of the body and kicks were also used especially on
the Private parts. One of the sepoys while taking to me said
that the Sikhs were their (Pathans) enemies and on my enquiry
as to why it was so, he said that they (sikhs) had fought against
their prophets. When I pointed out to the wrong idea entertained
by him, he could not explain this position, which showed that he and
his companions were being taught on those lines by some person. It
was late in the night when the last batch of workers came to
Amritsar, as the place was at a greater distance to reach and come
back. Mr. Sundram of the Independent (Allahabad) was also
amongst the Press Representatives as yesterday.
*
 0

STRUGCLE FOR REFORM IN SIKH SHRINES 163

On the 4th September 1922, again the Jatha was >:? pe d

the Police at Chhina bridge as yesterday, but today there was some
change in the method of Mr. Beaty. Pardit Madan Mohan Malviyaji
was also on the spot and the Jatha after being stopped by the police
sat down on the road, and some sepoys stood in front, on sides and
behind. This day the number of spectators was very Urge and it
included men like Hon'ble S. Jogindra Singh of Simla, S. Khazan
Singh, M.L.C., S. Sangat Singh, M.L.C., and many others whom I did
not know. Some wated to go further to Guru-ka-Bagh but were
stopped and not allowed to go.
After this Mr. Beaty ordered his horsemen a: well as the
sepoys to chase the public and to make them run for at least half
a mile- back to Raja Sansi etc. In doing so the police attacked all
the people and handled them roughly including all the notable
persons. Even press representatives were treated harshly and
Swami Rama Nand of Simla was pushed back. I saw from distance
that the same sepoy with long black kurta, who was beating drum
on the 2nd instant at Raja Sansi place, was chasing the people in
the fields and snatching articles from them with the help of the
Swars. I could not say how much money or other articles were looted
on that they, but the way in which all this was being done looked
like absolute anarchy as if they were the absolute rulers of the
place and that they would never be required to explain their
conduct to any body. This beating and looting lasted for a prettv
long time and when the sepoys came back I saw one of them
wrapping a white sheet round his loin. The people were pursued
more than once and Mr. Beaty was heard to order to see that no
tarn tarn or conveyance was allowed to stay on the northern side
of Raja Sansi, and all people were driven back.

Just when the public was being driven back by the sepoys,
one gentleman was roughly treated by Mr. Beaty himself. He was
asked to leave the place, upon which the gentleman in question
pleaded that he was an M. L. C. but Mr. Beaty said that he did net
]P4 S T R U G G L E FOR REFORM IS' S I K H S H R I K E S

care for it and told him to leave the place. Mr. Beaty was then
shown a piece of paper then he was allowed to go near the Jatha
where the Press Representatives were standing. S. Jogindra Singh
drew the attention of Mr. Beaty to the fact that certain sepoys had
robbed some members of the public and that their articles were
still in their possession and he suggested that they might be
searched atonce. Mr. Beaty, however, did not care to carry out
the search at that time and when S. Jogindra Singh came back from
Guru-ka-Bagh he was informed by Mr. Beaty that sepoys had been
searched in the presence of the Naib Tehsildar and that nothing was
found on their persons.
Mr. Beaty talked with Pandit Malaviyaji and promised to him
that he did not intend to use any kind of force that day. He said
he was sure he make the Akalis to return to Amritsar and assured
Panditji in every way. Panditji made the Jatha to sit on one side
of the road so that the public traffic might not be obstructed. The
Jatha was thus sitting in the sun from midday to sunset and it was
-

with difficulty that the Akalis were allowed to be given water for
drinking by Mr. Beaty. In the evening about the sunset the Jatha
performed the Rahras and ardas when Pandit M. M. Malaviyaji,
Prof. Ruchi Ram Sahni and others were present.

Mr. Beaty assured Pandit Malaviyaji that there would be no

beating today and that he should go away. Panditji left the place
but apprehending some danger stayed a little back on the road
leaving Prof. Ruchi Ram Sahni Incharge for the night, and he
managed to look after the affairs and made preparations to rest. He
had hardly lay down when Mr. Beaty came and asked if Malaviyaji
had gone away, as an enquiry was made by the police officials.
Soon after this an attack was made unexpectedly on the people
there. Mr. Beaty asked the ambulance men and lorries also to be
removed back to a place where they could not be seen by the Akalis,
as Mr. Beaty was of the idea, as he expressed it, that these people
had come here only because they were pressed and were afraid of
 S T R U G G L E FOR REFORM IN SIKH SHRINES 165

public opinion and if there was no one to see them, they would
quietly go back to their homes with a little persuation. Accordingly,
the lorries were removed back to a distance behind a bridge and
Prof. Ruchi Ram, Dr. Khan Chand, one or two press Representatives
were left there at the instance of Mr. Beaty to see that no wrong
was done to the Akalis and to bring them to lorries and put them in
it. While bringing the Akalis in this way the sepoys gave them
beating in such a way that no hurt may be produced and pushed
some to this side or that. The Akalis would jump down from the
lorry and would be thus hurt and try to go to the place of Jatha
from the side of the road where they would be pursued by the
police and handled very badly. Prof. Ruchi Ram saw the matter
more fully as he was there, and he said that beating was also
restored to, which was objected to by Professor Sahib, Govind
Malaviya * had also joined. Mr. Beaty thus triecf in forcibly putting
some Akalis in lorries and made them to be taken away to Amritsar
under the guard of his own police men. His use of lorries for
this purpose was objected to by, the doctor incharge and myself.
This made him furious and he began to cruelly beat the Akalis after
0 p.m. and then they were removed to Amritsar by and by and it
was very late when the workers had to go on foot for want of
conveyance. The patients were brought on stretchers to long
distance or they were chased when they were trying to join their
companions. Some were taken out of the fields and the water
where they had been thrown. The patients were searched with the
light of lantern and picked up from various places.

Sd/- Parashu Ram Sharma

Secretary,
Panjab Provincial Congress Committee,
Amritsar, Laho re.
29. 9. 1922.

•Son of Pandit M. M. Malaviya.

 APPENDIX
Ferozepore City
8th Oct., 1922.
My dear Prof. Sahib,
Your letter as well as the telegram. Herewith per my man
Sardha Ram I am sending my written statement as to what I saw on
the 7th September 1922, at Chhina bridge. On that day we could
not see any beating at Guru-ka-Bagh as it began to pour heavily.
The beating I heard was done late in the evening. Besides what I
saw with my own eyes on the 7th I saw on the 13th in the Bagh
Akalian, lorries bringing the wounded from Guru-ka-Bagh who were
all hurt on the face and some badly hurt on the eyes. I saw t w o of
them who were hurt on the eyes being taken out of the lorry. I
did not see the beating done in my presence en the 13th. I had gone
to Amritsar to see the Governor and could not go to Guru-ka-Bagh.
If there is anything you wish t o ask me, please let me know.

Yours sincerely,
Sd/-Sodhi Lai Singh, M.L.C.

Statement

I heard and read in papers about the unfortunate happenings

at Guru-ka-Bagh Gurdwara near Amritsar and wanted to see it for
myself but my ill health did not allow me to go earlier. On the 5th
September, 1922, I received a telegram about the meeting of the
Sikh Members of the Council at Lahore and consequently I reached
there and attended the said meeting at Sardar Khazan Singh, Bar-at-
Law's bungalow. On the morning of the 7th I started with some
ether Council members for Amritsar. W e had an opportunity to talk
with Mr. Mercer, Daputy Inspector General of Police, who also was
 o

STRUGGLE FOR REFORM IN SIKH S H R I N E S 167

going to Amritsar by the same train. On our enquiry about the

brutal beating of the Police to those Akalis who were sitting or
lying on the ground and dragging them by their (Keshas) he said that
he did not issue any such order.
We reached the spot (Chhina bridge) with Mr. Mercer about
20 minutes before the 'jatha arrived. We met Sher Singh Naib
Tehsildar, and asked him if he took away the Medical comforts sent
from Amritsar on the 6th for the wounded and the sick, and in
answer he said that he did take them av/ay and they were later on
disposed of by Mr. Beaty's instructions but they did not reach the
wounded.

When the Jatha came in sight at about 2.15 p.m. the policemen
prepared themselves for the beating and Mr. Mercer looking at one
extraordinarily thick lathi mounted with iron at one end about 9 feet
in length and brass at the other end ordered the police man to change
it for a smaller one to which he replied that it was supplied to him
by Mr. Beaty and there was no other to use. Mr. Mercer than
ordered him to use the thicker end of the lathi while beating. On
the approach of the Jarha, it was (not) by the Policemen under
Mr. Lobb and beating was begun. While beating was going on
some of the policemen were striking the Akalis with the pointed
end of the lathis, some on the private parts, and some of the ribs.
When Mr. Mercer's attention was drawn that this was being done
again inspite of his prohibitory orders a few minutes before. Upon
this Mr. Mercer again shouted to the policemen to stop that sort of
beating.
Later on, we reached Guru-ka-3agh where the rain began to
pour heavily and we were unable to see much there. We saw more
than one hundred Akalis there who were calm and contented reciting
Shabads. We met a doctor there who told us that he had returned
just then from the Police camp after dressing a police man who got
injuries on account of fight which they had amongst themselves on
account of the division of the loot committed from the neighbouring
163 STRUGGLE POR REFORM IN SIKH SHRINES

villages by some of them. On our return we saw on the way to

Chhina bridge about a dozen Akalis lying senseless on the road-side
who were being removed by motor lorries, others having been
removed before.
In our estimate the beating was very severe, brutal and
inhuman and on inquiry it was confirmed by the Doctors at the spot
that the injuries were more serious on this occasion. We saw the
Akalis were perfectly non-violent and falling senseless under the
blows of the lathis uttering Satnam Sri Wahiguru all the time.

Sd/- Sodhi Lai Singh, M.L.C.

^
I

APPENDIX
To
The Sscretary of the
S. G. P. Committee, Arm'tsar.
Dear Sir,
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter No. 70I7/6A-2.
The accounts of what took place on the 4th September, 1922 on
the Ajnala Road have already been published in all the papers.
I don't think I can add anything. However in obedience to your
wishes I write the account briefly, keeping in view the points on
which you require information specially.
S. Joginder Singh had a permit for his party and the Chief
Khaisa Diwan secured one for the members of its Executive
Committee. Between Raja Sansi and the Canal bridge, all
conveyances were stopped. The jatha was stopped on the road
and they were sitting in the middle of the road reciting "Sat Nam
Sri Wahiguruji " The number of spectators, I think, was
about two thousand. As. Mr. Seaty was not there we could
net show him our passes, so we got down and joined the spectators.
Policemen wanted the spectators to get back, which order they
immediately obeyed. They got back to the place which was pointed
out by a mounted policemen which might be about 200 yards from
the place where the jatha was sitting. Only press reporters were
permitted to stay at a few yards distance from the Jatha. Then
came Mr. Beaty with his officers, he gave some orders to his men.
I only heard the words (make them get back). On this policemen
ordered the spectators to get back which they atonce obeyed and
began to move backward, but in spite of this police constables
rushed upon the crowd and pushed some of them with lathis from
behind. Spectators had no other alternative but to run as quickely
as they could. At a short distance I saw a tonga, I got into it and
170 S T R U G G L E FOR REFORM IN SIKH S H R I N E S

asked the driver to drive rapidly. At the same time I saw Headmaster
Tara Singh of the Khalsa College (member of the Evecutive
Committee of the Chief Khalsa Diwan) fallen on the ground on
side of the road in a bad plight and one or two policemen searching
his pockets. I saw some other persons also who were made to
fall by poilcemen and whose pockets were also searched by them.
The chase continued for about a mile, the farther they went the
bolder they became in looting. When the crowd reached near
Raja Sansi the policemen went back. Many men complained of being
robbed. I saw there a poor man weeping for the loss of his purse
•

which he said contained a large sum. A man had the lower parts
of his ears bleeding where from he said his gold ear rings were
snatched away mercilessly. Many names of such persons were noted
•

by some press reporters or others. Sardar Tara Singh (not the

Akali leader) Headmaster, of the Khalsa Collegiate School, Amritsar,
by this time joined us ; he was robbed of his spectacles and the
money he had in his pocket. Many others also received lathi
strokes. Then we all who had passes went to Mr. Beaty, passes
were shown to him and he replied that we could proceed. He
was told about the doings of policemen and was requested to search
.their persons in order to find the stolen property, but he said the
party should proceed to its destination and he would make the
search himself afterwards and promised not to disperse the jatha
till the return of the party. I attend to your other special points.

1. I did not see any Sikh being dragged by his keshas, but
saw many men without turbans with their loose hair spread over
their shoulders. I saw one Sikhs's turban was snatched away (from
his head) by a policeman.
2. Yes, it is great insult to Sikh religion and is highly
provocative if a Sikh is dragged by his keshas or his beard is pulled
or his turban is pulled off.
3. I received no personal injury. I and S. Mohan Singh, Vaid
of Tarn Taran were together at the time, by chance the constable
 STRUGGLE FOR REFORM IN S I K H SHRINES 171

who ran after us had only a thin twig in his hand, he satisfied his mind
by touching every ones back or coat with it.

Yours sincerely,
0. 10. 1922.
Sd/-Sunder Singh Ramgarhia.

I
 APPENDIX
(The Off ic'al case)
_ •

Extracts concerning G'uru-ka-Bagh affairs from the Moral

and Material Progress and Condition of India during the
year 1922-23. pages 2 8 1 - 8 3 .
GURU-KA-BAGH (PUNJAB SITUATION)

"Although the situation in the Panjab had been relieved by

measures taken for the restoration of order, causes for anxiety
still persisted through the summer of 1922. The reform party
:
abandoned their n:: :> of mi>> prsssure and did their
best to come to terms with idividual Mahants of Sikh shrines in
order to secure control over these irstitutions. Most of these
Mahants were not without a strong local following, and although
many of them were by no means estimable persons, they were not
regarded with abhorrence by those who lived in immediate contact
with them. None-the-Iess, so strong^was the hold which the reformers
had row acquired over the Sikh community as a whole, that many
Mahants were more or less forcibly persuaded to transfer their
shrine to the administration of the S. G. P. Committee. Among
these shrines was that of Guru-ka-Bagh situated about twelve
miles from Amritsar city. The Akalis had for some time been in
possession of the shrine proper, while the Mahanc continued to
remain in possession of the residential quarter, the garden and
the land ; for the agricultural portions of which he continued to pay
land revenue. Early in August, some Akalis serving at the shrine
cut down a tree on the land. The Mahant complained to the Police*

*The S. G. P. Committee sincerely believed that the Mahant had

been put up by the authorities to prefer this complaint. There
Contd>
 S T R U G G L E FOR RKFORM IN S I K H S H R I N E S 173

and the Akalis were arrested and put on their trial. This led to
more trees being cut down ; fresh complaints were made to the
district authorities and a detachment of police was sent to protect
the Mahant. The S. G. P. .Committee now took up the challenge ;
and Akalis began to concentrate on Guru-ka-Bagh. The continued
influx of these bands was said to have become a source of embarrass-
ment alike to the public and the district authorities.* The officials
met the threat by placing police pickets along the roads leading to
Guru-ka-Bagh with instructions that parties of Akalis as they
arrived should be turned back. The bands were treated as unlawful
assemblies, because their obvious objective was to take forcible
possession of private property. They were stopped at different
points and directed to disperse. They refused to obey the order,
and when they tried to advance towards the police pickets, they
were dispersed by force. As each member of a Jatha before
-

setting out upon this enterprise, had taken an oath of non-

violence, no resistance was offered to the use of lathis against
them. The spectacle of the forcible dispersal of band after
band of people, who made no effort whatsoever to defend
themselves from the lathis of the constables soon aroused
considerable excitement in the neighbourhood. The Akalis
displayed remarkable self-control, and in all sections of the
Indian press, scarcely a word of commendation was given to
the remarkable good temper and excellent discipline shown by
the police in the discharge of their peculiarly unpleasant duty.
(Coutinued from last page)
was no garden. The tree in question was a dry kikar tree fit only to
be used as fire wood. The fuel was meant for the langar (free
kitchen) attached to the shrine. Considering everything, the
matter was not worth bothering about.
**There is not a single recorded case of embarrassment on the part
of the public. On the contrary, the public representing all
communities were anxious to help and did actually render every
kind of assistance. (K. R. S)
174 S T R U G G L E FOR R E F O R M IN S I K H S H R I K E S

Throughout the Sikh community, as can readily be understood,

these incidents excited much feeling ; and those who had received
injuries at the hands of the police became popular heroes and
martyrs for the faith. But among the other communities in the
Punjab the Guru-ka-Bagh affair did not arouse very much interest ;
and there were no symptom > of popular disturbance. To this the fact
that certain sections of the Sikhs had lately behaved in a high-handed
manner, and had made themselves obnoxious both to Hindus and
to Mohammedans prior to the summer of 1922, was probably a
contributory cause. For while sympathy was freely expressed no
section of opinion showed any disposition to range itself actively
besides the Akalis in their struggle with the forces of law. Before
long the local Government found it desirable to abandon the
forcible dispersion of Akali Jathas, and instead to arrest individual
members. The excitement thereupon gradually died down, and
in November 1922, a public-spirited individual obtained from the
Mahant a lease of the land which had given rise to the dispute and
himself made no objection to the Akalis cutting wood thereon.
While the forcible dispersals were being continued, a fresh attempt
was made to rally popular enthusiasm to the side of non-co-
operation. This however produced comparatively litt'e effect ; first
because vigorous steps were taken to make the real facts of the
matter known to the general public ; and, secondly, because the
Sikh community, with its militant traditions and martial outlook, is
often suspected by members of less masterful creeds of an ambition
to dominate and to over-bear. Further, a good monsoon, and
excellent autumn crops produced a further fall in prices, and with the
continual reduction of economic pressure popular interest in political
matters showed no signs of reawakening.*
* This is a good instance of a bad case made worse by specious
pleading. Tens of thonsands of people of all ranks & classes saw
what was happening from day to day. Speaking for myself I can
honestly say that if I had not witnessed the brutal & heartless
 S T R U G G L E FOR R E F O R M IK S I K H S H R I N E S 1/3

"Perhaps the most thankless and unpleasant task was that of

opposing and dispersing the bands of Akalis who, chanting
religious songs and vowed to raise no finger of violence advanced
unflinchingly against the cordons which barred the road to Guru-ka-
Bagh. The Indian press resounded with praise of the Akalis for
th eir marvellous exhibition of self restraint, but few indeed were
the writers who did justice to the police for their behaviour in
circumstances which tried to the utermost their loyalty, their
discipline, and their good temper. Before long as fortune willed,
those who had been loudest in their condemnation of the force for
the "beatings of Guru-ka-Bagh" were driven to acknowledge that
e
even a policeman might have his uses." (pag 79)
"Among the most common content of questions during the
period under review may be mentioned communal representation
in the services, political trials, the alleged illtreatment in jails of
political prisoners, the Guru-ka-Bagh affair, the Akali activities,
and the imposition of punitive police, and it is not without
significance that topics ordinarily so popular as education appeared to
have receded somewhat into the background during 1922." (page 92)

"Among the current events which excited the interest of the

Assembly, may be noticed the affair of Guru-ka-Bagh, concerning
which an account is given in an other chapter. As a result of a
motion for adjournment, the Home Member presented to the
House a statement of the facts of the case." (page 97)

(Continued from last page)

beatings, not only under the orders of European officers but also,
now & again, by high Police officers themselves, I would never have
believed that such things were possible. I am shocked to find the
official reports so palpably coloured and falsified as was certainly
the case in the official statements which I have reproduced above.
 Guru ka Bagh
A n eye-witness account
By C. F. Andrews

I
In this communication to the Press, I shall confine myself to
what I have seen with my own eyes since my arrival at Amritsar on
the morning of September 12 (1922).
At I p.m. on that day I started for Guru-ka-Bagh and after
leaving the main road proceeded along the back of a canal. There
were three tongas in all. When we had gone some distance along
i

the bank of the canal, we saw two Sikhs in black turbans on the
opposite bank waving their hands to us and pointing to the sky,
where a great bird was circling in its flight towards Amritsar.
Immediately afl those who were in the tongas got down and eagerly
pointed out the bird to me and told me that every day, as soon as
the beating at Guru-ka-Bagh began, the golden hawk rose from the
Guru's garden and took its flight to Amritsar to tell those who
were serving at the golden temple what was taking place. They
asked me if I had seen the bird, and I answered that I had seen in
the distance the great bird which they had pointed cut but I
could not say whether it was a golden hawk or not. They said to
me. "That was the bird. It was the golden hawk. It has gone to
tell at the Darbar Sahib about the sufferings of the people." There
was a light in their faces as they spoke to me with be tokened joy.
I was especially struck by the look of devotion in the face of a Sikh
lady of middle age who accompanied us. I can only describe it by
saying that she looked, in her quiet devotion, like a picture of the
"Madonna." The whole scene, the intense faith of my companions,
the look of reverence in their faces, the solemn awe mingled with
joy, moved me very deeply. It was the first event which really gave
me the religious atmosphere of all that I was afterwards to
I
S T R U G G L E FOR REFORM IN SIKH SHRINES l7v

experience In the later scenes. It put me in touch w i t h the Aka

reform movement in its spiritual aspects as perhaps nothing else
could have done.
After leaving the bank of the canal we had t o pass across open
*

ground for a long distance which was covered w i t h water in certain

places. Our progress was naturally slow in the tongas. W e met
on the route a band of hundred Akalis in black turbans, who had
marched that morning from Amritsar after having taken the vow
at the Golden Temple that they would not commit one single act of
violence, either by word or deed. I was to see, later on, how
faithfully they kept that vow. On subsequent days I had oppor-
tunities of witnessing the scene at the Golden Temple itself as they
came out with religious joy written on their faces and a tiny wreath
of white flower placed on their black turbans which dedicated
them to the sacrifice. I was able to see also, in the city, the crowds
of spectators, Hindus, Musalmans, and those of every religion,
welcoming and encouraging them, as they marched solemnly and
joyfully forward calling upon the name of God as their protector
and saviour. There, in the city, they were at the very beginning
of their pilgrimage. Mile after mile of muds-tained, water-logged
road lay before them. When I saw them, on this first day of my
visit, as they drew near to the end of their march, they were
bespattered with mud and dirt and perspiration was streaming from
them, but their garlands of white flowers were stiff encircling their
black turbans, they were still uttering with triumphant voices
their prayer to God for protection, and the light of religion was
still bright upon their faces. There were some who were young
lads among them, and a very few old men with grey beards who
had insisted on being taken and would not be denied, but the
great majority were of military age and it was easy to guess that
out of these stalwart bearded men there had been many who had
served in the army. I had an opportunity later of getting accurate
statistics and it would appear that at least one in three of the
Sikhs in these Akali Jathas (as they are called) had been a soldier
]78 S T R U G G L E FOR REFORM IN SIKH S H R I N E S

and had served during the Great W a r .

W e got down f r o m the tongas and went along with them for
some distance. I was dressed in my English dress, with a sun helmet
on my head, but even before they knew my name they returned
my greeting without the slightest trace of bitterness in their faces.
There was a halt to drink water and they got to know who I was
and came forward. Then one who was serving water with a brass
vassel came to me and offered the water to me also t o drink. I put
my hand forward to receive it, but he said to me, "Please take the
vassel itself" and I took it in my hands and drank from it. The act
had a strongly, religious aspect to me. It was as if I was sharing in
a sacrament of consecration before the suffering was to begin.
*

A t any place where water could be received along the road

there were villagers, both men and women, who waited eagerly each
I

day to fulfil this small act of service by giving water to the Akali
Jathas. Again, I noticed the extraordinary devotion of the women.
Their faces were full of motherly tenderness towards those who
were going forward, in the name of their religion, to receive
suffering without retaliation.
After very great difficulty and many halts at impassable places
we reached Guru-ka-Bagh at last. The first sight that met our
gaze was that of eight motor lorries, such as usually carry passengers
for hire which were now being used as a substitute for ambulance
vagons. When I looked at them, I could picture vividly the acute
suffering to those who would be carried in them, for more than
fourteen miles to the base hospital in the city. Here and there the
motors would almost certainly get struck in the deep mud. The
jolting in other places would be difficult to bear even for a man
who was quite well. What must it have been to men who were
suffering from many confusions and wounds ?

There was one act of humanity which might atonce have been
thought of on the part of the officials, but no one among them
seemed to have noticed it or suggested it. The public road along
 STRUGGLE FOR REFORM I S SIKH SHRINES 17 •

the canal was almost worse, from the point of view of jolting,
than the open track beycnd. But on the other side of the canal
was a private road, kept for officials, along which the motor
lorries with the wounded persons might have passed smoothly
and quickly. It would -have been an inexpressible relief to them
on that terrible journey back from Guru-ka-Bagh, if the lorries
had been allowed to use it. But the subordinate Government
officials who were approached time after time by the doctors and
attendants refused altogether to alio// them. I am quite certain
that if the higher officials had been approached they would not
have refused. But one of the greatest hardships in India at the
present time is the tension which exists on both sides, the open
gulf which grows day by day wider and wider, the almost complete
distrust with which Indians have learnt, by bitter experience, to
regard the official world.

II
When I reached the Gurdwara itself, I was struck at once by
the absence of excitement such as I had expected to find among so
great a crowd of people. Close to the entrance there was a reader
of the Scriptures, who was holding a very large congregation of
worshippers silent as they were seated on the ground before him.
In another quarter there were attendants who were preparing the
simple evening meal for the Gurdwara guests by grinding the flour
between two large stones. There was no sign that the actual beating
had just begun and that the sufferers had already endured the shower
of blows. But when I asked one of the passers-by, he told me that
the beating was now taking place. On hearing this news I at once
went forward. There were some hundreds present seated on an
open piece of ground watching what was going on in front, their
faces strained with agony. I watched their faces first of all, before
 *

ISO STRUGGLE FOH REFORM IN SIKH SHRINES

I turned the corner of a building and reached a spot where I could

see the beating itself. There was not a cry raised f r o m the
spectators but the lips of ycry many of them were moving in
prayer. It was clear that they had been taught to repeat the name
of God and to call on God for deliverance. I can only describe the
silence and the worship and .the pain upon the faces of these people,
* •

who were seated in prayer, as reminding me of the shadow of the

Gross. W h a t was happening to them was t r u l y , in some dim way,
a crucifixion. The Akalis were undergoing their baptism of fire,
and they cried to God for help out of the depth of their agony of
spirit.

Up t i l l now I had not seen the suffering itself except as it was

reflected in the faces of the spectators. But when I passed beyond
a projecting wall and stood face to hce w i t h the ultimate moral
contest I could understand the strained looks and the lips that
silently prayed. It was a sight which I never wish to see again, a
sight incredible to an Englishman. There were four Akali Sikhs
w i t h black turbans facing a band of about a dozen policemen, including
two English officers. They had walked slowly upto the line of the
police just before I had arrived and they were standing silently
in f r o n t of them at about a yardVdistance. They were perfectly
still and did not move f u r t h e r f o r w a r d . Their hands were placed
together in prayer and it was clear that they were praying. Then,
without the slightest provocation en t h e i r part, an Englishman
lunged forward the head of his lathi which was bound w i t h brass.
He lunged it forward in such a way that his fist which held the staff
struck the Akali Sikh, who was praying, just at the collar bone
with great force. It looked the most cowardly blow as I saw it
struck and I had the greatest difficulty in keeping myself under
control. But beforehand I had determined that I must, on no
account, interfere by w o r d or deed, but simply watch ; for the
vow, which had been taken by the sufferers, must be sacred to me
also. Therefore passive silence on my part was imperative, but it
is difficult t o describe to those who have not seen the sight w i t h
 STRUGGLE FOR REFORM IN SIKH S H R I N E S 1«>I

their own eyes how difficult such a passive attitude was.

The blow which I saw was sufficient to fell the Akali Sikh and
send him to the ground. He rolled over, and slowly got up once
more, and faced the same- punishment over again. Time after time
one of the four who had gone forward was laid prostrate by repeated
blows, now from the English officer and now from the Police who
were under his control. The others were knocked out more
quickly. On this and on subsequent occasions the police committed
certain acts which were brutal in the extreme. I saw with my own
eyes one of these police kick in the stomach a Sikh who stood
helplessly before him. It was a blow so foul that I could hardly
restrain myself from crying out loud and rushing forward. But
later on I was to see another act which was, if anything, even
fouler still. For when one of the Akali Sikhs had been hurled to
the ground and was lying prostrate, a police sepoy stamped with
his foot upon him, using his full weight; the foot struck the
prostrate man between the neck and the shoulder. A third blow,
almost equally foul, was struck at an Akali when he was standing
at the side of his fallen campanion. This blow hurled him across
the body of the fallen man who was unconscious at the very time
when he was being taken up by two ambulance workers. The
intention of such a blow was so brutally insolent, that I watched
for the Englishman in command, in this case as also in other cases,
to rebuke the police sepoy who did the deed, but as for as I could
see he did nothing to check or to rebuke his men. I told all these
things that I had seen to the Governor and every officer whom I
met the next day.

The brutality and inhumanity of the whole scene was

indescribably increased by the fact that the men who were hit were
praying to God and had already taken a vow that they would remain
silent and peaceful in word and deed. The Akali Sikhs who had
taken this vow, both at the Golden Temple before starting and
also at the shrine of Guru-ka-bagh, were, as I have already stated,
 1S2 S T R U G G L E FOR REFORM IN SIKH SHRINES

largely from the army. They had served in many campaigns in

Flanders, in France, in Mesopotamia and in East Africa. Some of
them at the risk of their own safety may have saved the lives of
Englishmen who had been wounded. Now they were felled to the
ground at the hands of English officials serving in thei'same Govern-
ment which they themselves had served. They were obliged to
bear the burnt of blows, each one of which was an insult and
humiliation, but each blow was turned into a triumph by the spirit
with which it was endured.
It was a strangely new experience to these men, to receive
blows dealt against them with such force as to fell them to the
ground, and yet never to utter a word or strike a blow in return.
The vow they had made to God was kept to the letter. I saw no
act, no look, of defiance. It was a true martyrdom for them as
they went forward, a true act of faith, a true deed of devotion to
God. They remembered their Gurus how they had suffered, and
they rejoiced to add their own sufferings to the treasury of their
wonderful faith. The on lookers too, who were Sikhs, were
praying with them and praying for them, and the inspiration of
their noble religion, with its joy in suffering innocently borne,
could alone keep them from rushing forward to retaliate for the
wrong which they felt was being done.

There has been something for greater in this event than a mere
dispute about land and property. It has gone for beyond the
technical questions of legal possession or'distraint. A new heroism,
learnt through suffering, has arisen in the land. A new lesson in
moral warfare has been taught to the world. This fact, in the
ultimate issue, is independent of the mere legal question of trespass
decided for or against the Akali Sikhs. They believe intensely that
their right to cut wood in the garden of the Guru was in immemorial
religious right, and this faith of theirs is surely to be counted
for righteousness, whatever a defective and absolete law may
determine or fail to determine concerning legality.
4
 STRUGGLE FOR REFORM IN S I K H SHRINES IS*

One thing I have not mentioned which was significant of all

that I have w r i t t e n concerning the spirit of the suffering endured.
It was very rarely that I witnessed sny Akali Sikh, who went forward
to suffer, flinch from a blow when it was struck. A p a r t from the
instinctive and involuntary reaction of the muscles that has the
appearance of a slight shrinking back, there was nothing, so far
as I can remember., that could be called a deliberate avoidance cf
the blows struck. The blows were received one by one w i t h o u t
resistance and w i t h o u t a sign of fear.
 PERSECUTION OF SIKHS IN JAILS
In view of the serious conditions prevailing among the Akali
prisoners in the Multan Jail, the S. G. P. C. decided to organise
a big Diwan t o be held at Multan on the 15th April, 1923.
Communique N o . 474, in which the "atrocities of the Multan Jail"
had been detailed, was dispatched " b y telegram" t o a large number
of papers as usual, as well as t o the Viceroy, the Punjab Governor,
the Commander-in-Chief, the Inspector General of Prisons and
some prominent members of the Punjab Council. The telegram,
however, was withheld by the Telegraph Office and the S, G. P. C.
was informed saying : —
" Y o u r press telegram has been held by Government on account
of its being objectionable." (See press Communique N o : 480,
Dated N t h A p r i l , 1923.)

The S. G. P. C. issued communique after communique

complaining of "most inhuman and cowardly t o r t u r e s of the Sikhs
behind the jail bars and giving some details of the religious insults
heaped upon the Sikh prisoners in the Attock Jail and of the
"unspeakable Multan Jail happenings." The Committee believed
that in inflicting these severe punishments one object which the
authorities had in view was to e x t o r t appologies f r o m the prisoners
and thus find a pretext for releasing them w i t h o u t loss of prestige.
It is not stated whether this method succeeded t o any large extent.
So far as one can see from the published documents of the time,
the Akalis stood firm and refused to barter what they considered
as the honour of the community f o r their personal liberty. The
S. G. P. C. went on complaining that they were prevented from
giving due publicity to these cases of severe and unnecessary
hardships through the public press, because, by this time, the
Press had become terrified and for fear of prosecution and
forfeiture of security shrank from publishing "facts for which the
 S T R U G G L E FOR R E F O R M IN S I K H S H R I N E S lOJ

S.G.P.C. was prepared to take full responsibility

*
and to
substantiate them in court."
Those convicted in connection with the Guru-Ka-Bagh affair
were generally sentenced to a term of imprisonment along with
fines. As non-cooperators,'the Akalis refused to pay the fines.
But the fines were realised by attaching their property, often the
greater part of their already scanty property consisting of cattle
and other agricultural belongings. Unfortunately, in some cases,
over-zealous officials attached the property of wrong persons
with the result that great bitterness was caused thereby in the rural
areas.
Even, greater bitterness was caused by the arrest and imprison-
ment of several old men who had long been leading a saintly life
and were held in the highest esteem as the religious leaders of their
community far and near. In some cases, these holymen under the
religious impluse, which had seized practically the whole community
at this time, also came forward to join the movement of suffering
in the cause of the Gurus, as they believed it to be. The history
of the Sikhs is eloquent with cases of even far severer persecutions
suffered by saintly Sikhs, but such persecutions were, as a rule
inflicted in the mistaken belief that the persecutor was serving
the cause of truth and religion. In the present cases, however,
this was not so. It was claimed that the men were being tried under
the law and suffered in the cause of justice. It has often been
remarked that the British administration in India is a machine,
and a machine has no heart and the more efficient it is the more
heartlessly it works, Even when the Guru-Ka-Bagh prisoners were
*

ordered to be released, the process of release was carried out in

a half-hearted and niggardly fashion, lacking imagination, and
always afraid of its own unsympathetic acts, the bureaucracy in the
enjoyment of unlimited power, decided to let out the prisoners in
driblets, thus robbing the generous impluse of both merit and grace.
Worse still, while the old Akali prisoners were being set free
more were being arrested, for no other apparent fault, so the
 18G STRUGGLE FOR REFORM IN SIKH SHRINES

S. G. P. C. claimed, than that they or their near relatives had taken

active part in the Gurdwara movement. The explanation given is
that the Government feared that the release of so many prisoners
all at once might so elate the Sikhs that they might get out of hand.
Sometimes, these arrests were made for trivial offences.
A great many of the Guru-Ka-Bagh prisoners were kept in
the Attock fort where the winter is particularly severe but no
special provision seems to have been made for protection against it.
The number of blankets, for instance, provided to a prisoner was
the same as at Multan, a very much warmer place. No wonder
that, during the cold weather, there were r.lways a great many cases
of pneumonia and other lung troubles among the jail population.
To add to their discomfort the Akalis were not allowed to nurse
one another. The food was miserably bad. The Akali prisoners
were kept in tents instead of in barracks and as if all this was not
enough, they had to sleep on the ground, there being no charpais.
The Akali prisoners of the Guru-Ka-Bagh affair were mostly
kept in the Multan, Cambellpur, and Attock jails.
We refrain to enter into the particulars of the treatment
accorded to the Akali prisoners in jails but one cannot help
mentioning that, not in a few cases, the news of sufferings of the
men that trickled out now and again were enough to create a wide
spread feeling of pain and resentment in the general public in the
whole province. Standing hand-cuffs and bar-fetters were neither
quite exceptional nor rare.
S. Kharak Singh, S. Jaswant Singh Jabhal along with some other
Sikhs had been, as a special concession, allowed to wear their own
clothes in the Dehra Ghazi Khan Jail.* Subsequently, however, after
the visit of the Inspector General of Prisons, on the 17th January,
1923, the Akalis were ordered not to use black turbans. Similarly,

*A similar concession had also been shown to some respectable Hindu

and Mohammadan prisoners sentenced to imprisonment in connection
with the non-co-operation movement.
 9TRUGCLE FOR REFORM IN SIKH SHRINES Is7

the Congress prisoners, who had so far been permitted to keep their
Khaddar caps, were ordered to replace them by ordinary caps. The
order gave rise to great resentment throughout the province and
beyond. It was considered as an insulting order. The prisoners
resented being forcibly deprived of their turbans and caps and, as
all their protests proved-, of no avail, many of them had not only
given up the use of their bedding but also put off their clothes
f
almost completely, stoutly re using at the same time Jail clothing
and blankets. The feeling of indignation among the prisoners
themselves no less than in the province may v/ell be imagined. The
S. G. P. C. rightly criticised the removal of the black turban of the
"Sikhs as a great religious insult." There was a t r u l y touchirg scene
when the turban of the venerable Sikh leader and president of the
f

S. G. P. C , S. Kharak Singh, was removed by the Jail officials.

Referring to this incident in a special press communique under the
striking heading- "Things that sink", the S. G. P. C. wrote:-"This
insult w i l l sink into Sikh hearts and burn an impression which
cannot be easily effaced."* It is no wonder that some of the prisoners
were even reported to be abstaining from food.
Conditions were only slightly-better in other Jails. The Akalis
are an exceedingly sensitive and emotional people and certainly no
insult is considered greater and more galling to them than that of
interfering with their religious rights and privileges. In the Ambala
Jail, the Akali prisoners were deprived of the Granth Sahib which
had been previously allowed to them for recitation. They went on
hunger strike and after some days, no less than 70 of them were
found to be lying in a state of unconsciousness.
In some cases, the food served to the prisoners was so bad
that they declared it to be uneatable and refused to take it. In the
Attock Jail, the prisoners had to tell a harrowing tale of their
sufferings to the Inquiry Committee set up by a resolution of the
Punjab Legislative Council. The S. G. P. C. fixed the 1st of February,
1923 to be observed as a 'Day of Prayer'. They said : -

"Press Communique N o - 319, page 9 1 .

]SS STRUGGLE F0l< RM'< I'M IN SI EH SHRINES

"Fasting is not a popular or religious practice among the Sikhs,

but, in the present unprecedented situation and in order to be
for a while in tune with our suffering Hindu brethren behind
the bars, the S. G, P. C. desires that all Sikh, male &jy: female,
above the age of 14, should abstain from all food and drink
till sunset on that day, the first of February. In the evening
Diwans should be held in every town and village and prayers
should be offered to God that he may in His mercy grant
strength to our suffering brethren in jail and bless the sacred
cause of Gurdwara Reform.*"'
It is a pity that although the authorities were said to have
allowed two seers of milk per head for the ailing Sikh prisoners,
complaints were received that not more than half a seer actually
"reaches the hands of an unfortunate patient." In many cases, the
prisoners had to remain without any footwear. The S. G. P. C. sent
some shoes but these were not allowed to be worn. If the
communiques of the S. G. P. C. are to be believed, one main
reason of the severe hardships to which the prisoners were subjected
was that the authorities were under the impression that they would
thus be able to extract appologies from the Akalis so as to get rid
of such a large number of prisoners without loss of prestige. Sardar
Kharak Singh, President S. G. P. C , and Sardar Jaswant Singh
Jhabal are still living with no clothes on but their Kachhehras (The
date of this is 17 days after they had been deprived of their black
turbans). A solitary cell was a common punishment for Akali
prisoners. Hard labour of grinding corn was exacted from many.
Some of the punishments given to the Akalis for very ordinary
offences or no offences are so strange that a chronicler has serious
difficulty in accepting them as true. The only authority upon which
he has to rely is that of the Communiques of the S. G. P. C. and the
occasional notices in the public press and such accounts as were

"Press Communique of the S. G. P. C. N o : 392, dated 26th

a es 9 2 9 3
januaryj1923, P £ ~ - H H H H H l
 *

STRUGGLE FOR RKFORM IN S I K H S H R I N K S I ">

passed from month to month by released prisoners from these Jails.

A more authentic source of information on the condition of the Akali
prisoners was the report of the Inquiry Committee set up by Punjab
legislative Council, but for reasons of its own the Government
decided to pigeon-hole the Report. The public was not to be put
off in this way. The responsible members of the Committee Raja
Narendra Nath and Rai Bahadur Sewak Ram were approached and
the few particulars which were un-officially extracted from them
were enough to set the public feeling ablaze from end to end of the
province and, to a lesser extent, in other parts of the country.
*

Much of the trouble arises, perhaps, from the fact that some of
the European Superintendents of Jail and the I. M. S. Officers, do not
know in what holy horror the Sikhs hold smoking. The European
official, of course, would go on smoking while he is on his round
and even when he is surrounded by Sikh prisoners. Besides, the Jail
discipline does not allow shouting of religious slogans like Sat Sri
Akal and Akalis took pleasure in uttering this shout almost on
every occasion, even when a sentence was announced in a Court of
law which they thought was particularly heard for the offence they
had committed.
Refering to the frequent attachments for realisation of fines, it
may also be mentioned that very frequently the property attached
was 15 or 20 times the amount of the fine. But a more frequent
complaint was that the property of a wrong person was attached.
Some very comic tragedies were brought to light in the communiques
issued by the S. G. P. C. Other grievances were not wanting. In
many villages, where the population consisted largely of Akalis,
punitive police was established and the expenses were charged to
the Akalis. Again, in several cases, the police with fixed bayonets
marched through villages and the people were expected to salute
the police inspector and those who failed to do so were given a
'corrective.' On such occasions the forcible acquisition of vegetables
and fuel from the fields, provisions from the shops and milk from the
goat-herds were reported to be daily occurences. In several places,
190 STRUGGLE FOR REFORM IN SIKH SHRINES

the villagers were ordered not to stir out of the village after 8 p.m.

The Akali case Crown Versus S. B. Mehtab Singh and

others went on continuously in the court of Nawab Aslam Hyat Khan,
Magistrate First Class, for six months. (See Communique No. 44,
pp. 99-100, for details of punishment;.
In the regiments, there were cases of men who were discharged
from service in the army " f o r the crime of wearing black turbans" in
their barracks, and otherwise showing sympathy with the Akali
movement.
I find it difficult to describe how ruffled were the feelings of
the Akalis as a body when they heard of the treatment of their
fellow believers who were now serving terms of imprisonment in the
various jails of the Punjab for their unflinching courage and faith in
defending what they considered to be their religious right and with
a view to safeguarding the sanctity of their Gurdwaras. In the Jail
at Mulan, for instance, several Akalis were reported to be severely
beaten by the jail authorities for shouting Sat Sri Akal after their
evening prayers. This was an almost daily occurrence. Such a well-
known leader as Giani Hira Singh Dard had experienced the insult of
the Guru Granth Sahib being forcibly snatched from his hand and
thrown on the ground in the presence of many of his fellow
prisoners. Nor were these cases solitary or isolated. On the 5th
A p r i l , 1922, as the S. G. P. C * tells us, five Sikh soldiers
were court-martialled and convicted t o various terms of
imprisonment for the crime of wearing black turbans when off duty
These men were first sent out of their country to suffer the imprison-
ment in Basra Jail. After about four months they were brought back
to India and were kept in Thana Jail. Here they were deprived of their
Kachhehras- On asking for this "essential religious piece of
garment", they were transferred to Visapur Jail on the 21st August.
For reasons which it is hardly necessary to give here, this Jail has
earned the nickname of "Visapur hell." Here the Sikh prisons were

*Press Communique No. 446.

 S T R U G G L E FOR HI- FORM IN SIKH SHRI N E3 1M

given caps to wear instead of turbans. On refusing to wear caps

on religious grounds and prefering to remain bare-headed, after
three days each of them was given a piece of cloth three feet by
nine inches. There were other case, where f o r refusing to wear
a cap, prisoners were deprived of lam^ardari (a minor office in
jails) and even punished with hard labour consisting of grinding
t

twenty seers of corn daily. Some of the Sikh soldiers v/ho wanted
to serve the Panth requested the Military authorities to strike o f
their names from the regimental rolls.* For this piece of audacity
they were sentenced to four years imprisonment each. Again, in
the Multan Jail, some sixty prisoners were punished, on February
16, 1923, with cross-bar-fetters, standing hand-cuffs and solitary
grinding cells for fifteen days. When they tried to rest themselves
for a while, "they were mercilessly belaboured by fiendish
;
lumhirdirs spec ally imposed for the purpose by the newly arrived
Jailor and superintendent already notorious f o r persecuting Akalis
in the Attock Jail, where from they had been transferred to this
place."**
Such hupe numbers of men in connection with the G u r u - K a -
v
Bagh affair were arrested and tried that many of them never
returned to their homes. Sometimes even insult was added to
injury when the official bailifs appeared at the houses of the dead
people to realise the fines imposed upon t h e m . * * * In a particular case
reffered to in the press communique we have quoted, the officials
deputed to realise the fines, came once, twice and for the third
time when, on the 16th March 1922-23 they cculd realise only
Rs. 2 / - from the members of the family on the threat of the
attachment of the whole property. No satisfied with this, they
came again f o r the fourth time and, we are quoting from the same
communique, "at once attached two bullocks worth about Rs. 200/-
and one buffalow worth about Rs. I 50 - of his brother who had no
*Press Communique No. 446.
**S. G. P. C. Communique No. 448, p. 108.
***Communique No. 410, p. I 10.
!•>_! STRUGGLE FOR REFORM IN SIKH SHRINES

property in common with the dead man." The amount of fine was
Rs. 200/-. It is reported that the attached articles were afterwards
released. Other cases of a similar nature are also reported in the
same communique. The number of th2 Akalis who died in jail
was fairly large, specially in the Campbellpore, Attock and Ambala
jails. The historian of the future w i l l find great difficulty in
believing that in the 20th century things which are reported in
some of the Akali communiques issued at this time were possible.
W e have purposely refrained from dweling at length on the facts
disclosed in this and other communiques. W e are inclined t o believe
and we hope that we are right in so believing that these c o m m u n i -
ques are exaggerations of the t r u t h . But even after putting a heavy
discount on the facts revealed in these documents and knowing in a
general way as to what was happening we are constrained to say
that a state of things did exist at this time in some of the Punjab
jails which we cannot call creditable to a great civilized government.
The Government no doubt published refutations of some of these
communiques but when challenged by the S. G. P. C. to hold an
independent and open public inquiry, there was no response from
the Government. The refutations were doubtless based almost
entirely, as the S. G. P. C. suggested, "upon the mendacious reports
of the Jail Officials* concerned." In view of the serious nature
of the reports coming f r o m the Jails, the S. G. P. C. summoned a
big meeting of the Sikhs at Multan on the 15th A p r i l to consider
the situation.
It may be noted here that, in general, the S. G. P. C. maintained
friendly relations both with the Hindus and Muslims, specially w i t h
those sections of the community that were nationalist in their beliefs
and attitude. Thus, on the night of the 30th A p r i l , when the
^\kafis were assaulted and wounded by the railway police outside
Rawalpindi railway station they received considerable help from
Muhammadans. Volunteers of the local Khilafat Committee and
Nimaz Committee promptly reached the spot t o afford relief to

* Com muni que No. 474.

 S T R U G G L E FOR REFORM IN S I K H SHRINES 193

the wounded.* Mr. Anwarul Haq, Secretary of the Khilfat Committee,

at the request of the S. G. P. C, supplied them with a list of 39
persons who had been wounded along with a statement of their
irjuries. "It was a touching sight", says an S. G. P. C. Communique,
to see the unconscious wounded Akalis being carried on stretchers
in the middle of the night by the Mohammadan youths and to be
looked after subsequently in a private Hindu hospital. It is
inexplicable that after the release of about two thousand Guru-ka-
Bagh prisoners from the various jails, should have come th
"terrible outrage of Rawalpindi". This was not all. The Rawalpindi
outrage was followed by reports from the D. G. Khan jail which
in the words of a Communique of the S. G. P. C. have "sent a
thrill of horror through every Sikh mind. According to the comm-
unique, which we have so frequently quoted, while relapsing fever
was raging in the jail and all other prisoners had been taken away
from the hospital compound for purposes of sagregation, "the
venerable Sardar Kharak Singh and Sardar Jaswant Singh JhabaT,
the two Sikh leaders, had been left behind within that compound
whare they had to depend upon the drinking water from the pump
situated within the infected area.

*Comm. No. 512 of may 6,1923, wherein the S. G. P. C. has

acknowledged that "in this noble work a large number of them
(Muslim volunteers) received blows and injuries.
 The Attock Jail Inquiry Committee.
In view of the harrowing accounts of the happenings in certain
jails, where Akali and poficical prisoners were lodged, the demand
for an open and public inquiry became irresistable. The matter was
taken up by the punjab Government and a Committee of Inquiry
consisting of D. B. Raja Narendra Nath and R. B. Sewak Ram,
members of the Punjab Legislative Council, were appointed to
visit the Attock Jail and take down statements and submit their
report to the Government. The two gentlemen paid a visit to the
Attock Jail and after taking down certain statements submitted
their report but the report never saw the light of the day. What
became of it, nobody knows. It is presumed that it was so bad
from the point of view of the Government so damaging and so
discreditable to the administration that it was considered safe to
pigeon-hole it. Both the members were however interviewed by
press reporters and the summary of their report was published in
the press. (See the proceedings of the Legislative Council and the
press reports published in the local press. The report was
published some time in April or May, 1923.) In their communique
No. 485, page 123,* the S. G. P. C. started that the Finance
members Sir John Majnard had "promised" the representatives
of the S. G. P. C. that he would publish the report as soon as it
was received, but so far as we know it never came out of its hiding
place.

*S. G. P. C. Communique No. 485 wrote as follows about The

Attock Jail report : "Where is the report of Raja Narendra Nath
and R. B. Sewak Ram about the Attock Jail which the Finance
members in so many words had promised to publish ? If the
Government has got my regard for public opinion or any faith left
in its own interest let it submit to a public now official enquiry".
 STRUGGLE FOR REFORM IN SIKH SHRINES 1«

Attock Jail.
No foot wear. Many have to fetch water from Indus, specially
hard condition of jail life. Bare-fetters common. (Press
Communique-364) * * *

S Amar Singh son of S. S. Sardar Khazan Singh, given bare-

fetters for one week for asking a warder not to use abusive language,
jailor Gokal Chand - his treatment very harsh, notorious. (Press
Communique, 357, dated 17th December, 1922.)
* * *

Considerable lung trouble. Scanty clothing, prisoners kept

in chhouldaries. * * *

Bronchial troubles. Several deaths in jail. (Communique-314.)

* * *

Subedar Amar Singh was Jathedar of first military pensioners

jatha.

Early in December the Government was tired of maintaining

such a large number of Akalis in the Jail and began to release them
on one pretext or another. (Communique No. 349)

Some 1700 Akalis kept in chhouldaries in Attock Jail. Several

cases of prisoners scummbing to death. (Communique No. 309.)
* * *

Standing hand-cuffs given to a dozen Akalis (Communique

No. 301.)
The exact number of Akalis in Attock Jail cannot be easily
ascertained but the number of the prisoners must be very large
indeed considering that on the 12th October the prisoners sent to
Attock Jail numbered as many as 700. (Communique-193.)
* * «
[96 S T R U G G L E FOR R E F O R M IN S I K H S H R I N E S

Sometimes 25 out of every hundred persons arrested were

released on one pretext or another. To make up the deficiency,
therefore, the S. G. P. C. will send 122 instead of 100 Aka/is to
cut wood in batches of four or five.
From the middle of October, the courts began to find all kinds
of excuses for letting off as.many of the arrested persons as they
possibly could, the idea being to lesson the number of convictions
as many as possible (Communique No. 175).

•
 THE AKALI MOVEMENT 1923-24
THE NABHA AFFAIR
Abdication of Maharaja Ripudaman Singh : By this
time the S. G. P. C. had become a powerful body, ready to fight
the battles of the community wherever they thought that an
injustice was being done to them. In particular, the prestige of the
*

Committee had risen considerably in the public estimation after the

heroic struggle at Guru-ka-Bagh, through which they had recently
come out with flying colours. The hardships which such large
numbers of ordinary members of the community had gone through
stoically and uncomplainingly day after day and month after month,
on that historic occasion, baffles all description.
When in the summer of 1923 the young Maharaja of Nabha,
Ripudaman Singh, was made to abdicate* his Gaddi, the S. G. P. C.
*According to the account given by the S. G. P. C. the Maharaja was
neither deposed nor did he abdicate. Various contradictory stories
were published at the time, but in a delicate matter of this kind it
is difficult to give currency to one story in preference to another.
The broad fact would seem to be that owing to certain personal
disputes between the two young princes of the important neighbour-
ing Sikh States of Patiala and Nabha, the latter prince who had in
various ways incurred the serious displeasure of the authorities
was induced to leave his State. How much or how little force was
used to bring this about we will not undertake to say. The fact
of the Maharaja having given serious offence to the authorities by
certain indiscretions at the time he took over charge of the State
at the death of his father, Maharaja Hira Singh, are well known and
cannot be denied. His sympathies with the Akali movement are also
well known. These facts must have made him even more unpopular
with the authorities who cannot brook the slightest exhibition of a
spirit of independence in a feudalory prince.
 19S STRUGGLE TOR REFORM IN SIKH SHRINES
i

considered it a challenge to the community, which they were not

loth to take up. According to a statement issued by the S. G. P. C.
on the 9th of July, the Maharaja, "the hereditary ruler of Nabha,
was unjustly and forcibly detached from the administration of his
State by the Government of India." The Committee further alleged
that His Highness was "forced to leave his State under humiliating
circumstances with an unnecessary and insolent show of military
force." This was not all. In the same communique, the Committee
also made some other serious allegations of arbitrary conduct and
high handedness against the Political Agent.

The S. G. P. C. was so much upset at these happenings that

they desired to mark their resentment by calling upon the whole
Sikh community to demonstrate their wounded feelings against this
affair by arranging on the 9th September next a barefooted Nagar
Kirtan procession to pass "through the principle streets of all
Important towns to some Central Gurdwara in the town, where
prayers should be offered for the speedy restoration of His Highness
to his rightful powers." The Sangat on such occasions were also
urged to pass resolutions condemning the action of Government
and the Political Agent and sending messages of sympathy telegraphi-
cally to whatever place His Highness the Maharaja Sahib might have
been removed.*

On the 2nd of August, the S. G. P. C. telegraphed to His

Excellency the Viceroy informing him that the Government officials
had practically forced the Maharaja of Nabha by threats and
intimidation to sever his connection with the administration of his
State and praying for the appointment of a Comission of Inquiry
to find out the truth. No reply was, however, received to this
representation or even to a subsequent reminder. The only
information that was vouchsafed to the public was an Associated
Press announcement that His Excellency the Viceroy was considering
1
* • • » — • • • • »• — • II I P * - — ^ — • • • • • ! * • • II | ,. • • — ^ II • • • • — • ••• » • • • • • • • • • • - • • • • • • _ _ • • • • • • ""* " " • • |

*Press communiques Nos. 5, 7, and 12 dated 9th, 17th and 22nd

August 1923, issued by the S. G. P. C , Amritsar.

•
 STRUGGLE FOR REFORM IN SIKH SHRINES 1 *

the appointment and personnel of a Council of Regency for the Nabha

Sta*e. The S. G. P. C. protested against the adoption of such a
measure. It was pointed out that according to the Treaty, no occasion
had arisen for the appointment of a Council of Regency. The
Committee further asked the leading Sikhs and others as well as
the relatives of the Maharaja not to accept a post on the Council
of Regency,* should one be offered to them.

Situation further complicated. Conflict between the

S. G. P. C- and the Nabha authorities. The S. G. P. C. communi-
que, dated 28. 8. 1923, speaks of certain ordinances having been
issued by the Maharaja of Nabha and the Administrator, but we
have not been able to find out what they were about. The only
reference we have come across is to be found in the record of
Proceedings in the case Crown versus S. B. Mehtab Singh and
others, where we read "these ordinances prohibited political
meetings in Nabha State." The state issued orders prohibting all
political meetings in the State to discuss the question of the
Maharaja's abdication. The S. G. P. C. protested against these
ordinances. Diwans were held at several places at which members
cf the S. G. P. C. were arrested\and prosecuted. Some were even
convicted. A three days Diwan at Jaito was called. At these
meetings, it is said, speeches of political character were delivered.
The meetings continued even after the 27th August, 1923. The
S. G. P. C. openly challenged these orders. Among other things
they made themselves responsible for organizing and sending for a
considerable time jatha after jatha to Jaito in defiance of the repeated
orders of the Administrator. Again, it was under the auspicies of
the S. G. P. C. and in obedience to their directions that the bare-
footed processions on the 9th September 1909 were organized at

"For fuller details of the reasons v/hy the Government was supposed
to be not competent to appoint a Council of Regency, See the
S. G. P. C. press communique No. 9 dated 17th August 1923 ; also
the "Truth about Nabha" issued by the S. G. P. C.
ofjf) STRUGGLE FOR R E F O R M IN S I K H SHRINES

a good many places in the Punjab. Communique No. 40, dated

9 . 9 . 1923, contains reports of the bare-footed processions, that
had taken place. Public meetings were held at numerous places,
including Amritsar, at which the Akalis were urged to join the
Morcha at Jaito. The Jathedar of Akal Takht issued a Hukumnama
announcing the ex-communication of Sardar Gurdyal Singh. A
poster published at this time spoke of the issue of the order from
the " C o u r t of the Sri Akal Takht." On the 4th and 5th August,
1923, at a general meeting of the S.G P.C. the Nabha affair came
up for discussion. The S. G. P. C. first adopted a general resolution
that it was competent to take up the Nabha question. Afterwards,
by another resolution it was resolved that the General Committee
authorised the Executive Committee " t o take all the necessary steps
by legitimate and peaceful means to solve the Nabha question."

The Congress and the Jaito Morcha : At the special

Cong Session at Delhi, (1923), the Civil Disobedi<
Comn was formed. The Congress Session evinced g
Interest in the exciting drama that was being enacted not very far
from where they were meeting. After listening to stirring accounts
for some Sikh visitors as well as from Div/an Chaman Lai, the
Congress leaders evinced their deep sympathy with the Akalis. At
the same time, Principal Gidwani, Mr. K. Santanam and Pandit
lawahar Lai Nehru started for Jaito to see for themselves what was
happening there. On the 15th September, the S. G. P. C. brought
out a special Jaito Number of their daily paper, the Nation. On
hing Jaito, Mr. Gidwani, Pt. J. L. Nehru and Mr. K. Santanam
we » all arrested. As might have been expected, the arrests of
these three Congress leaders was taken as a challenge to the wh
countryj A Nabha bulletin was issued by the Congress C
Disobedience Committee. All these things combined to focuss public
attention upon the Jaito affairs and for a time the whole country
was talking about nothing else.*
•The S. G. P. C. passed a special resolution thanking the leaders
Contd
 STRUGGLE FOR REFORM IN S I K H SHRINES 201

The Akalis who came for the Nabha Jatha had to sign a
prescribed form pledging themselves to absolute non-violence.
Sometimes a jatha was named after the village which had supplied all
the members of the Jatha. So great was the enthusiasm that shoals
of people would come and offer their services to join the Jathas and
take the consequences. It will be remembered that the same was
the case at the time of Guru-ka-Bagh, while I was staying at the
office of the S. G. P. C. and going from day to day with the Jathas
starting for Guru-ka-Bagh from the Akal Takht, I heard the story of
one man who came and offered his services at the offices and wanted
to join one of the Jathas for Guru-ka-Bagh "for the service of the
»

Guru." According to the account which he gave on that occasion,

he belonged to Hoshiarpur. He said his sister was standing on the
#

road-side in their village when some Sikhs passed by singing Shabads

with great gusto. She asked them where they were going and they
said they were going to Amritsar to offer their services for Guru-
ka-Bagh morcha. She thereupon ran to her house and said to him
(her brother) why did he not also go to do Guru's service and join
one of the Jathas. He said he had this, that and the other business
to attend to. She replied that she herself would see to these things
and that he should not be anxious about them in the least. It was
under those circumstances and after getting an assurance from his
sister that all would be well about his own work, that he started for
Amritsar and there he was to offer his services to join one of the
Jathas proceeding to Guru-ka-Bagh. This was by no means a solitary
case. They were drawn from all parts of the province, but more
specially they came from the Central Punjab. Seldom did they come
alone. They came in groups of four, five or more at a time. There
were always several hundred men ready to be sent in batches of a
hundred a day. They took their food of course at Guru-ka-Langar.
Why Jaito was selected as the venue of the Diwan in

Continued from last page)

on their arrests. (India was now passing through strange time
when going to jail was a mark of courage, patriotism and sacrifice.)
 202 STRUGGLE FOR REFORM IN SIKH SHRINES

sympathy with the removal of Maharaja Ripudaman Singh ? The

Maharaja of Nabha was deposed sometime in 1923 before the
election of the S. G. P. C took place. This gave rise to great]
commotion in the rank and file of the Sikh community as their
sympathy was all with the Maharaja. Numerous Diwans were held
all over the Punjab. Some were organised by the S. G. P. C. but so
great was the excitement that it did not become necessary for the
S. G. P. C. to organize demonstrations in sympathy with the Maharaja
of Nabha. Jaito was selected as the venue of the sympathetic Diwan
because the Brars belonging to the same tribe as the Maharaja him-
self lived in this tract in large numbers. Even a more important
reason was that the famous Gurdwara of Gangsar was situated there.
The Diwan lasted for three days. The Akalis were the chief
organisers of these Diwans. The Akali Jathedar of the Nabha State
and the Secretary of the Jatha were the principal persons. But it
should be stated that large number of Akalis from outside the State
also joined the Diwan. Of course the neighbouring Faridkot State
supplied a respectable quota. The Diwan opened on the
9th Bhadon (25th August 1923 A. D.). A great procession was taken
out on the first day. Strong speeches condemning the removal of
the Maharaja from the Gaddi were made on the occasion.
Comparisons were made with what was done when Maharaja Dalip
Singh was removed. Some of the members of the S. G. P. C. were
also present at the Diwan. On the 3rd day, namely, the I Ith Bhadon
27th August 1923 A. D. some of the speakers were sent for by
the Superintendent of Police and other officials and reprimanded for
delivering political lectures, but they said they were not giving
political lectures ; they were only expressing their sympathy with
the Maharaja. One or two of the men were arrested at the Diwan
and taken away. They wanted to see the warrants but none were
shown to them. Originally they had announced the Diwan to be
held for three days but on account of the arrests they decided to
continue the Diwan for an indefinite period. The Diwan was held
in an open space outside the Gurdwara at Jaito under a pipal tree.
 o

STRUGGLE FCR REFORM IN SIKH SHRINES 203

The Langar was located inside the Gurdwara. The land en which
Divvan was held v/as attached to the Gurdwara. Their object in
continuing the Diwan was that if forcible arrests were to be mace
they would continue the holding of the Diwan till the Akalis present
were arrested. As some of those present were the members of
the S. G. P. C. they had no doubtin their mind that they would
get the sympathy . and support of their own body. The Diwan
continued to b2 held fir several days. On the 5th day, 13th
Bhadon ; 29:h August, 1923 A. D. the S a retary, S. Jiwan Singh, v/as
arrested.The next day t w o other leaders were taken by the Police
to some Nabha officials ; one of them was arrested but the other
man was set at liberty. On the 15th and 16th Bhadon, Risaldar
Ranjodh Singh, President of th i Shromoni Akali Dal, and some
nr-
other lead i s arrived at he Jaito Railway Station w i t h a view to
proceeding t o the Diwan but they were prevented by the police
from doing so. They were told that if they wanted to go to the Gur-
dwara for worship, they couid do so, but they should undertake not to
stay there and net to go to the Diwan This is exactly what ether
Akalis were also told. The police were placed on all sides. Seme
tim Akalis came singly but oftener in groups of two, three or
more persons. On the 17th, IStrTcr 19th Bhadon 2nd, 3rd and 4th
September, 1923 A . D . about 25 Akalis were arrested while attendir c r

the Div/an. On the 9th September 1923, a bare foot-prccessien was

form. This was done in obediance to the instructions of the S.G.P.C
who had issued a communique to the effect that the processions of
barefooted Akalis should be held on that day. (9th September, 1923)
in connection with the "abdication" of the Maharaja of Nabha. As we
have seen, such processions were taken out not only at Jaito. but at
many places in the Punjab also. At Jaito the procession started from
the Gurdwara of Gangsar Sahib. A t the time the precession began
only about eighty to hundred persons were present inside the Gurd-
wara, as well as in the Diwan which v/as being held outside. It v.as
decided to form a procession of 25 men only, so that they may net all
be arrested at once. As socn as the procession approached the Diwan
 •

2)4 S T R U G G L E F l I REVO I \[ [ %' J I K H 3 I H I V : J

they were arrested the police who were waiting for them along
with some State officials. The m n were told that the procession
was being taken out against the orders of the State authorities and
therefore they were arrested. The orders that had been issued
were to the effect that no Diwan should be held and no politica
Lectures be given. The arrested persons said that they were not
giving any political lectures. As the procession was carrying the
Granth Sahib, five sepoys put off their shoes and took charge of
the Granth Sahib from the processionists. After that all the 25 men
were arrested. I he Granth Sahib v/as carried back to the Gurdwara
with Shabads. Some time later some sikh policemen are said to
have gone to the Gurdv/ara and "gently shifting the reciter with
his hand took up the recitation in his place.'

The Preliminary vows hef Akal T at A

A in h case f h Akali Jathas proceeding day after day h
G k Bagh March for the Jathas which were organised
so al
for proceed o to h norcha. the latha would first come
Nabh
Sri Akal Takh A Diwan was held at which a few hundred Ak
d hers v/ere present. Here they were instructed by the Jath i

h Akal Takht to remain strictly non-violent in word, deed d

grit, and to f

y h i d the dar. S th
of snow h flowers were p a ns
r c j d the black
<

f h Very hing scenes wet d h

h n h w or sisters cam d to bless their d
ones v/no v/ere going, they were reminded, on the sacred service
of the Guru under instructions from the Akal Takht and must not
turn their back whatever happened to them."" After prayers the
jatha would leave the Akal Takht in solemn, orderly procession and
while sin l^g Wane Guru, Wahe Guru, Wahe Guruji, Satnam,
itnam, Satnamji, they would walk to the Darbar Sahib (the Goide
iernple) opposite to the Akal Takht. Mere they would pay thejr

I have myseif been present on many of these occasions and have

witnessed these ccenes with try own eyes. P.. R. S.
 S T R U G G L E FOR R E F O R M IN S I K H S H R I N E S 205

homage and then, accompanied by a band, they would proceed to their

destination. On coming out of the precincts of the Gurdwara they
would be photographed under the clock Tower. This done they would
march in fours with the bands playing at the head of the procession.
The Jathas were often organised by districts. This was done to create
a spirit of emulation among the men. Generally three to five
hundred men were present at the Akal Takht when prayers were
offered and instructions were given by one of the Akali leaders to
the Jatha to remain non-violent. As a rule, it was the Jathedar of
the Akal Takht, S. Teja Singh, who gave these instructions. Along
with other instructions, the men were told that for the sake of the
*

honour of the Panth they should be prepared *"or all privations and
sacrifices.

A Bhojhangi Dal (Young Akalis Company) was also formed

at Amritsar at this time. Some of the Akalis took a considerable
interest in the affairs of the Dal and attended their meetings and
sometimes they were also asked to address the Dal. The Bhojhangi
Dal did a great deal of work by way of propaganda. Since the
inauguration of the Congress movement in 1835, Young Men's
volunteer corps were formed in connection with the conferences of
various kinds held from time to time in the country. They were
deputed to maintain order at the meetings, to attend to the personal
wants, needs and comforts of the assembled guests and, indeed,
to do everything that they were ordered to do by the "captain"
of the Volunteers. The Bhojhangi Dal of the Akalis was, however,
a permanent and well organized body of youngmen who were called
for a course of training like the Boyscout Movement or the Sewa
Samities of later days. The Bhojhangi Dal supplied in later years a
large number of the recruits of the Akali Dal which was, as we have
explained before, the " a r m y " of the S. G. P. C. upon whom
devolved most of the active duties in connection with the Gurdwara
movement. Men for specially risky and hazardous duties were
sometimes selected from the Bhojhangi Dal and not a few of the
future leaders of the Akali movement also came from the same body
206 S T R U G G L E FOR R E F O R M IN S I K H S H R I N K S

Military Pensioner's Jatha :

Since the inauguration of the Khalsa by Guru Gobind Singh

himself on the Baisakhi day of 2699 at Anandpur Sahib, the Sikhs
have learnt to cultivate the martial instinct. It would have been
strange if the retired military officers and men had not formed their
own jathas. It was characteristic of the Akali movement that the
leaders were not merely office holders, but that in dangerous
situations they were expected to place themselves in the forefront
of their men. Thus the 2nd Military Pensioners Jatha was placed
under the leadership of S. Ranjodh Singh (Risaldar), President of
the Shromoni Akali Dal, who had fought in the great war in France.
It is said to have consisted of 164 Akalis-

The Nabha day : The Nabha day processions on the 9th

September, 1923 were a typical demonstration of the Sikh sentiment
against Government's action in "forcing" as it was generally taken
to be, the abdication of the Maharaja of Nabha. These demonstra-
tions were held with great enthusiasm and exhibition of feeling
at a great many places. The procession at Amritsar was perhaps
the most impressive of all, It started from the office of the Akali-
te-Pardesi early in the morning. The Sikh band was at the head of
the procession, which was followed by 5 Akalis carrying big banners.
Behind these were Panj Piyaras with drawn swords. Then came
the members of the S. G. P. C. They were followed by the Akali
Jatha of the Amritsar Tehsil, the Ramgarhia Jatha, the
Bhojhangi Jatha the Amritsar Town Jatha, the Jatha of a
hundred Akali ladies, the Nadharak (undaunted) Akali Jathas and
the Ajit Akali Jatha (the unconquerable Akali Jatha). The whole
procession marched bearfooted, in military formation, four in a line.
Entering through the Hall Gate and marching slowly through the
city, they reached the Akal Takht in about 7\f hours. Here a big
Diwan had now swelled to about four thousand men and women
A resolution to the following effect was moved and adopted.
"This big Diwan of Amritsar District Akalis held before Sri
 STRUGGLE FOR REFORM IN SIKH SHRINES 2)7

Akal Takht Sahib, r3gretted the action of the Government in

deposing the Maharaja of Nabha. They sympathised with the
Maharaja, his family and his subjects and pledged before Sri
Akal Takht that the Akaiis undar orders of the S. G. P. C.
would make every sacrifice while remaining non-violent for
the removal of this injustice by the Government.
The mover of the resolution emphasised that they were taking
a pledge before the Akal Takht itself that the Nabha Morcha would
be a greater ordeal for them than any of the Morchas in which
they had taken part before. But they realised their strength.
S. Santa Singh, Jathedar of Sultanwind, moved the resolution while
•

S. Sohan Singh seconded it. Some other members of the S. G. P. C.

*

supported the resolution one and all appealing tD the Akaiis to

uphold the honour of the Panth by helping the S. G. P. C. in doing
its duty. The S. G. P. C. had after a f JII and careful considsration
taken the Nabha question into its own hands. At the close of the
Diwan, Giani Sher Singh, the blind orator recited a prayer with
emotion for the restoration of the Maharaja of Nabha to his Gaddi.
He also prayed to the Wahi Guru to assist the S. G. P. C. in the
N
Ireat task they had taken in hand. "

The first Akali Jatha formed in connection with the Nabha

Morcha started on the I I th September, 1923, and a Jatha of I 10
Akaiis presented themselves before the Akal Takht at about 10 A. M.
for proceeding to Nabha. There were from two hundred to three
hundred Akaiis present besides the members of the Jatha, and about
three hundred others. Jathedar of the Akal Takht asked them to
follow strictly the discipline and the rules of non-violence as was
the case with the daily Jathas proceeding at the time of Guru-ka-
Bagh Morcha. They should strictly obey the orders of their
Jathedar, wherever he asked them to go. After prayers, the Jatha
left the AkalTakht. They first walked straight to the Darbar Sahib
*Record of proceedings, Crown versus S. B. Mehtab Singh and
others, page 72.
203 S T R U G G L E FOR REFORM IN S I K H S H R I N E S

for homage after which they started towards the Railway Station, a
band playing at the head of them. In the same way other Akali
Jathas started from the Akal Takht on other days with short
interruption.
Repression of Akalis in neighbouring Sikh States for
holding religious Dhvans in sympathy with the Maharaja of
Nabha : It is to be greatly regretted that while what we have
comprehensively called the Nabha affair was in progress, reports
of interference on the part of other Sikh and Hindu States with
the Akhand Path and religious Diwans of Akalis were frequently
heard specially when the speakers happend to make a sympathetic
reference to the Jaito incident.*
This was particularly the case in the city of Patiala where
special precaution were taken against Akalis conducting Nagar
Kirtan processions. It was also noticed that very strict watch was
being kept upon the movements of the Akalis all the comings in
and goings out being carefully reported to the authorities. It
would seem that there was a regular outburst of repressive
activities against the Akalis in Nabha, as well as in the Akali
circles in other Sikh States. The appearance of Akalis attracted
the sympathy and support of a very large section of the mass of
people in these States and wherever a jatha marching in procession
came in sight, numbers of people follwed it. The ferment which was
caused by the Akhand Path accompanied by the Diwans held at
Gangsar Gurdwara was thus not cofined to that place only, nor to
the Nabha State itself, but its revibrations were felt all over the
Sikh States and even beyond.
Occasional clashes between the State authorities and the Akalis
also took place in parts of the Nabha city. On the morning of the
9th September 1923, for instance, when the Akhand Path at the

*Several instances of this kind are stated in S. G. P. C. Press

communique No. 40 dated 9th September, 1923. The Communique
gives specific references to arrests made at Sirhind, Barnala and
other places.
 S T R U G G L E FOR REFORM IN SIKH SHRINES 209

new Gurdwara at Akalgarh at Nabha (still under construction) was

in progress, some friction arose between the Akalis and the
authorities, so much so that the procession was surrounded by the
police under the orders of the administrator. Mr. William Johnston,
and the procession did not dispurse till the Akalis had received
instructions to do so from the Head office of the S. G. P. C.*
In the same way, the ferment extended to the neighbouring
States of Jhind, specially to Sangrur, the capital of the State.**
At Baramula (Kashmir) also there was a clash between the
State authorities and the Akali procession.f
In several Sikh States the authorities had issued proclamations
prohibiting their subjects to participate in the Nabha agitation in
any way and as the sympathies of the people were with the S.G.P.C.
in what they regarded as a strictly religious matter, there was
more or less serious conflicts between the Akalis and the State
authorities in several places.;};
It should be clearly noted here that these clashes and conflicts,
proclamations and demonstrations were all in connection with the
observance of the Nabha Day on the 9th September 1923. Some
State subject who had participated in these processions were
subsequently expelled from the State or had to suffer other
penalties. Many had to suffer very severe hardships of one kind
or another, which it will by unnecessary to detail here.
In addition to the instances which we have specifically reffered
to above, there were numerous cases also in which the Akalis or
their sympathisers were subjected to various hardships or disabilities.
It should not be supposed for one moment that the instances of cases
which have been given above would any way exhaust the list. . If
the communiques of the S. G. P. C. are to be believed, some of

'"'See communique No. 41 (n? date is given)

**ldid No. 43.
fldid No. 44.
[Idid Mo. 45 (Refers to Faridkot State)
 210 STRUGGLE FOR REFORM IN SIKH SHRINES

the Akalis received a treatment which for its severity even decency
will not allow us to describe.
Even in the districts of the Punjab, Akalis were harshly treated
and in some cases they were arrested for wearing long Kirpans and
refusing to promise that they would not go to Jaito. Their uniform
reply was that if the S. G. P. C. required it they would go but not
otherwise.*
In this connection a further reference may also be made here to
the happenings at the Gurdwara of Akalgarh at Nabha. When a good
many Akalis were taking part in the demonstration of the Nabha day
on the 9th of September, they were arrested in a body and sentenced
under section 18 to three years imprisonment. They were besides
banished from the State and their properties were confiscated. It
is worth recording that after the incident of 9th Septembe- at the
Akalgarh Gurdwara at Nabha, the Gurdwara was placed under
military guard. The Gurdwara was in charge of a solitary Granthi
and no pilgrim was allowed to visit it.**
The series of communiques issued by the S. G. P. C. touching
the happenings at the Gangsar Gurdwara on the treatment of the
Akalis in the State of Patiala arising out of the Nabha Day
demonstrations or other incidents of this time make very
painful reading and we have no wish to comment upon them at
length. An incident at Gangsar Gurdwara on the 14th September

•Communique No. 49 dated 13. 9. 1923 issued by the S. G. P. C.

**On the S. G. P. C. communique No. 54 dated the I Ith September
1923.
The Govt, on this occasion tried, more than on any other occasion,
to suppress the truth by leaving all references to this affair.
Mr. S. Zimand of the New York Time, and other eye w i t -
nesses said that the Akalis were non-violent, but the Govt, announced
that *a crowd of 6000 opened fire on the police'. Only an independent
enquiry could have brought out the real facts but that was not
a ow S.) ^ | ^ ^ ^ | ^ ^ ^ | ^ ^ ^ | ^ ^ ^ | ^ ^ ^ | ^ ^ ^ | ^ ^ ^ | ^ |
 STRUGGLE FOR REFORM IN SIKH SHRINES 211

1923 excited particularly bitter feelings and the S. G. P. C. sent

more than one telegram to his Excellency Lord reading in which
they even accused the local authorities of acts which were, they
said...to the Darbar Sahib and an...to the Panth. At one stage
the situation became so grave that the Akalis had to send a second
telegram to the Viceroy but the only response they received was
the publication of what appeared to be an inspiration of nev/s in
the Pioneer of Allahabad to the effect that the Akalis had taken
forcible possession of the Gangsar Gurdwara at Jaito. It is so
difficult to write on the basis of one sided communique issued by
the S. G. P. C., but many of thern are so detailed and specific that
it is not possible to dismiss them altogether, the more so as I have
myself seen enough of similar happenings at Guru-ka-Bagh and
elsewhere. The personal privations and hardships entailed upon
large numbers of the Sikh population of the Phulkian States had
best be left undescribed because without hearing the other side it
is not easy to judge between the parties.*
The happenings of the Nth of September at Gurdwara Gangsar
(jaito) deserve special mention. For on that day, the Sikhs within
the Gurdwara were going to ^start the Akhand Path while the
ordinary reading of the Granth Sahib continued outside the
Gurdwara. The officials were, howsver, determined to prevent
As one instance, we may reffer to communique No. 60 (without date)
pointing out that certain Lambardars were forced to resign their
office because they v/ould not consent to depose falsely, as they
believed, against some Akalis, but their harassment continued. To
save themselves from such annoyance many people had to leave
their houses and homes and settle down outside the State. Again
in the Patiala State a large number of persons were said to have
been arrested in connection with the Nabha Day Procession of 9th
September 1923. All but three men were soon released. These
three men were challaned, but the case was kept pending from day
to day for a very long time, because they would not give an
undertaking not to take part in future in "unlawful activities."
 212 S T R U G G L E FOR REFORM IN SIKH SHRINES

every expression of sympathy with the Maharaja who, they declared,

had abdicated voluntarily. They would not allow even the reading
of the scripture and the offer of prayers in connection with the
whole congregation assembled around the Granth Sahib outside the
Gurdwara.
"Then the armed soldiers in uniform were taken into the
Gurdwara itself, where the Sikhs sat listening to the Akhand
Path. The whole congregation including the reciters and the
attendants were arrested and, what was an unprecedented
sacrilege, the Granthi actually reciting at the moment was
caught hold of by his arms and dragged away and arrested.
According to Sikh religion this v/as a grave desecration. This
interruption was admitted even by the Associated Press
telegram published in the Tribune of September 19, 1923.
The news of this desecration spread like a wild fire and a number
of Sikhs from the neighbourhood came to the Gurdwara to
re-start the Akhand path."

The prohibtion against freely visiting the Gurdwara had been

enforced, according to official admission, from 31st August, 1923,
but from the 14th September,"the day of the desecration, it was made
absolutely rigid." But the Sikh pilgrims from all quarters began
to visit the Gurdwara to "perform Akhand Path and other acts of
worship."
Mean while the deposed Maharaja of Nabha who was then
residing at Dehra Dun v/as being threatened by the authorities as
being responsible for the Sikh agitation although the Maharaja had
already pubiically dissociated himself from what was said or done
by the Akalis. It is said that D. N. Narsinghrao, the Maharaja's
previous Diwan, who was supposed to be mainly responsible for
all the troubles that had fallen him, was once again proceeding from
Indors to Simla to see the Viceroy. It was generally believed
that this visit v/as in connection with the recent developments at
Nabha.
 STRUGGLE FOR REFORM IN SIKH SHRINES 2l 3

At first the jathas arriving at Jaito were treated with compara-

tive leniency. Thus the 1st and the 2nd Jathas which arrived at
Jaito about the middle of September were arrested and taken away
to a place a mile or two outside the State territory and then set at
liberty. Many of the released men made an attempt tore-enter
the Nabha State, but they were arrested again and some of them
were harshly treated.
In addition to the first two returned Jathas the 3rd Akali Jatha
was also proceeding to Jaito on the 17th when it was stopped near
the village of Chhina ; they were arrested the same afternoon and
taken to Jaito. Every now and again inspired messages were
published accusing the Akalis of converting the Diwan at the
Gurdwara of Gangsar into a political gathering for the restoration
of His Highness the Maharaja to his Gaddi. The Akalis, on the
other hand, not only stoutly denied such a charge but also reiterated
their own version of the affair. They regarded it as a reiigious duty
to write a wrong done to their community. They did not therefore
consider it a political Diwan and nothing had been done, they
declared, to give a political colour to it.
The S. G. P. C. affirmed repeatedly in several communiques
that neither before nor after the date of the Gangsar incident had
the Akalis "resorted to any active resistance.*
So great is the devotion of the Sikhs to their Gurdwaras,
specially those whice are in any way associated with the life work
of any of the Gurus or the martyrs that some of the most respect-
able members of the community, including men who had seen a

*According to the semi-official version as published in the Pioneer

of 17th September 1923, however, it was said, the Akalis had fallen
upon the Police and military cordon round the Diwan that was still
going on. The contention of the S. G. P. C. on the other hand
was that the Diwan had been forcibly dispersed a couple of days
earlier and that in order to conceal this fact the story of the Jatha
falling upon the military had been invented.
214 STRUGGLE FOK REFORM IN SIKH SHRINES

life time of military service and had loaded themselves with

distinctions and decorations and risen to the highest posts open to
Indian Military men, were ready, and in fact glad, to offer themselves
f o r the severest ordeals in the service of the Panth.
More drastic measures adopted. After a few days getting
t

tired of having to deal with'the Jathas day after day, the authorities
*

of the state adopted a more drastic method of dealing w i t h them.

They were kept hungry and set free without food or money at a
small place near Rewari, some 200 miles from Nabha. According
to the S. G. P. C. communique No. 94 at least three such jathas had
been dealt w i t h in this manner by the time when the communique
was issued.*As we shall see, Jathas continued to proceed to Jaito for a
considerable time. Three such jathas after release reached Delhi.f
Two more batches of 95 and 47 Akalis were sent to Bawal early
in the last week of September. The S. G. P. C. communique No. 95
and one or two other communiques issued by the same body also
speak of the arrested jathas being kept hungry and thirsty in the
hope that thereby the Akalis would frightened f r c m joining the
jathas. This of course proved to be a vain hope.J
Some of the men arrested In connection with the Nabha
incident were given exemplary punishment such as imprisonment
for six years for making speeches.$ It was said to be a common
thing for a man to have been sentenced to one year's imprisonment
besides confiscation of his property and expulsion from the State
for making a speech at an Akali Diwan.jj
Pandit Moti Lai Nehru on the 24th September 1923, himself
went to Nabha but as soon as he got down from the train, he was
met by one Nahtu Ram, Chief Police Officer, who informed him

*Tna communique does not bear any date.

f N o date is mantio.ied in the communique.
|For these and other incidents of the same kind, see S, G. P. C.
communiques No. 95 and 99.
§S. G. P. C. communique No. 103.
Ijlbid No 107 dated 26th Sept., 1923.
 STRUGGLE FOR RKFOl M IN SIKH SHR'Nl - 215

that he was not permitted to proceed to the city. Pandit ji explained

that he wanted to see his son Pt. Jawahar Lai Nehru. Mr. William
ohnston, the Administrator, and Mr. Cgilivie, Assistant Adminis-
trator, visited Pandit Mctilal Nehru and had a long talk with him.
During the few hours that Pandit Motilal was in the waiting room
of the Nabha Railway Station, shoals of people from Nabha arrived
to have his darshan.wlth the result that again and again he had to
come out of his room to be greeted the people who had come
to see him. Panditji questioned them earnestly "if they believed
that the hard things said against the Maharaja by his detractors
were true." They replied that "the campaign of villification was
the work only of a few traitors and self-see'<2rs." On Panditji's
asking "if they wanted the Maharaja back, they cried out with ens
voice they were longing for his return with there heart and S O U I .
1
Panditji left Nabha the same evening without seeing his son.
• %

On th: 29th September, i. e., a fortnight after the incident,

the S. G. P. C. passed the following comprehensive resolution in
five parts condemning the action of the Nabha authorities in
interrupting the Akhand Path and otherwise molesting and ill-
treating the Akalis.
I

"The S. G. P. C. strongW condemns the sacrilegious

action of the officers of the British Administration of Nabha
on 14th September 1923, in showing greatest disrespect to Sri
Guru Granth Sahib by dragging away the Granthi and stopping
the Akhand Path (continuous recital of Sikh scriptures) in the
sacred Gurdwara, Gangsar, of Sri Guru Gobind Singhji at Jaito,
Nabha State, and in breaking up the Diwan (Sikh
congregation) assembled there.
"The S.G.P.C. holds the Government of India responsible
for the unbearable insult to Sikh scriptures and the action of
challenging the religious liberty of Sikhs to assemble in
S. G. P. C. Press communique No. 107, dated 27th Sept., 1923.

<
216 STRUGGLE FOP. REFORM IN SIKH S H R I K E S

congregrations and to go on pilgrimage to their Gurdv/ara to

carry on Akhand Path or other mode of worship.
"Therefore the S.G.P.C. declared that the Sikh religious rights
challenged by the Government of India are rights that can
never be surrendered, and the duty of maintaining the dignity
of the Sikh scriptures, Sri Guru Granth Sahib, is a duty that
can never be shirked by the Sikhs.
II
"Further, therefore, the S.G.P.C. solemnly delcares Its
determination to fulfil the sacred duty of adopting all peaceful
and legitimate means to maintain the dignity of Sri Guru
Granth Sahib and to enjoy the unfettered exercise of the
religious rights that have been challenged.
"The S.G.P.C. records its considered judgement that
the action of the Nabha official, Gurdial Singh, in carrying
out the dispersal of Sikh congregation and the stoppage of
Akhand Path at Gurdwara Gangsar in Jaito on 14th September
1923, and thence forward the prevention of the entering and
the assembling of Sikh pilgrims in the sacred Gurdwara
amounts to virtual denial of his religion. Therefore the
S.G.P.C. advises and authorises the Jathedar of Sri Akal Takht
Sahib to declare, in exercise of the religious authority of
the Panth that the said Gurdial Singh, had thus forfeited the
sacred privilege of belonging to the Sikh religion, and is not
a Sikh and shall not enjoy the rights and privilege of a Sikh.
"Further, the S.G.P.C. feels it its duty to warn all Sikhs
that any Sikh, prince or peasant, soldier or civilian, high or
low, who becomes an agent for invading the Sikh religious
liberty of assembling in congregations, and worshipping in
the Gurdwaras will be acting as the enemy of the Panth.

Ill
"Whereas constant reports are ripe to the effect that
the Government is contemplating to carry out wholesale ard
simultaneous arrests of all Sikh public workers in the
 i

STRUGGLE FOR REFORM N SIKH SHRINES 2 17

S.G.P.C. and the Shiromani Akali Dal, and to stop the

Gurdwara movement and upset the Panthic management of
Gurdwaras by declaring these bodies as illegal associations,
and gagging Sikh national press, therefore the S.G.P.C, wants
to reassure the Panth that by the grace of the Guru it is
prepared to receive the blow and contemplates the threatened
attack with equananimity.
"Further the S.G.P.C. feels confident that with the mercy
of God, the Panth, in that eventuality, will strictly adhere
to the settled policy of non-violence, will keep united and
faithfully follow the lines chalked out by the committee and
keep up the struggle for God and Guru with vigour and
determination by all peaceful and legitimate means, till
complete religious liberty is established.
IV
"The S.G.P.C. reiterates the oft-declared fact that the
Kirpan or sword is a religious symbol of the Sikhs which is
and ought to be free from all restrictions whatsoever,
regarding manufacture, sale, possession, wearing or carrying
etc. The S.G.P.C. condemns the action of the Government in
playing fast and loose with the religious principles of the
Sikhs by persecuting Sikhs on various pretexts, in spite of
having more than once declared its recognition of these rights
of the Sikhs.
"The S.G.P.C. therefore declares that the Sikh rights
with regard to the Kirpan can in no way be surrendered.

V
"Whereas the authorities of Hoshiarpur district have
arrested the members of the Doaba Inquiry Committee of
the S.G.P.C. indirect contravention of the undertaking given
by the Commissioner, Jullundur Division, to the representatives
of the S.G.P.C. in June last and in circumstances when there
was absolutely no justification for arresting them, the
S.G.P.C. condemns the action of the Hoshiarpur authorities
 2l8 STRUGGLE FOR REFORM IN SIKH S H R I N E S

as a breach of faith and absolute disregard of the most

ordinary honesty and fair-play.
"Keeping in view the severe repression in the Doaba
and the high-handedness of the officials in preventing any
inquiry into the true facts of the situation, the S.G.P.G.
declares that it cannot forego its elementary and natural
rights to find out the t r u t h about the sufferings of the
thousands of peaceful and non-vio.'ent Sikhs residing in the
Doaba."
Sd/- Teja Singh
Amritsar, General Secretary,
30th September, 1923. S.G.P.C.
It may also be mentioned here that after sometime the jathas
were in train for Bawal, news of Particularly regrettable instances
of official, or rather of the State's overzeal in persecuting the
Akalis was received from the Faridkot State where the Granthi of
a village Gurdwara was ordered by the State authorities not to
let Akalis partake of food in Guru-ka-Langar attached t o the
Gurdwara. As this was directly against the clear instructions of
the Gurus, the Granthi decided not to take food himself so long as
the order remained in force.
The arrest of Akalis, specially those who were in charge of
Gurdwaras themselves, In one part or another of the Punjab or
in an Indian State, continued unabated. After a mock trial the
arrested persons were sentenced to a long term of imprisonment.
Early in October 1923, the Akalis all over the province and the
States were very much perturbed and alarmed to see an editorial
note in the C. & M.G. (October 2,1923. in which the editor referred
to the "most belatantly political movement" of the Akalis and made
the significant obfervation that "this long continued campaign of
mendacity and incitement is obviously having the most serious
effect on the whole Sikh community, and things have gone so far
that there is small hope of averting the gravest consequences unless
the organizers of the agitation are brought to book for their 4
mischief making."
 S T R U G G L E FOR R E F O R M I N S I K H SHRIN'FS 219

The Akalis feared that Probably that stage was being set for
the reported "coming drama for the suppression of the S.G.P.C. .as
an unlawful association."* The Journal further said that for years
the sacred and historical Gurdwara at Gangsar "had ceased to
attract pilgrims from outside and the wonder was expressed why
people should have chosen of this particular time to go en pilgrimage
to the Gurdwara.". This statement of the C. & M. G. was strongly
condemned by the S.G.P.C. who said that ever since its foundation
large congregation of Sikhs assembled at
the Gurdwara every
month on the full moon night when a reading of Guru Granth
Sahib was concluded. The Akalis, therefore contradicted the
statement that the obstinacy of the Akalis alone was responsible for
arranging these so-called pilgrimages to an unfrequented Gurdwara
in order to exploit the temple for what the C. & M.G. calls "a
political and provocative action." They very much regretted that
in preventing the entry of the Sikhs the British administration of
Nabha had "challenged the Sikh religious liberty of assembling
and worshipping in their Gurdwaras, and has offered an unbearable
insult to their religious feelings stopping Akhand Path in th e
Gurdwara at Jaito.y

Tension between Patiala and Nabha States. It would th

flood of light upon what the Akalis regard as the real cause f h
deposition of His Highness the Maharaja of Nabha, if w 2 pau h
for a moment and refer to the stranned relations bet\ h two
young neighbouring Sikh rulers, that is, the Maharajas of Nabha and
Patiala. W e can only place together a few outstanding facts bearing
on the extremely unpleasant state of things existing between the
two rulers. In the press Communique No. 212 dated 25th October,
923, the S. G. P. C. record "a phenomenal campaign of dirty

The S.G.P.C. was declared unlawful assembly and all its

executive members were arrested. The Committee was re-formed,
and then the 2nd executive was arrested, and so on. The leaders
were tried for waging war against the King.
fS.G.P.C. Press Communique No. 120.
220 STRUGGLE FOR REFORM IN SIKH SHRIKES

pamphleteering between certain supporters of the Patiala and

Nabha States going on." The Communique speaks of the language
in which both sides have been indulging in the pamphlets as "most
indecent." The Maharajas themselves are not spared. In the view of
the S. G. P. C. a most painful scandal was being perpetrated. The
S. G. P. C. emphatically condemned this "disgraceful campaign and
expected all Sikhs to stamp out this evil by strongly repudiating
it." The Akalis were advised not to read this dirty literature and
not to take part in this campaign of villification by reading or
circulating "any pamphlets of this scandalous character." Both the
Maharajas were also appealed to use their influence to make this
public nuisance impossible.

JAITO (NABHA)

Extention of Nabha Morcha to neighbouring States entails

great strain upon the resources of the S.CP.C. both in men and
money : Dissipation of energy. Fight against several States at
the same time as well as against the British Government in the
Punjab. Leaders arrested and tried for more than three years.
Some including fhe President died in the Jail during the course
of his trial The Akali ferment was not confined to Jaito itself, nor
even to the Nabha State, but like a wild-fire it soon enveloped the
neighbouring Sikh States of Patiala, Jind and Faridkot as well. The
reverations of the agitation were felt in every Sikh State and even
beyond. At Patiala special precautions were taken to prevent any
Sikh Diwans to be held or Nagar-Kirtan processions to be taken
through the streets. On the Nabha day, pickets were placed on all
gates. The local Akalis were made to sign an undertaking that
they would not participate in the organisation of any meeting or
procession. The whole State was in a ferment and crowds of
Akalis marched from the surrounding villages to the neighbouring
towns. At the capital of the State, stringent precautions were
taken and no Jathas frcm the villages were allowed to enter the
town. As soon as a Jatha appeared outside the city it was forcibly
 S T R U G G L E FOR REFORM j N S I K H S H R I N E S 221

dispersed. A t the Patiala railway station there was always an

extraordinary show of police force. Every now and again large
bodies of Police also marched through the city in order to overawe
the people. One Jatha of about 100 villagers was placed undc
arrest because they would not disperse and return home. Pre<
representatives were not allowed to enter the city and those wh
were already there were closely shadowed by the State C.I.D. At
Sirhind (Patiala State) about 200 Akalis were arrested in an attempt
to take part in the Nabha day demonstration. At another place in
the State, namely, Bhawanigarh, the Police came into conflict with
the Akalis. Some 60 Akalis were arrested on the 9th September
*

and many others who were flocking from the surrounding villages
refused to return home but insisted upon being arrested. The
local authorities were in a fix and it is reported that a special
messenger was dispatched to Amritsar to request the committee to
ask these men to go back to their villages. The excitement at
Barnala was even greater than elsewhere in the State. A large
Diwan was held in the Gurdwara at Thikriwala about four miles
from Barnala from where they marched out in a procession. The
Jathedar and five other Akalis were arrested by the Police. The
rest of the assembly refused to be separated from the Jathedar,
with the result that about 250 more men were taken into custody
and then marched to Barnala. The Sikh ladies of the place now
joined in the agitation. They formed a procession of their own
and marched through the streets of Barnala singing hymns shamed
the sight of women passing in'procession through the streets,
hundreds of Sikhs who had not so far participated in the demonstra-
tions came out and joined in the Nabha Day celebrations. Similarly,
a Jatha from Rajpura, which was on its way to Patiala was
intercepted in the way and arrested.
At Sunam (Patiala State) the local Gurdwara, where the Akalis
had intended to celebrate the Nabha Day, was locked up probably
under official orders. The Pujari-in-charge, however, forced open
the door and allowed the Sikhs to assemble in a Diwan. A procession
was afterwards formed but it was stopped at the gate of the town
 222 S T R U G G L E FOR R E F O R M IN SIKH S H R I N E S

by armed police and forcibly dispersed.

The Trouble extends to other States : In the Faridkot State
the President of the Court of Administration had issued a
proclaimation on the previous day prohibiting the State subjects
from participating in the Diwan at Jaito or in any way joining in a
demonstration of sympathy with Maharaja Ripuduman Singh. A
leading local Akali, a member of the S.G.P.C, S. Gurbax Singh, was
sent for by the Superintendent of Police and ordered to prevent any
procession being taken through the streets of the city, but in view
of the clear instructions of the S.G.P.C. which, he said, the people
were determined to follow, he expressed his inability to help the
authorities in the matter. At this Gurbax Singh was taken into
custody as also S. Nand Singh, Jathedar of Faridkot Akali Jatha. At
the same time, orders were issued posting pickets at all the roads
leading into the city. In spite of these precautions, however,
several hundreds of Sikhs assembled at the Faridkot railway station
carrying Guru Granth Sahib. The police and some State officials
were soon on the spot. They took away the Granth Sahib in a
motor car and placed the whole Jatha under arrest. In the evening
they were ordered to disperse but they insisted upon marching in
a procession so long as the 9th of September had not come to an
end. They were, therefore, detained upto the midnight and then
released with the threat of forfeiture of property and imposition of
punitive police. Similarly, a Jatha of Sikhs coming from the
villages of Sikhanwala, Sidri, and Chaihi, were arrested while
proceeding to Faridkot. A religious teacher, Bhai Amar Singh of
Kot Kapura, was also expelled from the State during the period of
his school vacation, as he was helping in religious Diwans in the
State.
The S.G.P-C takes up the question- Jathas of twenty-fire
start for Jaito : From the 15th September, 1923, Akali Jathas of
25 persons each daily started on foot for Jaito after taking the usual
pledge of non-violence in thought and deed before the Akal Takht.
The avowed object of these Jathas was (a) to resume the interrupted
 o

STRUGGLE FOR REFORM IN SIKH SHRlNES 223

Akhand Path at the Gangsar Temple, (b) to suffer in a meek and

humble spirit all hardships and tortures inflicted upon them by
the officials for the sake of establishing the Sikh birth-right of free
congregation and free worship in all Sikh Temples.
But the Nabha authorities did not allow them to proceed to
the Gurdwara. They arrested them, kept them in custody for a few
days, it is said, in very insanitary surroundings; some times severely
beating them and afterwards removed them to a place about 300
miles away where they were left in a peniless condition, to shift
for themselves as best they could. Within a period of seven months
this happened with no less than 5,000 Akali pilgrims."
The First Shahidi Jatha. The Jatha starts with a proclaimed
object: As week followed week in the year 1924 with no tangible
results visible, there was a good deal of the searching of hearts in
Akali circles. Brave and accustomed to a life of extreme hardships, as
m

they were, the domirant feeling among them was that all the sacrifices
the community had made were insufficient and that greater
sacrifices would be required before the authorities could be
moved. "In order to impress the Government and the public about
the depth and sincerity of Sike religious feeling by the intensity
and vastness of Sikh suffering, it was decided that a Jatha of 500
Sikhs remaining perfectly non-violent should walk to Jaito to visit
Gangsar and resume Akhand Path. On the 9th February, 1924, the
day of Basant Anniversary, a solemn pledge for restarting the
"interrupted" Akand Path at Gangsar was taken before Akal Takht.*
The members of the jatha were exhorted by the Jathedar of Akal
Takht to remain perfectly non-violent in thought, word and deed.
It may be mentioned that the members of the Shahidi Jatha were
drawn from all professions and classes and from various parts of
the Panjab.
The Jatha on its way: The Shahidi Jatha started for Jaito
on foot. They evoked tremendous enthusiasm whereever they
*It was timed to reach its destination on February 21, the day of
Nankana Martyrs.
'J24 STRUGGLE FOR R E F O R M IN SIKH S H R I N E S

appeared. At all halting places morning and evening Diwans were

arranged. People from surrounding villages foregathered in large
numbers on these occasions and,as the reports showed,the attendance
was often as large as twenty to twenty-five thousand villagers.
Entering the Faridkot State the Jatha halted at Bargari, on the
20th February. They were now only five or six miles from their
destination. Next day they left for Jaito at 12 noon. It is important
to mention that during the last stage, Dr. Kitchlew, Principal Gidwani
and Mr. Zimand (representative of the "New York Times") also
accompanied the J; tha. Before the Jatha reached the boundary line
of the Nabha State, the State officials stopped the motor car in
which these three gentlemen were seated and showed them the
order restricting admission in to the Gurdwara to bands of fifty
or more. On remonstrance from the occupants of the car, the
*

officials sent a messenger to the Administrator for further orders.

But no repiy came from that quarter. As a matter of fact, the Jathas
of even 25 each were not permitted to enter the Gangsar Gurdwara
before or after the passing of the order restricting the the number
to fifty. Not only this, the feeling of the Sikhs were said to be
awfully hurt to know that the Administrator of Nabha had been
made "a sort of religious Dictator".
Preparations by Authorities: The passage leading to the
Gangsar Gurdwara and the Fort of Jaito had been narrowed by the
State authorities by a barbed wire barrier on one side and a long
row of about 200 chained bollockcarts filled with thorny bushes
c
and masses of barbed wire, on the other. A special barbed wire
enclosure had been erected to serve as a trap for the Shahdi Jatha near
the end of this passage and in the immediate vicinity of the Gangsar
Gurdwara. On the top of the bullock carts and behind them were
men from villages armed with heavey sticks stationed in a triple
row. "Amongst them were a number of policemen from Jhelum
and Attock districts, who had to their credit a brilliant record of
similar services in connection with the Guru-ka-Bagh affair". Near
the Sacred eminence of Tibbi Sahib a platoon of Nabha infantry
 STRUGGLE FOR R E F O R M IN S I K H S H R I N E S 225

had dug their trenches. Beyond Tibbi Sahib there was the camp of
the Faridkot Sappers and Miners with the camp of Col. Minchin
in the middle and with two detachment of cavalry in front of this
camp.
The Jatha approaches its destination. Everything was
now ready for the actual struggle. The Jatha reached the place
where the narrowed passage began and where the cfflcaiis and the
military had taken their position. The Jatha was in rows of four
each, the Granth Sahib being carried in the middle of it. "The
Sikh Sangat walked on both flanks in a calm and devotional mood
keeping well behind the planquin of Guru Granth Sahib out of
reverence. There were many ladies among the Sangat; they were
distributing food and drink to the Sangat."
Order for Firing: At this stage the Administrator ordered
the Jatha to stop, declaring that he would order firing in case they
did not comply. The Jatha continued to move but took a turn to
the right in the direction of Tibbi Sahib. At this the Administrator
gave his signal to open fire by waving a small flag without the
slightest provocation or cause of alarm from the Sikhs.
The Fate of the jatha: "Then followed a scene unique in
the history of the world for the calm restraint, the cool courage,
and a remarkable capacity for suffering in a righteous cause,
displayed by Sikh victims of official fury". The big procession of
the Sikh devotees, that included even women and oldmen, marched
on with their uplifted hands towards their temple under a shower
of bullets. Many of them fell dead or wounded; but lifting them
up, they went straight to Tibbi Sahib. From all sides bullets poured
upon them. A Lewis gun was also fired. A ^buljet^ itruck_a_ cliijcj.
who was in the arms of its mother. The mother placed the dead
child aside and calmly moved_ on_with the ^angat._Another SjJ<h
had'his bowels thrown out by a bullet buj^befo^e expiring he thanked
GocTthat he"hac3 accepted hisjmpure bed^ for_ the^servke .of JH
Faith.1
 22fi STRUGGLE FOR REFORM IN SIKH SHRINES

(1) Allowing for all partisan exaggeration, the account is

gruesome enough to rouse the whole Sikh community.
(2) It needs scarcely be said, that special care was taken to
keep the palanquin carrying the Holy Book in the middle of the
crowd as much as possible of the reach of the stray bullets. Two
vollies were fired with a short interval. The vollies, excluding
the interval, covered five minutes. The Sangat after the firing
entered the enclosure of Tibbi Sahib Gurdwara. Some of them
went to the field, to bring in the wounded and the dead and the
women began to nurse there wounded brethren. The Sikhs were
cheked by the military from removing the dead and the wounded,
and thus many of the wounded died for lack of attendance and
water. The Sikhs placed their dead and the wounded in the Tibbi
Sahib and then marched in the direction of Gangsar but a detach-
ment of cavalry blocked their way. The Sangat was attacked and
scattered by a squadron of cavalry. "This relentless hunt of old
men, children and women resulted in heavy casualities and many
were trampled under the hoofs of the horses." Now the cavalry
and the policemen began to beat the Shahidi Jatha. "Every
member of the Jatha was surrounded by a group of five or six
desperadoes, who encouraged by the State officials plied their sticks
freely beating the heroes of the Shahidi Jatha to senselessness
and tying to tight bundles, with strong ropes, huddled them into
bullock carts to be transported to the barbed wire enclosures."
From the enclosure they were subsequently removed into the
fort.
The few Sikhs that were lingering near the Tibbi Sahib and
the women who were attending to the injured, were outrageously
beaten and arrested. One lady was even abused by the soldiers and
asked to leave the place, and on her refusal was rudely pushed down
the Tibba mound. For 24 hours after the shooting neither the
Sikhs were allowed to attend t o the wounded nor the athorities
themselves rendered any assistance, with the result that many died
for lack of timely assistance.
 *

STRUGGLK FOK REFORM IN SIKH SHRINES 2-7

Attempts made to keep the whole affair in the Dark.

The authorities took special care to prevent the transmission of
reliable reports to the press. Principal Gidwani, Dr. Kitchlew and
Mr. Zimand, correspondent to the New York Times, were stopped
at the boundary, but the/ entered when they heard bullets being
fiired. Dr. Kitchlew and Principal Gidwani entered the State
territory and were arrested. Respectable gentlemen were detain-
ed at the railway station under ciose custody. Among them
were members of the Legislative Assembly (Raizada Hans Raj
and Mr. Shanmukan Chetty), members of the Legislative Council
(Sardar Tara Singh, Vakil of Moga, and Sadar Partap Singh) the
gentlemen detained at the station were packed off from Jaito by
the first available train, regardless of their destination. Jamadar
Partap Singh heard reports of firing. In his opinion two vollies
were fired, which continued for five minutes. The Jamadar said
after the firing, a squadron of cavalry was seen galloping and a
little later charging of the people in the distance. A photographer
who was taking some photographs was severely lashed by a
European officer who ordered some soldier to turn him out of the
State territory. The photographer reported that the same officer
\

mercilessly whipped a Sikh lady who did not get up from behind a
bush under his orders.
Casualties : The exact number of casualties could not be
ascertained as the scene of tragedy was made practically inaccessible.
According the S. G. P. C. reports there were 300 casualties includ-
ing about 100 deaths. But the Government reported the low
figures of 21 dead and 33 wounded. The S. G. P. C. claimed to
possess proofs to show the falsity of the official estimates.
"Twenty two dead bodies were cremated near the fort with ten
tins of kerosene oil. Again, according to the testimony of respect-
able eye-witnesses, a large number of dead bodies were packed
in boxes and removed by train to some unknown destination.
The cavalry men snatched away the dead bodies form those who
were taking them to villages. The three doctors from Amritsar
reported that they saw 45 wounded at Jaito, 22 of whom were sent to
 22S STRUGGLE FOI: I I FOKM I N SI Pill SHRINKS

Ferozepore in their presence. This they saw in one of the camps

only. The number of bounded sent to Ferozepore rose to 38.
From the bodies of 13 Sikhs 16 bullets were extracted, out of which
five were Lewis gun bullets. The number of people that were
arrested at Jaito en this occasion was more than 700. *
How the First Shahidi Jatha fared after the Occur ance
of February 21* 1924. The seven hundred (constituting the
Shahidi Jatha of the Sangat) were arrested and imrisoned in an
enclosure hardly sufficient to accomodate even one-third the
number. Food and clothing was awfully deficient. Some were
severely beaten and intimidated to sign statements in accordance
with the version of the authorities. "After about a month the
0

prisoners were removed to the Fort at Bawal by a train which ran

through most of the stations over a line of 300 miles. There
they were kept in very insanitary conditions, the site allotted to
them had been used as stable. One of the tottering roofs fell
down, but no casuafity occured as none was there at the time.
.They got food only once a day, and even this was nearly half-
cooked with the result that forty of the prisoners fell ill. They
v/ere detained for about two months without any case being
started or any charge having been proved against them. Then
some of them were let off, a few at a time. They again sought
to reach Gangsar. On April 17, 60 of such prisoners reached
Jaito and v/ere "beaten so severely that three of them died and
more than a dozen received serious injuries".
The treatment meted out to Dr. Kitchlew was most humiliat-
ing. He was hand-cuffed and had to walk up to the Railway
Station while being removed to Nabha. He was given very
dirty food and it was offered to him in the most objectionable
* I repeat what I have said before that the above narrative
is based mainly on Akali sources of information which are likely
to err on the side of partiality but the picture that emerges even
a'ter reasonable allowances are made is dismal and distressing in the
extreme.
 *

S T K U G G L E FOR REFORM IN S I K H SHRINES 229

manner. He refused it and preferred to do without it for a whole

day when he was permitted to have his own food. He was locked
in a solitary cell and even his wife could only see him after a
good deal of unnecessary trouble and delay. He remained under
detention for about a month.
A similar treatment was meted out to Principal Gidwani
who remained in the Nabha lock-up for a longer time.
The Second Shahidi Jatha. The •SecondBShahidi Jatha *
started on the February, was estimated that about
forty thousand people had assembled to bid farewell to the Jatha
The Sikh religious sentiment was at its highest pitch at the time
nd th Sikh f all classes, ranks and professions displayed ar\i
age y for enlistment in this Jatha. A Sikh from a
bouring village sent h wife d hild to h father-in -law
it was reporced, and setting fire to his house started for Jaito with
a h Anoth Sikh wh was g chance t i

th d h plained that even th Sikh had beg tot

how partiality as they we g their own relations b
would not g h an opportunity to ende service to the/
G S h
>f is kind we o
rded was said th
some Sikhs befo g for Jaito wrote out th wills be-
queathing all h property to the S. G. P. C. when th ! wife of/
th Sikh ded h husband h departure for Jaito thatf
h two sons we ly ill, he said, "th is eno Jgh of fuel.
in store to b th Many Sikh thers, wives d r
garlanded their sons, husband d broth d gave them
g d-off to Jaito." A th whose eld t son had fall
in th fi Shahidi Jatha, garlanded her second for th S
Shahidi latha and d to h "Dear son, fight the battle of y
Panth d bl y r moth with the h fi Th
Jathedar of Akal Takht advised the Jatha "to remain perfectly
non-violent and to face bullets and all sorts of severities.'
There vsere about 3 dozen Nirmala Sadhus accompanying the Jatha
with a batch prepared for medical assistance. Large crowds
flocked throughout the route to offer greetings and sweets to the
 230 STRUGGLE FOR REFORM IN SIKH S H R I N E S

Jatha, but the S. G. P. C. had asked the Sangat not to accompany

the Jatha to Jaito. The following statement was issued :
"The Secord Shahidi Jatha which will leave Akal Takht
tomorrow, the 28th February, to resume Akhand Path
at Jaito is deeply pained at the loss of life and the
injuries sustained by the Sangat (congregation) which
accompanied the first Shahidi Jatha on the 21st February
out of love and reverence. As the basic idea of these
Shahidi Jathas is to confine all sufferings only to
themselves, therefore they earnestly wish that the Sangat
should not suffer on their account. On the request of
*
this jatha the Jathedar of Akal Takht decided to enjoin
en all Sikhs the duty of refraining from accompanying
the Jatha on its march. All people of villages by
which the jatha passes should content themselves,
so ran the directions, by bidding farewell to the Jatha
just outside their villages and should not march on
with the Jatha so that it might reach its destination
attended by no body except doctors, press reporters
and such other few indispensable helpers. The cause is
so sacred that the Sikhs should learn to control even
the legitimate apprehensions of their heart that the
Nabha authorities may not invent any story about
their going with the Jatha," According to the corres- •
pondent of the Civil and Military Gazette "the Jatha
was successful in persuading many followers from
following it across the Nabha border."
Attempt at Reconcilliation, "On March 14, Pandit Madan
Mohan Malaviya, Sardars Gulab Singh, Kartar Singh, Mr. D. P.
Sinha, M. L.As and Messers Rangaswami lyenger, Vedmurti and
M. S. Bhatt, members of the Council of State, arrived from Delhi
at 7.30 a.m. Three Punjab Councillors nominated by the Punjab
Government had reached on the previous day." The Punjab
K. L. Cs were Messrs. Jawahar Singh, Maqbul Mahmud and Duli i
 STRUGGLE FOR REFORM IK SIKH S H R I N E S 231

Chand. All of them had a long conversation with the Administra-

tion lasting till about II O'clock. During this time Pandit
Malaviya and party visited the Gurdwara-Gangsar also and saw
how many people could be accomodated in the Gurdwara. The
2nd Shahidi jatha had vowed to complete 101 Akhand Paths in
the Gangsar Gurdwara. Malaviyaji suggested to the Administrator
t

that it would take ten"* months to complete the 101 Paths and
only 3-1 3 months if the Akhand Piths were started t'~ree at a
time. But the Administrator refused to allow ten months or.
even three months for an "attack", as he called it, on the State
territory by the the outsiders. He could give them only one
• week to finish the 101 Paths that may be started all at once or
50 at a time, and that the settlement could be reached and the
Jatha admitted into the Gurdwara, if the Malaviyaji could give
the administrator such an assurance on behalf of the S. G. P. C.
This, of course, Panditji was not in a position to do. Panditji
emphasised that the jatha should be allowed to enter the Gurdwara
unconditionally as it had been pledged to start the Akhand Path,
and negotiations should be carried on with the S. G. P. C. Panditji
hoped that the S. G. P. C. could be persuaded to finish the 101
Akhand Paths within a short time, if the Jatha were given religious
liberty to start the Akhand Paths unconditionally. But Mr, Johnston
could not be so persuaded. The only difference of opinion between
the parties related to the question of time during which the
readings were to be completed.
Panditji and party left the Administrator and went to Bargan to
meet the Jatha and ascertain their view-point.
On both sides of the road by which the Jatha was expected
to come to Gangsar, armed soldiers were posted as if they were
going to meet the attack of a powerful enemy.
Panditji and the party meet the Jatha. Panditji and
party met the jatha on the way to Gangsar. The Jatha was
preceded by large numbers of State cavalry and infantry. Panditji
was told that the Jatha intended to start the Akhand Path on that
Z32 STRUGGLE TDK REFORM IN SIKH S H R I N E S

very day. The/ had no intention to hold simultaneous Akhand

Paths, but they were always prepared to obey the orders of the
Akal Takht.
Panditji and party came back to Mr. Johnston and tried t o
persuade him to extend the time limit. He said that he himself
could not act independently, but he again demanded from Panditji
the guarantee of time, without consulting the S. G. P. C.
Thereupon the gentlemen who had come from Delhi wrote to
the Administrator expressing their own views on the question at
issue. S. Jawahar Singh and Ch. Duli Chand were also requested
to sign this letter ; bu: they refused to do so. The letter was
sent to Mr, Johnston, but he refused to receive it at that time.
Jatha reaches Jailo- The Jatha reached Jaito at 3. 30 p. m.
the Administrator told the men that he would let them enter the
#

Gurdwara provided they were prepared to leave the Gurdwara

after the first Akhand Path was over, and await the result of the
negotiations with the Akal Takht (The Administrator had been
told by the Jatha that Akal Takht and not the S. G. P. C. was the
proper authority to enter into negotiations for a settlement).
The Akalis of the Jatha rejected this proposed solution, as
they had pledged to finish 101 Akhand Paths, but they were
-prepared to obey any further order'from the Akal Takht.
After the Jatha had refused to agree to any compromise that
was not strictly conformable to their pledge, they were placed
under arrest. They were then led into a pen inside the fort taking
the Granth Sahib also with them.
Two press reporters accompanying the jatha. On its arrival
they were put under arrest. One of them was a representative of
the Bande Matram.
The official communique stated that Jatha had consented "to
be arrested pending negotiations." But this was refuted by the
special correspondent of the 7'ribune. The correspondent explained
to Mr. Johnston that the official communique did not correctly
state the facts. Mr. Johnston readily accepted version of the special
correspondent.
 '

S T R U G G L E fOR REFORM IN S I K H S H R I N E S 233

A few days after the arrest the Jatha was removed to a forest
in the neighbourhood of Nabha and interned there in very insanitary
and unhygienic conditions. An insult was offered to the Sikhs
sentiment by placing the Granth Sahib in a brake van packed with
miscellaneous parcels.
The Third Sahidi Jatha. The third Shahidi Jatha started
from the Akal Takht on March 22 ; This Jatha too had taken the
vow of re-starting the 'interrupted' Akhand Path as their declared
object. Among those who we're present at the time of the starting
of the Jatha were Lala Lajpat Rai, Dr. Kitchelew, Mr. Phookhan
of Assam, Dewan Daulat Rai, C.I.E., of Rawalpindi, Diwan Chaman
Lai, M.L.A., Mr. Deep Narain Singh of Patna and Mr. KM. Panikar.
There was a huge crowd numbering many thousands assembled at
the Durbar Sahib to give the Jatha a becoming send off
The Jatha started in the midst of the usual enthusiasm and
the religious songs and shouts common on such occasions at about
mid-night. The Jathedar of Akal Takht read the Hukamnama to
the Jatha to the effect that they were to resume the 'interrupted'
Akhand Path at Gangsar and observe complete non-violence in
thought, word and action.
The Jatheder of this Shahidi Jatha had been in Government
Service. He came forward and was presented a sword of honour
with loud cheers. "Then his second and third in command under-
went the same ceremony."
Besides five hundred volunteers, a separate kitchen, a special
ambulance crops under the charge of a qualified doctor, and
provisions for the way accompanied the Jatha.
In the way the Jatha was received everywhere with great
enthusiasm. Mr. Panikar, Secretary, Akali Sahaik Bureau, spent a
da/ with the Jatha at Jagraon. He was much struck with the
enthusiasm amongst the Sikh masses and the sympathy of the Hindu
and Muhammadan public. Mr. Panikar bore testimony to the fact
that the Akali movement was backed by the Sikh masses and that
it was not a sectional movement. To quote his own words :
234 STRUGGLE FOR REFORM IN S I K H S H R I N E S

4<
From whatever I saw about the Jatha and the procession,
I was convinced that whatever Government might say the
Sikh community in the rural parts is behind the Akali
movement to a man. It is not a sectional movement, The
respect that the S.G.P.C. commands from the villagers is
unique Secondly, what struck me was the fact that
Hindus and Mussalmans were very sympathetic towards the
Jatha. It has been said by Government that the villagers on
the way were being harrassed by the Sikhs for provisions
and supplies. This is certainly not true voluntary
offerings from Sikh gentry pour in wherever the Jatha halts...
Hindus and Mussalmans have made substantial contri-
M
butions
4*
The thing that was prominently noticeable about the
crowd was the extraordinary high percentage of men in
Khaddar clothes. The Akali movement has given a great
impetus to Khaddar. Every man, woman and child who
accepts the lead of the S.G.P.C. has discarded foreign cloth."
"The education value of the Jathas, both from the Sikh
religious point of view and from the national point of view, is
great. The present Jatha is traversing an area which is politically
backward and the meaning of nonviolence it carried is reaching
homes and hearths which have so far been uninfluenced by the
current nationalism. The idea that communal feelings are being
disturbed by the demonstrations which are disliked by the Hindus
and Mussalmans has no foundation whatsoever. I found the Hindu
population in the villages sympathetic towards the Jatha and anxious
to serve in whatever way they can."
An account of the arrest of the third Shahidi Jatha on the 7th
April, 1924, has been presented by Sardar Tara Singh and Mian
Fazal Haq, M.L.Cs to the S.G.P.C. a summary of it is given below :
S. Tara Singh and Mian Fazal Haq arrived at Tibbi Sahib
before the arrival of the Jatha and joined S. Kartar Singh,
M.L.A. and L. Izat Rai of Faridkot State who were alread
 STRUGGLE FOR KEFCRM IN SIKH S1IRIM.S 235

there. A large number of cavalry and infantry had taken their

position when the Jatha approached near.. The State
authorities were standing ahead of the cavalry. They met the
Jatha at 4.53 p.m. The Jatha looked cheerful and was busy
In ' ** Satnam, Satnam, Satnamji ; Wahiguru, Wahiguru,
Wahiguruji." [
"Batches of Akalis were handcuffed with ropes and were
removed by the Police to the" Fort. All the Akalis excepting
eight of them that were in charge of the Palanquin with Guru
Granth Sahib in it were arrested by the evening. Then these
•

eight sewadars were later replaced by State people and they

were arrested."
A few days later the Akali prisoners of the third Shahidi Jatha'
also were removed to the Jungle in the vicinity of Nabha. There
•

they , were kept in very Insanitary conditions and as a consequence

m

of that two of them died. Some of the Akalis who tried to attend '
I

the cremation ceremony of these dead companions were severely

belaboured, so much so, that some fractures were reported to
have occurred. '' • •J
The Fourth Shahidi Jatha. This jatha started from Anandpur
Sahib on the morning of March 27, 1924. -The. ceremonies in
connection with the departure of this Jatha were the same as in
the previous cases. The Jatha was to reach Jaito on the 18th of
April after traversing the whole Doaba on foot.
«
*

The police had tried to dissuade people from joining the

reception of this Jatha, but it was all in va-in: The Jatha reached
Jaito on Aprlf 18th. It was handcuffed by ropes in groups of 6 and
*

removed to Nabha by train.

The Fifth Shahidi Jatha- The Fifth Shahidi Jatha started
from' Lyallpur on the 12th April, 1924-Balsakhi Day. In spite of
the difficulties put in the way by the Government the Jatha while
on its way to Amritsar received the usual enthusiastic reception
, wherever they appeared. The Jatha was ,to reach Amritsar on the
26th April, was to proceed to Jaito on May 1st, reaching there on May
21st, 1924. It completed its journey without any incident and on
236 STRUGGLE FOR REFORM IN SIKH S E R I N E S

arrival at its destination the men were treated exactly as the

members of the previous Jathas were.
We feel that this rapid sketch of the Nabha happenings is far
from adequate to give anything like a faithful picture of the Akali
struggle there, but obviou'sly it is impossible for us to provide a
longer or fuller narration of the bloodcurdling conflicts that had
continued for very nearly ten months between the Akalis and the
authorities of the Nabha State.
The movement dragged on for some time more until it was
brought to an end by a compromise arranged by some moderate
Sikhs. It was clear that both the parties were tired of the long-
drawn struggle, and wanted to come to some understanding, which
could take the form of a Gurdwara Bill only. At last in 1925 the
Gurdwara Act acceptable to Sikhs was passed and the Akali
leaders who were being tried in the Lahore Fort for waging war
against the King were released.
 BIRDWOOD NEGOTIATIONS
June, 1924.

For sometime past negotiations had been going on between the

Government and some of the Sikh leaders about the settlement
I

of the Akali problem. These parleys were being conducted through

General Birdwood who is known for his popularity with the Sikh
troops. The Government have now (June 1924) issued a communique
announcing that the conversations have been abandoned as no
agreement has been reached as regards the preliminaries. The
Sikhs, on the other hand, accuse Government of breaking their
faith with them and going back upon their plighted word. This is
a serious charge. The Sikhs have also issued a statement in reply
to the communique of the Government in which they review "the
whole situation, They state that on August 17, Sardars Jodh
Singh and Narain Singh, both members of the Punjab Legislative
Council, met General Sir William Birdwood and Mr. Craik,
chief Secretary Punjab Government on the 17th April, 1924
at Government House. They also interviewed the leaders in
the Lahore Fort and told them that the Government was seriously
anxious to settle the Nabha, Jaito, Gurdwara Legislation and
Kirpan questions. After some time, some hitch arose about the
Nabha question which was then left open and the Government
and the Sikh representatives proceeded to find a solution of the
remaining questions. A document was actually drawn up by
which the Government agreed to release the Akali prisoners
including those under trial and those arrested inconnection with
the Jaito affairs. The Sikh Councillors brought the draft agreement
to the S.G.P.C. who made some ordinary changes in it.
The work before the Birdwood Committee. Politics is a
game of chance and it is not necessarily the cleverest man who
wins. But there are certain principles of the game which can not
238 STRUGGLE FOR REFORM IN SIKH S H R I N E S

well be lost sight of. This is specially the case when the players
are situated as in the game which is being played before us in
this country ; a small very able and well-knit but a self-willed and
I

alien bureaucracy on one side, and millions of men and women,

weak and disorganised, but sensitive both to feelings of gratitude
-
and resentment at an insult, and filled with the pride of their past,
on the other. No insult is felt more keenly than that which is
implied in the words "Oriental diplomacy" as used by European
writers and statesmen. What are those principles which it is
necessary for players in the political game to bear in mind I One
is the straight playing. It so happens that the real interest of both
i

parties in the present case are identical. But the pity of it is that
the parties donot think so. And an attempt is very often made to
over-reach the other party. The other principle is that building up
a dam is not necessarily the best method of stopping a flood. It
may conceivably be the worst. And is any flood more dangerous
and more irresistible in its onward march than the rapid moral
awakening of a people smarting under a deep sense of its weakness
and halplessness to set its own house in order ? If a father does
not know from little acts of wilfulness and 'rebellion' on the pare
of his child, rapidly growing into the consciousness of manhood
and self-raliance, that the time has come for him to withdraw his
direct guidance and governing, and depend in future upon such,
indirect influence as he may be capable of exercising upon the
life and well-being of his son—if a man has not learnt these
elementary principles of parenthood, he may be sure there is no
end of trouble in store for him.
This is rather a long pre-amble for what we want to say
about the Birdwood Committee and the work immediately before
it. But it is really not the Birdwood Committee, not even the
settlement of the present dispute between the Government and the
Akalis, which is the root of the matter and for which the
whole of this long, painful game is being played. The thing
really at issue is : does the Government realize that there has
been a tremendous psychological change in the people—a mental
 STRUGGLE FOR REFORM IN SIKH SHRIKES 239

and moral awakening which accompanies national adolescence and

is the most pronounced as also the healthiest sign of it ? The
Akali awakening is only one particular aspect of the national
self-consciousness and self-assertion, which Government often
calls 'Sedition', 'Rebellion* and so forth. Whether people say so
in so many words or not, they feel that because the Govern-
ment is alien, foreign and selfish, their treatment towards them
is stepmotherly and unsympathetic. They want domination, not
co-operation. They aim at continued exploitation, and not co-
partnership. That is the whole trouble.
As soon as those differences, which we often told are
due merely to the highly sensitive and suspecious nature of us
Indians, are removed the Akali trouble will disappear like mist
before the rising sun. And not till then, whatever the settle-
•

ment, the trouble will raise its head again in one form or
another. For, by their temperament, their past traditions,
history and training and the consciousness of the immense services
*

which the Sikhs have rendered to Government, the Akalis-those

that offer themselves for the protection of the Panth in times
of distress and danger-have felt the stirrings of the new life
more keenly than perhaps the other sections of the Indian people.
All that they ask for is the right of free worship in their own
temples managed by a duly elected representative body. The
Muhammadans are not concerned with the matter at all. The
differences with the Hindus are not vital and can be settled
without difficulty. Why should the Government stand in their
way ? Have they not proved their earnestness and their sincerity
by their unthinkable sfferings borne with a patience and even
cheerfulness without a parallel in the world ? And they are
still suffering. Stories that are in circulation, but are not published,
broadcast, show that some of the worst incidents of the Guru-
ka Bagh affair are being repeated elsewhere. This may or may
not be quite true. But they are videly credited to be true—
thanks mainly to the absence of Press correspondents at Bhai
 I

240 S T R U G G L E FOR REFORM IN S I K H SHRINES

Pheru and Jaito. The Government might think that the Secrecy
which is being maintained now is helping them. Far from it,
things are being said and believed which one would not dream
of being true. But the Government alone is responsible for it.
They denied the non-violent character of the Akalis at Guruka-
Bagh to which tens of thousands of persons were eyewitnesses.
On one pretext or another they refused discussion of the
happenings in the Legislative Assembly as well as in the local
Council. Scores of spectators were robbed in open day light by
the police near Chhina bridge in the presence of a European
officer. An Official enquiry was held, but the result was not
made known. In both cases, the incidents were wicnessed by
some of the most respectable men among the Indians. The
memory of these happenings can never be effaced. Only an open
expression of regret can soothe the wounded feelings of the Sikhs
in particular and the rest of India in general. The fault of the
Akalis was at the very worst technical ; that of the Government
moral. The remedy they applied was like building up a dam in
front of an advancing flood. In all such matters kindness com-
bined with timely concession go a much longer way than coercion.
But this the alien bureaucracies can never understand. At Jaito,
v
again many lives have been lost. There are two completely
comflicting versions of the happenings there as regards most
vital issues. The statement published by Mr. Zimand the
American Journalist, who saw the Jatha and the crowd of specta-
tors only half an hour or so before the firing began supports
the popular version on all important points. Months have passed.
The Legislative Assembly and the Punjab Council have both
clamoured aloud for an open and an independent enquiry. It
was refused on the plea that the incidents took place in a Native
State. Whatever we may think of this plea, cannot the late Lord
Chief Justice of England, Lord Reading, find a way consistent
with the "law" of the land to hold an enquiry which would
satisfy Indian public opinion ? Can England take just pride in
such "laws"? Any law that goes against the eternal laws of
 feTRUGCLE FOR REFORM tN SIKttsHRINES 241

humanity is not worth much. Supposing one of the many killed

at Jaito'was a white man—no matter an Englishman* or a German,
or a Russian—what would have happened ? Would not the whole
•civilized* world tremble till the truth of the matter was sifted out?
It is questions like these which are being asked and answered
not only by Akalis but by human beings all over the world. It
is questions like these which the Birdwood Committee should be
abla to answer if it is to settle the Akali trouble once for all.
Indiarts have never been slow to acknowledge their indebted-
ness for what noble minded Englishmen have done or tried to
do for their couhtry. To mention only one instance, after the
lapse of forty years and in spite of subsequent experiences of a
quite different type of rulers, the name of Lord Kipon is never
uttered but with the greatest respect and gratitude*
 September, 1924.
* •

Nankana Sahib
A serious situation has been created by the order of Court
appointing a Receiver for all the lands belonging to the Shrine.
This means the beginning of a Morcha, at Nankana.
The Akalis are considering the new situation. As a preliminary
step they have sent a small Jatha of 50 men to Nankana where it
reaches on September, Ist, 1924. Big posters are being distributed
by Akali Committee asking men, women and even children to be
ready for all sacrifice. A five-anna fund has been started for
meeting the larger expenses in this connection.
Morcha—Great enthusiasm in Sikh circles aiready prevails.

*
 /ol : V
Ociober, 924

The Al all Movement

Baba Kartar Mngh Bedi's P e n a n c e
Baba Kartar Singh Bedi i. a son of late Baba Sir Khem Singh
Bedi of Rawalpindi, a most influential religious leader of the Sikhs
in northern India. Baba Kar ir Singh is also a big landlord in the
Montgomery district. He wa one of the intimate associates of
Mahant Narain Das of Nankana. It was he who called the famous
Conference at Lahore at th 2 Patiala House opposite Punjab
Government House. This Conference was intended to offer
effective resistance to the G jrdwara Reform Movement of the
Sikhs. The conference was held on the 19th and 20th February,
1921, that is just a day before the Nankana massacre. The
Akalis were sore against Baba Kartar Singh and he was contemp-
tuously spoken of as Kartaru Bedin (the faithless Kartaru). His
effigy was burnt in public. A li.tkatnnami (or a Bull) oi Akal
?'akht declared him as Tank'iahia, that is one who had com-
mitted an offence against :ie community. Such offences made a
$ <h a sort: of religious outcast in the community. No Gurdwara
would accept offerings from him
For more than three year: Bedi Kartar Singh did not mind
the "Bull" of the Akal Takht. But on he wrote to the S.G.P.C.
offering his submission. They aid, that he should appear before
the Akal Takht and surrender himself. This he did on May 23rd,
1924 He was asked to do two things by way of penance befo
the Tankha could be removed ; viz., I. that he should clean the
shoes of the Sangat at the Dirbar Sahib, and 2. that he should
ndertakea pilgrimage on to t from Akal Takht (Amritsar) to
Nankana Sahib, a distance of i.bout sixty miles. The first sewa
:44 S T R U G G L E FOR R M M IN S I K H S H R I N E S

he did at once. Coming out of t;he Temple, he cleaned the shors

of the worshippers lying on the fl i form of the Clock Tower with
his handkerchief. He did not mere!' brush them, but took up each
pair one after another and cleaned It with great faith and love.
;
This act of penance created a gres;: mpression at the time. It w
witnessed by hundreds of men and women. But the second penance
still remained. Further difficulties and trials presented themselves.
Owing to his position and services t > Government, he wcs Honcrai y
Lieutenant in the British army ; h<! vas also a Civil Judge and an
*

Honorary Magistrate. The Gover'meit was far from pleased at

the idea of the second item of the p« nance, the more so as the Akiii
organisations had been declared mlawful associacion. He was
asked to resign his office in the army before he accepted to subrr.:•:
himself to the humiliation of offering penance. Similar pressure-
was put upon him to maintain the dignity of his honorary ofifia ">.
But he struck to his resolve and rcvnquished all the honours ar«d
distinctions and faithfully went thro igh the prescribed penance from
beginning to the end.

• • » •» •!-
 o

The A kali Movement

Akali Leaders Case
Crown versus S. B. Mehtab Singh and others. The very
serious Nabha happenings had convinced the authorities that they
* •

would soon have to come to grips with the Akalis who v^ere
I

becoming a powerful and well-organized community, closely knit

together by an intense religious sentiment that was being
nourished and fostered by the present movement, particularly
through the agency of hundreds of Gurdwaras spread like a net-
work all over the Province. By the end of September 1923,
the stage seems to have been set for taking a decisive step
against the S. G. P. C , the source and fountain head of the
quasi-military activities that had caused the Government so much
trouble and anxiety since the appearance of Mahatma Gandhi
with his non-co-operation movement in 1919. The association,
as they thought, of thesa two powerful forces was ominous.
The time for effectively dealing with the Akaiis was
opportune. The Mahatma with tens of thousands of his admirers
.nd co-workers had now been safely lodged behind prison bars,
K
while after the Mooltan disturbances of the previous year both
the Hindus and Muslims had not only been greatly weakened
but were at the moment busy settling their accounts with
each o~'-rr.
/ , editorial note in the semi-official organ the ( / U/kU
Military Gazette of the 2nd October, i 923. left no doubt on
the public mind that something very serious was brewing and
that they might hear about it at a no distant date. After
referring to "the blatantly political moves" of the Akalis, the
Anglo-Indian Journal wrote:
"This long continued campaign of mendacity and
incitement is obviously having the most serious effect on
the whole Sikh community and things have gone so far
 *

246 STRUGGLE FOR REFORM IN SlfcH SHRIKES

that there is small hope of averting the gravest cov.e*

quences unless the organizers of the agitation are
brought to book for their mischief-making."
Always on the lock out for things to come, as a soldierly
community engaged upon a serious business may be expected to
be, the Akalis seem to have read the signs of the times more
correctly than the public''at large. Calling the observation of
the Anglo-Indian journal as "significant," a communique issued
by the S. G. P. C. asked : "Is it setting the stage for the
coming drama of the suppression of the S. G. P. C. as an
unlawful association?" These were prophetic words. Almost
immediately after the communique was issued, a criminal case was
started against a large number of Sikh leaders who had been
taking part in the Guru-ka-Bagh affair and, generally, in the Sikh
agitation which arose immediately after the non-co-operation
movement was inaugurated in the Panjab. The Sikh leaders were
*

accused of conspiracy, sedition and waging war against the King.

All the members of the Executive Committee of the S. G. P. C.
and Akali Dal along with office men (about 60 in number)
were arrested at one sweep at dead of night on October 12.
The complaint was -filed against them in the case Crown versus
S. B. Mehtah Singh ard others under Section 120, 121 A and
124 A, I. P. C. also Section 17(1) and 17(22) of the Act 14 of
1908. The case was filed on the 15th October. 1923 by Mr. V. W.
Smith, O. B. E., Superintendent of Police on behalf of the
Government. The plaint covers no less than 36 printed foolscap
pages and sets out in great detail th» activities of the Akalis during
the previous three years. The accused numbered 58, but one
or two further batches were added to them after a few days.
The bist includes all the prominent members of the S. G. P. C.
and the Akali Dai as also a few of the more prominent minis-
terial officials, especially those who were in charge of the confiden-
tial work of the S. G. P. C *
T h e plaint -gives considerable details of~the meetings
(Continued)
 STRtKClE 1CR KtFORM IN SIKH SHRINES 247

The case lasted for about eighteen months and came to an

end on the 13th March, 1925. Only some of the accused were
represented in court by Counsel for them, but a large number
refused to be so represented being non-co-operators. The
principal counsel for the accused were Raizada Bhagat Ram, Lala
Raghunath Sahahi and Sardar Sant Singh of Lyallpur. The
complainant was Mr. V. W . Smith, O. B. E., Superintendent,

(Continued from the last Page)

and other activities of the Akali movement. The following are
the names of the Chief accused in the case : I. S. B. Mehtab
Singh. 2. S Teja Singh, 3. S. Bhag Singh (Vakil), 4. Prof. Bawa
Harkishan Singh, 4. Giani Sher Singh, 6. Master Tara Singh, 7.
Prof. Teja Singh, 8. S. Hari Singh of Jullundur, 9. Capt. Ram
Singh, 10. Bhagat Jaswant Singh, I I . S. Gopal Singh Sagri, 12.
Master Mehtab Singh, B. A., 13. Risaldar Sunder Singh, 14. S.
Mangal Singh, ex-editor of Akali* '5. S. Teja Singh, of Ghavind,
16. S. Teja Singh of Chuharkana, 17. S. Dan Singh, 18. S. Bakshish
Singh, 19. Sodhi Pritam Singh, 20. Prof. Narinjan Singh 2 I . S . Sewa
Singh, 22. S. Mit Singh Canadian, 23. S. Nanak Singh, 24. Risaldar
Ranjodh Singh, 25. S. Gopal Singh Qaumi, B. A., 26. S. Narain Singh,
Barrister, 27. S. Gurdit Singh, 28. S. Amar Singh, 29. S. Harbans
Singh, 30. S. Bal Singh, 31. S. Tripat Singh, 32. S. Surmukh
Singh Jhabbal, 33. S. Piara Singh alias Karm Singh, 34. S. Sahib
Singh, B. A., 35. S. Kishan Singh, 36. S. Teja Singh of Amritsar, 37.
S. Kirpal Singh, 38. S. Gyan Singh, 39. S. Dalip Singh, 40.
Bhai Kartar Singh, 41. S. Mangal Singh, 42. Bhai Prem Singh,
43. Bhai Lahora Singh, 44. Bhai Dharm Singh, 45. Bhai Gurbaksh
Singh, 46. Bhai Man Singh, 47. Bhai Nand Singh, 48. Bhai Gurdit
Singh, 49. Bhai Harnam Singh, 50. Bhai Man Singh typist, 51.
S. Gurcharan Singh, 52. S. Gurbakhsh Singh, 53. S. Rai Singh Alias
Daljit Singh, 54.JiJ$oha^Singh Josh^55. S, Narinjan Singh, 56. S.Santa
Singh, 57. S. Hari Singh, editor Akali* 58. S. Gurdit Singh editor,
Nation-
Note : Reproduced from the S. G. P. C. communique No. 120.
24S S T R U G G L E FOR R E F O R M IN SIKH SHRINKS

CID. Th'i crown was represented by Mr. Pettman and

R. B. Jawala Pershad (Public Prosecutor). The proceedings of the
case wer3 followed w i t h great interest throughout the province,
the accused being mostly leading members of the S. G. P. C. or
committees of important Gurdwaras or office bearers of Shiromani
Akali Dal or the Central Sikh League or other important Sikh
organisations and institutions.
On the 18th October, 1923, that is only a fortnight after
the ominous paragraph had appeared in the C. & M. Gazette,
the S. G. P. C. was declared an unlawful body throughout the
province. Two days later, the newspapers in the Punjab were
warned not to give publicity to the communiques of the unlaw-
ful body. The Akali leaders began to be arrested. On their
own part, the members of the unlawful body marched in procession
rather ostentatiously through the thoroughfares of Lahore, Amritsar
and other towns inviting the Government, and particularly the
Governor who was then about to open the new Council, to arrest
them.* O f course the object of the Government in declaring the
S. G. P. C. as an unlawful body and arresting al! the prominent
leaders was to paralyse the aggressive activities of the Akalis.
In this object they failed completely. On the 19th November,
1923, or exactly one month after the declaration of the S.G.P.C.
as an unlawful body, its place was taken by a new organization
under the name of the Akali Sahaik Bureau with headquarters at
Amritsar to carry on the Jaito campaign. This was not all.
To the Jaito morcha was now added another at Bhai Pheru,
where on the first day 32 Akalis were arrested, followed in
subsequent days by daily jathas of 25 men. More important
still, the Jaito struggle instead of fizzling out or even
suddenly collapsing became very much more vigorous and
dangerous than before. On the 9th February the first
Shahidi Jatha of no less than 500 Akalis started from Amritsar to
Nabha. Altogether ten shahidi jathas were despatched before a
halt was called. On the 21st February 1924, the Jatha reached
 o

STRUfiCI.l. FOR RKFORM IN SI] i! s i l l ; I N ; S 2 P

Jaito when it was fired upon by order of the Nabha Administrator

resulting in the death of men. Far f r o m deterring the Akalis or
their leaders, a second Shahidi jatha left Amritsar f o r Jaito only
a week after what is known as the jaito massacre. The jatha reached
Jaito on the 14th March 1924 and was peacefully arrested. Eight
days later the t h i r d Shahidi Jatha was on its way from Amritsar
to Jaito. The tenth Shahidi Jatha reached Jaito on the evening of
the 18th August and was arrested Without much trouble.
The case covered the whole ground f r o m the tirre the
Gurdwara reform movement began in the Punjab and particularly
since the formation of the S.G.P.C. as the Central organized
executive body of the community in whose name and, in fact,
•

under whose direct control and guidance all the activities //ere
carried oh. The plaint is a most interesting document and contains
information about the disturbed condition of the province which
it would be difficult to find collected in a conveniently available
f o r m anywhere else. Sometimes even small boys formed them-
selves into bands for propaganda and other activities, it was alleged,
under the direction of Akali leaders.
The judgement in the case was delivered by the trying
Magistrate, Nawab Aslam Hayat Khan, on March 13, 1924. Sardar
Bahadur Mehtab Singh, Baghat Jaswant Singh, S. Narain Singh,
S. Rivel Singh and Baba Kehr Singh" were each sentenced to
simple imprisonment for six month and I 6 days, commencing f r o m
the date of their arrest and expiring at the rising of the ccurt.
Bhai Sahib Singh was acquitted. A very large number of men
were serving their terms o\ imprisonment with hard labour for one
thing or another in connection with the movement, i : is difficult
to describe how deeply ruffied were the feelings of the Akalis as a
body, wherever they happened t o hear of the treatment of their
Tellow believers who were no// serving terms of imprisonment in

"Prof. Teja Singh was released before conviction on medical

grounds.
250 ~~ STRUGGLE FOR REFORM IN SIKH SHRTSFS

the various jails of the Panjab for their unflinching courage and
faith. The conduct of the case itself entailed immense labour,
although only a small number of the accused offered to defend
themselves, the majority deciding to non-co-operate with the
Government. The complaint was general that in a political case
of this character, it was the part of wisdom for each accused to
submit a statement in explanation or justification, if necessary or
desirable, of his own share in the struggle, but otherwise not to
take part in the defence of the case. Apart from other matters,
there was the question of the enormous expense involved. Some
idea of the expense incurred in the case may be formed from the
fact that the Senior lawyer alone was charging the Akalis Ks. 330/-
a day. There were besides at least two other lawye rs throughout
•

the pendency of the case. The senior lawyer on behalf of the

Government was being paid Ks. 550/- a day besides a very senior
Public Prosecutor and one or two assistants. The case lasted
practically from day to day from October 1923 to March 1925. Of
the accused several men suffered from severe illness of one kind
or another during the period of incarceration while at least one
\

man, the jewel of the whole body of the Akalis, who was in main
charge of the very arduous Guru-Ka-Bagh movement, I mean, S.
Teja Singh Samundri, passed away in jail. I was present throughout
the struggle and was privileged to watch the whole movement at
close quarters. As I have described on another page in this book
I slept in the same room with the members of the Council of Action
and was in fact trusted as one of the Committee. While every
one did his best in faithfully and honestly discharging the duties
with which they were severely or collectively entrusted, words
fail me to describe adequately my admiration for the cool, calm,
but determined manner in which Teja Singh Samundri conducted
the vast and complicated organization of the S.G.P.C. in its various
branches to a successful issue. Teja Singh Samundri, in ordinary
language, was a man of very moderate education. But in spite
of all his shortcomings, he was a remarkable man, one among tens of
thousand of men, who was born as organizer and leader of men
 S T R U G G L E FOR R E F O R M IN S I K H S H R I N E S 251

and movements.* People may wonder at the marvellous results

achieved by the Akalis within a few short years, the highly successful
manner in which they conducted the struggle against all the forces
and resources of the Government, but the secret of it lies in the
fact that in the midst of an army of competent and devoted leaders,
great and small, a wonderful sense of order and discipline prevailed
throughout the organization, so that the whole machinery worked
smoothly, ceaselessly and without the least sign of friction in any
part of it. Even the moderate elements in the community did not
fail to show their sympathy with the movement.
The case dragged on, and several attempts at compromise
were made through the Commander-in-Chief (Birdwood), but
failed. The real solution was to give the Sikhs control over their
Gurdwaras through a Bill, but as this meant giving the Sikhs a
central body, which could be only the S.G.P.C., the Government
was reluctant to come to terms. They tried to bolster up the
Chief Khalsa Diwan or some other element, but no association of
Sikhs could dare to put itself in opposition to the S.G.P.C. Ultimately
the Government after trying many draft Bills brought forward a
measure which provided a central body, called Board of Control,
for the management and control of all the historical Gurdwaras.
They took care to see that this Board should not have the whole
power or all the funds in its hands, and its name also was not to
be S.G.P.C. until the Board adopted it by a resolution. The
Local Committees were given much power, so that the centre
should be at the mercy of the outlying boards. But a later amend-
ment (1945) made at Giani Kartar Singh's proposal, the power
given originally to the local committees has been allowed to gather
in the S.G.P.C. The leaders were then released.

*The Hall of the S.G.P.C. is named after him "Teja Singh

Samundri Hall."
 •

The Gurd wa
non c
excitement ^ ^ ^ - ° - ° P « ' ' " l o n movement, the pop

hiefly those under the charg f Ud

Mahants, b
d wide spread with a view to meet
the
f the Aka,,s f r the re or
sacredT?^ u*™^ ° ° ' ™ of th
S n th h G n t
:' p V : ° ~ ^ ^ I d e d to introduce a Gurdw
BUI m the Punjab Legislative C aas
o Cearly
thk f i m a fcL
1
"/ as possioie
dS possible. At

ntensfied he already simmering discontent among the Ak

S a VGry dlfficu,t situation G
m l M ° ' ^ ^ 'or th
ment all
aDDrph.n •overr the I P rovlnce
- The authorities were genuinely
lmPU,SiVS
the o ^ T f ^ A k a l . „ h o u l d get out of L d . On
tne other hand, the whole Sikh
ty was loud in th
that the MahantS Pam ered
Z T T - ' " «* corrupted by t h "
W i g CeaSeleSS y i n t o t h e i r c o f f
the , r ' T " ' ^ . I°°ked only to
ne local officials for support instead of their sangat to whose
P'ntual ministration and social welfare it was their duty to attend
and whom they were bound to consult in all matters ccncernir.g
6 t .h„

se of the Gurdwara funds of which they were merely the cus

^

n
' the prevailing condition
ty and ge of
uneasiness, the newly formed society for the management of the
Gurdwaras, which had by this time provided itself with a consti-
"tion and a somewhat pompous name, had now begun to take into
Its own possession and control such of the Gurdwaras as they
could without much difficulty. In the circumstances of the time it
ls
not surprising that while the Shrorr Gurdwara
prabandhak Committee (written briefly S. G. P. C.) or th more
religious-minded or the more prudent Mahants realising th their
Personal interest or the interest of the shrines in their charge lay
m their seeking the protection of the Committee that had been

'
 STRUGGLE FOR R E F O R M IN SIKH SHRINES 253

formed specially for the purpose of managing and maintaining the

Gurdwaras on lines consistent with the teachings of the Gurus
and the wishes of the community, had voluntarily placed the
Gurdwaras under the control of S.G.P.C. Some other Mahants,
on the other hand, believed that their own interests could be
better served by continuing to manage the Gurdwaras on the
lines on which they had'-hither to been doing, namely, with the
support and guidance of the local officials. It is not improbable
that in some cases, at least, some Akalis may have actually taken
forcible possession of Gurdwaras. In the case of the Gurdwara of
Hothian. a village in the Gurdaspur district, for instance, it is
at the Mahant apprehending an attack on his shrine fled
away from the Gurdwara when the Akalis came and took possession
of it. The Mahant afterwards made an application * to the
District Magistrate for the possession of the shrine. The District
Magistrate passed orders attaching the shrine. The Akalis, however
completely ignored this order and took forcible possession of
the s.inn.\ claim ng it to be in their possession. The case
of Hothian is possibly not a solitary instance of forcible possession
the Akalis. In a few cases even private places of worship
where people from the neighbourhood used to congregate to
hear the Granth Sahib recited, were taken possession of by gangs
of man without orders from the Headquarters. Some of these
dlaces after proper inquiry were handed back to their rightful
owners under the instructions of the S. G. P. C. A few of these
placeJ were not Gurdwaras at all, 0ut simply Dharemshalas built
religious-minded Hindus who hid faith in the teachings of the
Gurus and where the Granth Sahib was read regularly for
the spiritual benefit of all the men and women living in the neigh-
bourhood.** ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ |
*Under P. C . j | H ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ H j | ^ ^ ^ H
* * In a couple of cases of this kind, I was deputed by the
S. G. P. C. to make enquiries and finally dispose of the comp-
laints. My decision, in some cases, went against the Akalis and
dharmsalas were restored to the complainants.
254 STRUGGLE FOR REFORM IN STKH S H R I N E S

In view of the increasing strength of the non-co-operation

movement and partly, perhaps, also influenced by the excitement
prevailing amongs: the Sikhs over the Gurdwaras question, the
Punjab Government, in November 1921 without any cause, extended
the Seditious Meetings Act to the districts of Lahore, Amritsar
and Shekhupura. Under this Act no public meetings could be
held without the special permission of the local magistrate.
The Sikhs, however, paid no heed to the prohibition orders and
continued to hold their Diwans, claiming that the provisions of
the Act did not relate to religious meetings. As a matter of fact,
the number of the Dewans greatly increased. Whatever the
original intention of holding the Diwans might have been, it was
often difficult to ensure the strictly religious character of these
gatherings throughout. It must be acknowledged that here and
there advantage was taken of the Diwans which were being held
at this time all over the country including some remote villages,
to severely criticise the Government's part in the management of
the Gurdwaras and in particular about what is known as the "Keys'
Affair." * The Sikhs naturally regarded these questions as purely
religious, but as it often happens J n intense times of popular
excitement, some of the speakers were carried off their feet to
import a political colour into their speeches. This was specially
the case with men who were not much used to public speaking or
those who have never felt the sense of responsibility in such
matters. The Government, of course, became very nervous,
specially because the criticism often related to the manner in which
the important Sikh shrines including the Sikh Holy of Holies at
Amritsar, had been managed under official direction during the
previous Seventy years. Moreover, it was felt that the criticism of
officials acts made in utter disregard of the Seditious Meetings
Act would go a long way in undermining the official authority

T h e incident popularly known as the Keys, Affair was a

most ill-advised action on the part of certain high Panjab officials
and became the starting point of a long series of troubles.
 STRUGGLE FOR R E F O R M IN S I K H S H R I N E S 255

and prestige. Anyway, In their keen desire to avoid a conflict

with the Sikh community, the Government Instituted in a court
of law "a friendly suit with the object of obtaining a judicial
decision in the matter of the keys which was now chiefly
exercising the mind of the whole Sikh community. As the
S. G. P. C. came forward as a regularly constituted representative
body of the Sikhs and claimed to be recognised as the legitimate
custodian of the Gurdwaras belonging to the Panth, the Govern-
ment was glad to hand over the keys of the Golden Temple to
the President of the S. G. P. C *
In view of the serious happening's at Nankana Sahib, Guru
Ka-Bagh and elsewhere, obviously something was desired to be
done to settle the very serious disputes between the Mahants, on
the one side, and the S.G.P.C. representing the whole community,
on the other. It had become perfectly clear by this time that
*

t'e Sikh community was united in their claim that the existing
management of their sacred shrines was anything but satisfactory
and that early action was called for to place the control of the
Gurdwaras and their funds on a proper footing, consistently with
the teachings of the Sikh faith
Accordingly on the 7th of November, 1922, Sir Fazli-
Hussein, as Minister for Education, introduced an official Gurdwara
Bill in the Punjab Legislative Council. The Guru-ka-Bagh "Morcha,"
which had been the cause of so much misery and pain to the
Sikh Community and of equal trouble and anxiety . to the
Government, was still in progress, but it was known that a public
spirited gentleman was interesting himself in the matter and it
was confidently believed that the trouble would soon be over.
Sir Fazli-Hussein's Gurdwara Bill was foredoomed to
failure. Five moderate Sikh M. L. Cs were appointed on the
Select Committee of the Bill. Four of them had refused to act
while the fifth member, Bawa Hardit Singh Bedi, attended some
* Court Proceedings in the case Crown-vs-S. B. Mehtab Singh
pages -7^^^|^^H^^H^^H^^H^^H^^H^|
256 S T R U G G L E FOR REFORM IN S I K H SHRINES

meetings of the committee but from the 5th November, at the

request of four absenting Sikh members as well as some others,
he too refused to work on the Select Committee. By this time
it had become quite clear that even the moderate section of the
Sikh members on the Legislative Council was against Sir Fazli-
Hussein's measure, because they said that it had been framed in
defiance of the desires and opinions of the whole community.
More than a fortnight before the unwanted legislation was
placed before the Punjab Council, the S. G. P. C. had recorded a
strong protest against it. They declared that quite apart from
the merits of the legislation itself, a worse time could not have been
chosen for it. Most of the Akali leaders were in jail. Thousands
of other men had also been pushed behind prison bars, simply
because of their love of the Gurdwaras.
As such no legislation of this kind had the smallest chance
of succeeding without previous consultation with and consent
of the S. G. P. C. which was the most vitally concerned body
in the matter. The S. G. P. C. appealed to the Sikh members
of the council to oppose the proposed Bill if and when it was
brought forward in the Council. They also appealed to the
Hindu and Muslim Members in the Council not to be a party to
the passing of a measure which was sure to be the cause of untold
misery to the whole Sikh community. The first day of December
(1922) was fixed to be observed as a Prayer Day for the reform
and welfare of all Gurdwaras. Diwans were to be held on this
day and Japji recited five times by every Sikh, man and woman.
In addition to this, an Akhand path was to be kept wherever
possible.
 The Second Gurdwara Bill

The severe conflict between the Akalis and the forces of

Government at Guru-ka-Bagh, the great power of organisation and
resourcefulness of whicfv-.the Akali leaders had given ample evidence
in this struggle and* above all immense hold they had now acquired
on the masses of the community, could not have failed to convince
the authorities of the futility of legislating for the Gurdwaras
without the consent and willing support of the Akalis themselves.
In spite of the fact, therefore, that a (Sir Fazli-Hussein's) Gurdwara
Bill had already been passed, Sir John Meynard, then Finance
Member and the most powerful man in the Legislative Council,
i

did not take long to realise that the measure sponsored by Sir
Fazli-Hussein was as good as dead. As soon as the Guru-ka-Bagh
affair was settled, he bagan to throw out feelers to some of the
leaders of the Sikh community about the terms of a new settlement
of all the knotty questions arising out of the disputed possession
of the Gurdwaras which had been the source of so much trouble
both to the Government and the Sikh community. Indeed, eve*n
s
before the 1st Gurdwara Bill had become an Act, some informal
discussions had already been going on between some members of
the Government and the representatives of the S.G.P.C. There is
evidence to show that Sir John Meynard had had some talks on the
subject with two or three leading members of the Prabandhak
Committee. For several months proceedings remained confi-
dential. The S.G.P.C. were far from satisfied with the attitude of
the Government and even went to the length of characterising the
peace-offer of Sir John Meynard as no better than a 'farce'.
A further step in the same direction was registered when,
on March 8,1923, speaking on Mr. (now Sir) Henry Craik's amend-
ment to S. Randhir Singh's resolution, Sir John Meynard said that
the "Government would be prepared to release all Guru-ka-Bagh
prisoners if an agreement could be reached between the S.G.P.C.
 58 STRUGGLE FOK RI-FORM I N SI \ H SIIRI N ES

and the H.ndus and the o:her parties concerned as to the common _
principles on which the proposed Gurdvvara legislation was based."
He regre:ted, however, that the Akalis had repudiated his proposal
and N had shown conp!e:e unwillingness even to listen t o the
«i

suggestion." But the Government was always prepared, he added,

4 I
t o deal with even the most... unreasonable people in a reasonable
way." W i t h this object in view he had repeated the offer a few
days back but it was again refused.

The Akalis had their own story to te Their grievance

was that the Government had passed its own Gurdwara Bill w i t h o u t
due regard to the feelings of sentiments of the community for
whose benefit it was intended and who were so vitally concerned
with the reform and proper management of their sacred shrines.
This was an insult offered to the whole Panth.
when It was only
the Government discovered that their unpopular legislation could
not be thrust do«vn the throats of a living and determined
community, that a wish was expressed to bring about a settlement
on the basis of a common consent and agreement. On their own
part the S.G.P.C. had always b een ready to accept the arbitration
of Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya regarding the framing of those
provisions of a Gurdwara Bill " w h i c h concerned the question of
the determination of the nature of a temple, i.e., how they should
distinguish a Sikh Gurdwara f r o m a Hindu Mandir or an Udasi
Akhara. The S.G.P.C. had, however, never accepted the arbitration
of the Pandit on all points. They had never agreed to giving to
an individual the right of the Sikh Panth to decide its religious
matters. Even a Sikh, however eminent he was, they declared,
could not be given this right." The S. G. P. C. cannot agree to
leaving to arbitration
vital matters concerning religious
i ff

principles
and fundamental object of Gurdwara r e f o r m . *

The Committee further complained that it was the Government

who had broken off the talks that had been taking place between the

*S.G.P.C. Press Communique No. 444, page 102.

 *

STRICGIE FOR REFORM IN SIKH SHRINES 2a9

It was understood that Sir John Meynard, or someone

parties
behalf of the Government, would call a meeting soon after
else on
return to Lahore of His Excellency the Governor, wh w
h
then on tour. No meeting was called with the result that the
negotiations, such as they were., were supposed to have come to
an end on December 6. Whatever the reasons for the cessation of
he neg be the S.G.P.C. held that they were not
ponsiblefor it. Sir John Meynard had indeed put forward a
odified sugg estion and there the. talks had ended. Sir John had
peatedly to Id the friends with whom he was carrying on the
formal disci jssions that he was not speaking on behalf of the
Government, when the preliminary discussions at first began i
November 1922. The talks of Sir John were nothing more than
feeler and therefore they did not- proceed far enough to bring abou
a settlement between the parties.
It would be futile to consider why no agreement could b
reached. In the Summer of 1923 the S.G P.C., finding that for on
ther nothing had f the talks with Sir loh
Meynard and other members of the Government party, decided to
run its own candidates in the forth coming general elections for the
Punjab Legislative Council and thus to navigate their own Gurdwara
Bill through their own representatives in the Council with the help
and support of such other members as they might succeed in winning
over to their side. Accordingly at their general meeting held on
the 20th of September, 1923, the Committee adopted a formal
resolution to run its own candidates for election both to the
Indian Legislative Assembly and the Punjab Legislative Council.
At the same time the Committee issued an appeal to all Sikh
voters to give their fullest support to the nominees of the
committee.
It may also be mentioned here that all the candidates nominated
the S.G.P.C. were required to sign the following declaration :
I solemnly declare that !
"(a) I shall abide by the mandate of the S.G.P.C. with regard
to all matters placed before the Legislative Assembly and
 «

260 STRUGGLE FOR REFORM IN EIKII SHRINES

the Punjab Legislative Council, concerning the welfare of

the Panth or of the country, and if necessary I shall resign
my seat.
(b) I shall not accept any post in or under the Government
without the permission of the S.G.P.C. or try to derive
any benefit from my position in the Indian Legislative
Assembly or the Punjab Legislative Council for myself or
my relatives.
(c) If, for any reason, at any time, I find myself unable to carry
out the mandate of the S.G.P.C, I w i l l resign my seat.
(d) I shall conform to the condition of being an orthodox
Amritdhari and wear the Sikh symbol, (Kirpan), as required
to be kept by the members of the S.G.P.C. under the
Committee rule No. 7*

S.G.P.C. Communique No. I 14, Resolution. II. Dated : 30.8

1923.
 •

The Akali Movement

Chapter :—Firing at Gurdwara Sisganj.
The firing at the Sisganj Gurdwara, Delhi, occured on the
6th of May, 1930. An in-dependent inquiry Committee v/as
appointed by a resolution of the S. G. P. C. at Amritsar, en
may 9, 1930, "to inquire and report about the firing at Gurdwara
Sisganj, Delhi, on 6th May, 1930, and other official excesses
relating thereto." The Committee as originally constituted
consisted of five members. *
The Chairman of the Inquiry Committee requested the Chief-
Commissioner, Delhi, to depute some Government Officers to
cross-examine the witnesses before the Committee and help the
Committee in its work. The request was, however,- refused
obviously to show that the Government did not recognize the

* Mr. K. L. Ralli.a Ram (Chairman), a public spirited man and

an Educationist of standing ; President of the Punjab Christian
Conference ; Vice President of All India Social Congress held at
Lahore in 1930. (2) Prof. Ruchi'^Ram Sahni, M. A., Retired
Professor of Chemistry, Government College, Lahore; Fellow
Punjab University ; Trustee and Honorary Secretary, D. S. College
Trust ; Chairman Reception Committee of the All-India Social
Conference 1929 (Secretary to the Committee). (3) S. Gulab
Singh, M. L. A., (Central) Member, All India Railway Finance
Committee. (4) S_. Buta Singh, B. A., LL. B., M. L. C , Ex-Deputy
President Punjab Legislative Council. (5) Maulana Abdul Qadir .
Kasuri, President of the Punjab Provincial Congress. Maulana
Abdul Qadir was arrested before the Inquiry Committee started
its work. The S. G. P. C. then nominated Chaudhri Afzal Haq
to take his place. But the intimation did not reach him in
time and he too could not tike part in the enquiries conducted
at Delhi.
-^-' STRUGGLE FOR RFFOKM [N S I K H SHRrNE^

S. G. P. C. Inquiry Committee. But the Committee was able to

see the Chief Commissioner twice. It received some information
f r o m the Senicr Superirterdent Police and Mr. Isar, the City
Magistrate.
The Committee conducted its enquiries for three days, on
the 18th, 19th and 20th of May, 1930, the sittings being open
to the public. The Committee at first visited the Gurdwara and
saw the various marks of the bullets. A large number of bullets
were also removed f r o m v/ithin the folds of the cloth wrapped
round the Nishan Sahib fthe Guru ka banner). It recorded
evidence of some 44 witnesses including the persons injured at the
Gurdwara, as also other eye-witnesses, and responsible gentlemen
f r o m the city. The Committee visited the Hospital t o record
the evidence of the injured persons lying there.
The Committee submitted its report late in the month. The
Report covers 70 pages in all, out of which 24 are devoted to
the statement about the facts concerning the firing into the
Gurdwara Sisganj, while the remaining 36 pages were devoted
to the evidence of 44 witnesses who appeared before the
Committee.
Before dealing with the actual firing at the Gurdwara
Sisganj, Delhi, the Committee briefly referred to the general
situation at the time all over the c o u n t r y and particularly in
Delhi.
In the years 1930, the national movement for the " c o m p l e t e
independence of India" was going on vigorously all over India.
Mahatma (Gandhi) jj had been arrested f o r launching the Civil
Disobedience campaign. In cornection w i t h Mahatmaji's imprison-
ment on the 5th of May, there was universal Hartal on the
6th of May, 1930. Delhi had of course, its full share in the
Hartal ; and the crowds of enthusiastic People paraded the streets
uttering various slogans, as the procession. Some minor
incidents occurred during that day which led to unexpect d
consequences.

t
 STRUGGLE FOR REFORM IN SIKH SHRINES 263

A certain European officer tried to take his car through the

procession and in doing so some persons were injured. Another
European passed that way and was roughly handled by the crowd.
The Additional District Magistrate appeared on the scene and he
too received rough treatment at the hands of the people. No one
was seriously injured, but the Police resorted to lathi charges to
disperse the crowd assembled before the Kotwali. Some of the
people, for the sake of shelter, entered the Gurdwara Sisganj that
stands quite contiguous to the Kotwali building.

At 3.30 p.m. the Manager of the Gurdwara informed the

Deputy Superintendent of Police, 'the officer in charge of the
Kotwali, that two stones had been thrown into the Gurdwara, one
of which had hit the Romals (coverings) of the Holy Book. But
the Deputy Superintendent made a countercharge that stones had
been thrown at the Kotwali from the Gurdwara side.
At about 4 p.m. three lorries full of policemen reached the
Kotwali in order to strengthen the Police force at the Place. Some
people from the crowd threw brickbats on these policemen and,
according to the official version, 15 t o 20 policemen received
injuries. The Police now made a very strenuous attack on the crowd
r
and a large number of people entered the precincts of the Gurdwa a
to take shelter there.

According to the official version, brickbats were thrown at

the Kotwali from the Gurdwara. The Committee, however, could
not see its way to accept this view without a challenge.

The Inquiry Committee "did not notice a single leaf of flower

or blade of grass to have been injured in the flower garden in
front of the Kotwali where the policemen are said to have received
tons of brickbats." This place is just before the two roofs from
which the brickbats could have been thrown from the Gurdwara.

Firing
All of a sudden, without giving any warning, the Police
 264 STRUGGLE FOR REFORM IN SIKH SHRINES

started firing into the Gurdwara* as well as outside. The firing

lasted, according to the city Magistrate's version, for 15 to 20
minutes. In the opinion of the Committee it was "indiscriminate,
vindictive and excessive."
The firing was indiscriminate as marks of the bullets were
seen at places where there were no people or from places no
brickbats could be thrown. For example a bullet hit the portrait
of Guru Gobind Singh that was on the first floor from which
obviously no stones could be thrown. The firing was vindictive
in the sense "that the police made no difference between the
guilty and the innocent" and it was excessive because it continued'
for 20 minute.
After the firing had stopped the Police in a body entered
the Gurdwara, with their shoes on, and walked through the various
parts of the Sikh temple. The Sikh community took thisjactf cf the
Police as an insult to the sacred place and the whole Sikh community.
The publication of the Report created a sensation in the Sikh
community and special precautions had to be taken to prevent any
disturbance at the huge Jor Mela which was held soon after in
connection with the martyrdom of Guru Arjan Deva. The mela
is held at Lahore outside the Gurdwara sacred to the memory of
the Guru close to the walls of the Lahore Fort.
The evidence placed before the Committee refers to some 3
hundred persons injured in the course of the Firing but it is obvious
that only small fraction of these must have been wounded by the
Firing inside the Gurdwara. Some of the witnesses and the mother
of a boy gave to the Committee the pathetic story of her son
who was shot within the Gurdwara and died subsequently in hospital.
He was the only bread-winner of the Family.
*As the name implies, the Gurdwara marks the spot where
the Ninth Guru, Guru Tegh Bahadur, was as sasirated under the
orders of Emperor Aurangzeb. He was given the chcice between
the acceptance of Emperor's faith or death, he accepted the
latter. (For fuller information see the account of Gurdwara Rikab
Ganj on page-58-59).
 The Akali Conference at Attari
On Saturday and Sunday, February 10, II, I94D, Che Akalis
held a great All-India Akali Conference at Attari near Amritsar.
The attendance is said to have approached seventy thousand
persons, many leading Sikhs coming from long distances from all
parts of India. The Akali Sena clad in Khaki uniform numbering,
it is said, ten thousand volunteers staged an impressive parade.
A dozen resolutions were passed. Sir Jogindra Singh, ex-Minister
of Punjab, S. Sant Singh, M. L. A. and Sardar Pratap Singh M.L.A.
and Sardar Boota Singh ex. M. L. C. cf Sh^ejjujpura among other
leaders spoke^on these resolutions. TrfiJ^Skxc^ertrnce supported
the National demand for complete independence and the right
of people to frame their own constitution. The conference said
that they would wholeheartedly stand by the Congress in any
active struggle for the attainment of independence. The suggestion
was also put forward that the Congress should "set up a Standing
Committee to look after the interests of the minorities and that
this committee De associated with the Minorities Department of
the Congress ; (b) that the nomination by the Congress of candi-
dates from the minority communities to the various legislatures
in the country may be made accordance with the wishes of the
Congressmen belonging to the minority concerned and that the
nominees must, in all cases, be bona fide members of that
minority ; (c) that definite instructions be issued to various
Congress organisations to nominate a due proportion of member-,
of minority communities in local bodies for election ; and (d)
that the minorities may be granted, by convention, an adequate
representation in the Congress organisation and that a Sikh
Congressman may always be taken on the working Committee of
the Congress. "No community in India has in the past shown
such a remarkable power of organisation and such w ^nderful
spirit of sacrifice as the Akalis."
266 STRUGGLE FOR REFORM IN SIKH S H R I N E S

The President, Jathedar Teja Singh Akarpuri, remarked that

the strength of Sikhs in the Indian army was 4 0 % in 885. It
came down to 20 per cent in 1914 and now it is 14 per cent.
This is due to the policy of the Government, and not that the
Sikhs for the army were not forthcoming. They were anxious
to go tc the army and to serve the country and also the community.
The President Jathedar Teja Singh said that there could be no
Swaraj without unity and no unity without Swaraj. It was a
puzzle. He condemned the Pakistan mentality of the Muslim
leaders which was dangerous and, when Swaraj was in sight, it
was even mischievous.He said he was glad that Sharomani Akali
Dal is organising an Akali Fauj not for establishing Sikh Raj
(that idea was irreligious) but for service. The small Sikh
community could exist only I serving others. He dwelt upon
the political situation in India which was in melting p o t and specially
deplored the condition of the Sikhs.
Master Tara Singh hoisted the Akali Flag.

P*