Punjab's Role in National Freedom Struggle (Special Reference to Parja Mandal Movement in Erstwhile Princely States)

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Punjab's Role in National Freedom Struggle (Special reference to Parja Mandal Movement in erstwhile Princely States)

Edited by : Dr. Jasbir Singh Ahluwalia, Director, Archives & Cultural Affairs, Pb Celebration of Archives Week

January 20-26, 1987

at Patiala

Under the guidance of Shri Nusrat Ali Khan, Minister of State for Cultural Affairs, Punjab and Shri S. L. Kapur, Financial Commissioner & Secretary, Department of Cultural Affairs, Punjab. Contents

Punjab's Role in National Freedom Struggle : (Contribution of Parja Mandal Movement in erstwhile Princely States ) M. L. Ahluwalia

Punjab's Role in National Freedom Struggle. Jagjiwan Mohan Walia INTRODUCTION

Wi^h its galaxy of martyrs and heroes, Punjab has played historic role in National Freedom Struggle. Its record is unique in terms of sufferings and sacrifices for the independence of India, as also for its unity and integrity.

The cult of the swadeshi; civil disobedience; non-co-operation; satyagraha; non-violent resistence, and other similar concepts of the Gandhian praxis had their first appearance and trial in Punjab.

Kuka movement, Singh Sab'ha awakening; peasant uprising; Ghadar movement; Gurdwara reform struggle; Akali agitation; Babar Akali movement; Anti-Rowlatt Bills crusade; Khilafat upsurge; non-co-operation movement; activities of the revolutionaries; Praja Mandal movement; Quit India agitation — all these reflect Punjab's leading role in the freedom struggle.

DR. JASBIR SINGH AHLUWALIA, Director, Archives & Cultural Affairs, Punjab. 20th January, 1987# ** % - v *• NIIMW

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NATIONAL FREEDOM STRUGGLE

M. L. AHLUWALIA M.A. (Hons,.)

PUNJAB'S ROLE IN NATIONAL FREEDOM STRUGGLE WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO PRAJA MANDAL MOVEMENT IN ERSTWHILE PRINCELY STATES

Punjab's role in the freedom struggle of the country has been unique in many ways, even if one were to exclude here a reference to the fact that the people of Punjab had carried out a relentless compaign against the extension of the British rule in that area for nearly half a century before the birth of the Indian National Cong ress itself. During which time, the Namdhari movement had even given the first trials to Swadeshi, and non-cooperation on a mass scale. And when a country-wide movement of the Indian National Cong ress, in the form, of non-cooperation was started by Mahatma Gandhi in 1919, the people of the Punjab had responded whole-heartedly through out the British Punjab Province, even not deterred by the declaration of material law, the massacre of hundreds of innocent people at the Jalianwala Bagh in Amritsar, and in the face of un- relenting reign of terror let loose by the British in the length and breadth of the Province. So much so, that when in 1923 Mahatama Gandhi had suddenly withdrawn the Non-Cooperation Movement, after the agitationists at Chaura Chauri in Bihar had burnt alive teii police constables in retaliation, the Ghadarites the Bharat Nau- Jawan Sabha, the Kirti Kisan Party and the Babbar Akalis, carried on the struggle on their own. In the process Punjab had come al most first in the role of honours of its martyrs led by Shahid Bhagat Singh and produced as many nationalist leaders of all India eminence, as any other British Province in India could boast of: such as Lala Lajpat Rai called the Punjab Kaisari, Baba Kharak Singh, called the uncrowned King of Punjab, Bhai Parmanand, Lala Hardyal, Barkatullaha, Dr. A. D. Kitchlew, to mention only a few. It was also on the patriotic soil of the Punjab where the Indian National Congress had adopted at Lahore in 1929 the revolutionary resolution of Puran Swaraj, as against the demand of a Dominion Status, claimed by the Motilal Nehru Committee Report of 1928.

• •• r ? • *\ f • It is a matter of great significance that in the process even the people of the Princely States of the Punjab did mfr lag behind. Since this aspect of the freedom struggle in Punjab has not been ... r * ' 2 fully explored by the scholars, therefore, the Government of Punjab thought it proper that the role of the Praja Mandal Movement in the Punjab States be highlighted as a part of the Archives-Week Programme of this year.

Before dealing with the main theme it may be necessary to ap pend here a few paras to explain as to why a separate organisation or platform like the Praja Mandals or the States Peoples' Conference "were necessary to carry on the struggle for India's Freedom from the British Yoke. This was necessary because constitutionally speaking during the days of the British Raj, there were two Indians. One was the British India, which was ruled and administered directly by the British Government through the agency of the Governor- General in Council at the Centre and the Governors in the British Provinces.

By the side of British India, there existed a Princely India which comprised of a conglomeration of nearly five hundred Prin cely States and Chief ships which as a result of many historical factors enjoyed varying degrees of sovereign authority over their people, as was conceded to them by the Suzerain authority of the British Crown from time to time. This Suzerain authority was administered through the Governor-General, who for this purpose was desig nated as the Viceroy or the Deputy of the British Crown in India. At the centre, a separate Department called the Political Depart- ment controlled the affairs of the Princely States through the agency of Residents and Political Agents depending upon the status of each Princely State or a group of such States. Very often, the Commis- sioner or a Deputy Commissioner of the British Provinces in which area, small chiefships existed, also functioned as a Political Agent to administer the relations between those chiefs and the Viceroy. This was so because the offices of the Governor-General and the Viceroy were vested in the same person and authority. Because of this constitutional anarchism the Indian National Congress decided at its Bombay Session held in 1927, that the struggle in the Princely States for constitutional and socio-economic reforms should be taken up by the Praja Mandals to be set up in each State under the over- w all control and direction of an All India body which came to be known as the All India States Peoples' Conference. This body was 3 set up in 1927 itself and functioned as an ndian National Congress.

The People of the Punjab States, who had by that time become politically conscious as a result of the activities of the Indian National Congress and the local parties like the Akalis, the Ghadar party, the Kirti Kisan party and others, at once responded to the clarion call of the Congress and set up a Provincial branch of the All India States Peoples' Conference at Lahore in 1928. The head quarters of this States Peoples' Conference had to be set up at Lahore because of two reasons. One was that following the Province-wise agitation against the enactment of the Rowlatt Act since 1919, and the simultaneous launching of the Gurdwara Reform Movement, the Princely States of Punjab had practically banned all types of political activities within the States. Secondly, because of the attempt made to extend the Gurdwara Reform Movement to the Sikh States in Punjab as examplified by the launching of the Jaitu morcha by the Akalis, which was in the erstwhile Nabha State, all these States, viz., Patiala Nabha, Jind, Faridkot and Kapurthala were put under extra political vigilance of the Political Department, as well as by. their respective rulers. No ruler could dare to follow any other than repressive policy, as was seen by the example set by the British in dethroning Maharaja Ripudaman Singh of Nabha for the simple fault of having aroused the suspicion of the Political Depart ment for his extraordinary frank view on his sovereign status. More also, the dubious role of the Maharaja of Patiala in the Gurdwara Reform Movement had made him very unpopular with the Sikh masses.

FORMATION OF THE RIYASTI PRAJA MANDAL

The formal decision to start a Praja Mandal movement was taken in a convention of political and social workers held in the M was given a formal shape on 10th August, 1928, in a meeting held on 10th August, 1928 at Amritsar in the office of the Akali Dal. At this meeting the Riyasti Praja Mandal decided among things on a programme of action and also that the movement be restricted not only to the few Sikh States but it should be extended in stages to all the States and 4 chief ships in Punjab, namely, Bahawalpur, Pataudi, Loharu> Nahan, Mandi, Suket, Bilaspur, Chamba and others, and even up to Jammu and Kashmir.

COMMON PROGRAMME DRAWN UP In this meeting a common programme of action was also decid ed upon which included,—(1) Curtailment of Privy purses and privi leges of the Princes; (2) democratisation of legislatures where- ever these existed and setting up of similar popularly elected bodies where (3) from cutive; (4) abolition of begar or forced labour; (5) abolition of Nazul aws 1m making tenancy laws more equitable; (8) opening of more grant of freedom of association and freedom of Press, et<

MOVEMENT STARTS FROM PATIALA

* Since Patiala was the largest and most influential State in the eastern Punjab and Haryana region and as sueh was a pace-setter for other Princely States, it was in Patiala that the Praja Mandal movement was first started and also tested for its ability to stand up and face an autocratic government. Luckily Patiala had in the person of Sardar Sewa Singh Thikriwala al political leader of great stature and determination. It was, therefore, natural that the Mansa convention had, elected him as the first Presi dent of the Patiala Praja Mandal, even in absentia. Thakur Singh was then already undergoing imprisonment in Jail. In July, 1929, when Sewa Singh was released from Jail, the Patiala Praja Mandal became more active. A charter of demands was drawn up for pre sentation to the Maharaja, These demands included all those decid ed at the Amritsar meeting of the Punjab Riyasti Praja Mandal held in August, 1928. To these were added

• • • - ' (i) Cancelation of penalties and forfeitures imposed on those

• who had participated in the Akali Movement • (ii) Repayment of the war loans raised from the peop *

, • (iii) Better classification of the political prisoners; and (iv) Abolition of the obnoxious hunting laws in the State. 5

It was also decided to attend the forthcoming meeting of the States Peoples' Conference to be held at Lahore in January, 1930 under the leadership of Thikriwala Sardar.

In the meantime the All India States Peoples' Conference held on 11th August, 1929, had already decided on the representation of the Praja Mandal of Patiala to appoint an Enquiry Committee under the Chairmanship of C. Y. Chintamani, a well known lawyer and journalist, to enquire into the grave charges of misconduct and cri minal nature against the Maharaja of Patiala. As a result of the enquiries made by the Chintamani Committee on the basis of wit nesses, the All India States Peoples' Conference brought out a brochure entitled Indictment of Patiala, which had created a great stir in the country as also among the British circles, forcing the Viceroy to attempt a white wash through the report of Mr. J.A.O. Fitzpatrick, the Political Agent to the Viceroy for the Punjab States, on the basis of one-man confidential enquiry. However, the people of the State refused to be convinced by the exoneration of the Maharaja by Mr. Fitzpatrick.

In 1930, the Praja Mandal of the Patiala State took up the cause of the land tenants who were a greatly oppressed class. The Kissan agitation was also carried to the neighbouring Princely States of Malerkotla and Nabha. The annual conference of Punjab Praja Mandal held at Ludhiana in October, 1930, gave a further strength to the Kissan agitation programme. The Akal.i Conference at Dhuri held in June? 1931, and the Third Patiala Praja Mandal Con- ference held later at Simla, had created a great impact on the Kissan agitation in these States.

The Praja Mandal Movement in the Narnaul and Mohindergarh Tehsils of the Patiala Raj and the Bawal tehsil of Nabha, which were situated in the Haryana region did not become a force to be reckoned with till 1938-39 and the decade following, although here and there the Akali leaders of the Gurdwara Reform Movement would hold "Diwans or religious assemblies where often the grievances of the people in the States, particularly the peasantry, were highlighted.

Next to Patiala it was in the Faridkot State that a battle royal was fought by the Praja Mandal which was set up on 24th July, 1938 by the name of Zamindar Sabha, of which Sardar Janga Singh Burj Harika was the first President and Giani Zail Singh, now,. President of India, its founder General Secretary. In order,to counter this agitation, the Raja organised the so called' Faridkot State Peoples' Conference and on its behest let loose a i reign of repression on the nationalists. Unmindful of it the nationalists succeeded and launched a movement called the Flag Satyagraha, which was taken over in April, 1946 by the Punjab Regional Council of the All India States Peoples' Conference. In view of the large scale repression by Raja Harinder Singh, Sardar Partap Singh Kairon, then General Secretary of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee, issued a general appeal in the Province to all Congress Committees to observe 8th May, 1940 as the Faridkot Day. Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru who was then the President of the All States Peoples' Conference issued a note of warning in which he stated that "whatever the Raja may or may not be doing, events will march on and we propose to march with them". Pandit Nehru also declared his intention to pay a visit to Faridkot to boost up the morale of the Nationalist forces which he did pay in his characteri stic bold style piercing through the columns of the state forces1

i posted all round. As a result of the victorious entry of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru in the State and the mass ovastion given to him by the people, the Raja yielded, resulting in the Nehru-Harinder Pact by which the Raja agreed to permit the formation of associations and conducting of political propaganda; removal of ban on the hoisting of the Congress flag in the State, etc. In June, 1946, the State Government accordingly repealed the Registration of Societies Act.. But since the Nehru-Harinder Pact was not fully honoured by the Raja and the repression on the nationalists was continued, the local Praja Mandal under the Chairmanship of Giani Zail Singh served a notice dated 21st December, 1947 on the Raja to redress the grievances -of the people of the State without further delay. When it failed to get any favourable response from the Raja, hundreds of Praja Mandalists besieged the State Secretariat on 1st March,, 1948 and also declared the formation of a Parallel Government. It resulted in the worst type of reign of terror on the satyagrahis and the general public. But the satyagrahis were determined to 7 put up a bold fight. Batches after batches of satyagrahis were pour ing in from their camp set up at Ferozepur. Ultimately as a result of the intervention of Sardar Patel, who was then the Deputy Prime Minister of India, a truce was arranged and on 20th March, Giani Zail Singh the President of the Faridkot Praja Mandal, along with 250 other satyagrahis including three Ministers of the Azad Govern ment were released. The Faridkot Praja Mandal then sought the intervention of Dr# Pattabai Sitaramaya, the then Acting President of the All India States Peoples' Conference for the setting up of the Panchayati Raj in the State. Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah who had taken over as the President of the All India States Peoples' Con ference also condemned the brutal treatment meted out to the satyagrahis by the Faridkot Raj. Situation changed in Faridkot only on the formation on 15th July 1948 of the Patiala and East Punjab States Union with the Maharaja of Patiala as the Raj Pramukh and he Maharaja of Kapurthala as Up-Rajpramukh.

PRAJA MANDAL MOVEMENT IN OTHER PUNJAB STATES :

During 1938-39 the Praja Mandals also became active in the Chief ships of Pataudi, Dujana, Loharu, Jind State and Narnaul and Mohindargarh tehsils of Patiala and the Bawal Tehsil of Nabha in the Haryana Region. These movements became a force to be reckoned with in due course. Jind as well as other Chiefs on thisl * side agreed to liberalise the system of their Governments and to partly meet some of the popular demands of the Praja Mandals, although a fully democratic system of government had to await the ushering in of India's Independence.

LEADING PERSONALITIES OF THE PUNJAB PRAJA MANDAIJ MOVEMENT :

The Praja Mandals in the various Punjab States had thrown up a galaxy of leaders from all walks of life and from all communities. Some of them are no more in this world, while some other have retired from active political life. On the whole it was a movement sustained by the politically conscious Akalis and the local social workers from other communities. In ,this connection the name of Sardar Sewa Singh of Thikriwala village who was pioneering 8 figure of the movement is still remembered with the highest esteem. A life size statue of the Thikriwala Sardar now adorns the same pedestal in the city of Patiala, where at one time stood the statue of Emperor George V. The veteran of the Faridkot freedom struggle, Giani Zail Singh, is presently the President of the Union of India. Shri Bansi Lai, who had his early stint of politics through the Praja Mandal of Loharu, has had several high positions at the centre and in Haryana. He is now the Chief Minister of Haryana for the second time.

Among others the name of Lala Brish Bhan, Lala Des Raj, Pt. Sunderlal, Advocate, all of Patiala, Shri Nihal Singh Takshak and Banarasi Das Gupta of Jind, Shri Harbanslal a prominent worker of the Quit-India Movement and the States Peoples' Movement, and Shri Ram Saran Chand Mittal, Smt. Kamla Bai and her husband Shi am Manohar of Nabha Praja Mandal? are worth mentioning. A few other names of prominent leaders and workers of the movement are too well known to be repeated here.

DOCUMENTATION ON THE PRAJA MANDAL MOVEMENT :

In the Punjab State Archives at Patiala there exists in the * Patiala, Nabha, Malerkotla and Faridkot1 Raj series of files, a large number of intelligence reports, and reports of various commissions and enquiry committees appointed from time to time. In the * numerous files of the office of the Patiala Prime Minister a^d of the Izlas Khas, Patiala^ there is enough material on the activities of the Praja Mandal and the peasants movement in Patiala. Also in the pre-1947 Civil Records series a good deal of information is available on this subject. Similar information is available in the Archival series which were transferred from Punjab to Haryana as the share of the latter from the Punjab State Archives. These records are also full of rich information on the subject. At the National Archives of India the Home, Political and Foreign Departments record series also contain a good deal of material on the subject and so also the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library files relating to the Indian National Congress and the All India States Peoples' Con ference. In the same manner the private papers of important leaders which are available with the National Archives of India, the Nehru 9 - "12K" "^ """ P Memorial Museum and Library, the Punjab State Archives, and the Haryana State Archives would also yield significant information. The Nehru Memorial Museum and the Panjabi University, Patiala have also the tape recording of the statements of many important leaders of India's freedom struggle, which must be consulted to fill the gap in the information available in the documents. A vast literature isi also available in the various journals, periodicals, and newspapers which were published from within the States from other parts of the Province. —.. I

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PUNJAB'S ROLE

NATIONAL FREEDOM STRUGGLE

JAGJIWAN MOHAN WALIA M.A., Ph.D.

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"Commencing with sporadic and spontaneous risings against the British rule, the struggle gradually assumed the shape of a national movement with the objective of attaining independence. There were different ideological currents ranging from reformation to revolution, from gun-barrel philosophy of revolutionaries to Gandhian non-violence, from aristocratic protests to peasant risings, and from ments. the ultimate aim was of achieving emancipation from foreign yoke."

About sixty years prior to the non-co-operation movement of Mahatma Gandhi, Guru Ram Singh of the Kukas launched the non- co-operation movement against the British Government. Khushwant Singh and Giani Pritam Singh write that he was the greatest Sikh- reformer after the death of Guru Gobind Singh. As he could not brook the atmosphere of intrigues and counter-intrigues after the death of Maharaja Ran jit Singh in 1839, Baba Ram Singh left the service in the Sikh Army in 1845 and indulged in religious activities for the reformation in Sikhism. After the Annexation, the zeal of Christian missionaries and the establishment of a string of slaughter houses, which were banned during the Sikh regime greatly hurt the feelings of the Punjabi Sikhs and Hindus and brought home to them the loss suffered by the Punjabis after annexation.

Baba Ram Singh established an organisation of Kukas in 1857, He enjoined upon his followers to lead pure and clean lives, avoid easing meat and to discard such social customs as female infanticide child marriage etc. He imparted training to his followers. They boy cotted the courts set up by the British and established the Panchayats to settle the disputes. They boycotted the British postal system and established their own means of communication. They avoided the schools set up by the British and sent their children to indigenous schools where education was imparted in mother tongue. By 1863, the number of his followers increased enormouslv.

the growing popularity of the Kukas, the British Govern- ment im )osed many restrictions upon Baba Ram Singh and his followers. The Baba was not allowed to move out of his own village Bhaini. The restrictions raised the morale of the Kukas. The Government removed all restrictions in 1867. N 18

After the removal of restrictions, the Kukas intensified their anti-Raj activities. Seventy-five Kukas were blown off from the mouths of cannon, one was hacked to pieces and two were transported for life. Baba Ram Singh sent emissaries to contact the rulers of Nepal and Kashmir against the British. But due to the weakness and duplicity of these rulers, his attempts proved abortive. After 1872, a Kuka Suba visited Central Asia many a time to persuade Russia to attack India and expel the British. During the eighties of the last century, Maharaja Dalip Singh arrived at Moscow. This fact and the prevalence of certain prophecies among the Kukas raised the hopes of the Kukas. Budh Singh, younger brother of Baba Ram Singh was mainly responsible for the renewed activity of the Kukas. Dr. Fauja Singh Bajwa writes, "Due to the factors such as liberal employment of Sikhs in the army, support of the Sikh literate elite and landed aristocracy to the British and the vigilance of the Govern- merit, the movement once again failed to make any appreciable mark."

After the Kuka movement, the Singh Sabha Movement tried to reform Sikhism. The new educational system was introduced to effect social and religious reform. This movement made the S^khs a self conscious community ready to make sacrifices for the rightious course.

t Among the Hindus, the Dev Samaj, the Brahmo Samaj and the Arya Samaj were the reform movements. The former two move ments, the Dev Samaj and the Brahmo Samaj were mainly religious. The latter laid stress on monotheism in Punjab. Its main aim was to meet the challenge of Christian missionaries. The most impor tant of all these movements was the Arya Samaj which was founded by Swami Daya Nand in 1875. The Swami preached true Hinduism as expounded in the Vedas. The movement provided a strong national, emotional and cultural base to counter the western influences.

The Wahabi movement was launched among the Muslims with a view to oust the British and capture political power after the suppression of the rebellion of 1857. Gurdually, educated Muslims changed their attitude towards the British and became conscious of s

the need to improve the lot of their community. The new attitude was manifest in the Aligarh movement; of Sir Syed Ahmad Khan. In the Punjab, the new attitude was manifest in the Ahmediya movement started by Mirza Ghulam Ahmed of Qadian of Gurdaspur district in 1889. The socio-religious reform movements of the last quarter of the nineteenth century prepared the people for militant national acti vity. As a result of cultural revolution, a powerful educated middle *class emerged in the Punjab who were greatly affected by the defeat of Russia by Japan (a small Asian country) and the partition of Bengal. They were also influenced by the—large quantity of patriotic literature produced during the period. In such an atmosphere, the wrong policies of the Government could cause agitation of the people. After alienating the money-lenders and traders by the Land Alienation Act, 1901, the Punjab Government increased the irriga tion rates in the Bari Doab Canal colonies with a view to obtain so •called legitimate share of increase in the produce of cotton and sugarcane due to improved irrigational facilities. By the end of 1906, the Punjab Government decided to curtail the rights of the cultiva tors with a view to reduce them to the position of tenants. This resulted in a popular agrarian agitation. In early 1907, public meetings were held at Lahore, Rawalpindi, Amritsar, Gurdaspur and Lyallpur to manifest public resentment to the official Bill which was introduced by the Government to bring about the changes. In one of the meetings at Lyallpur, Lala Lajpat Rai advocated for the legiti mate rights of the peasants to the ownership of land. "Wherefrom did the Government bring those lands? The blood of our forefathers was shed on it, these lands are, therefore, either ours or God's Go vernment officials are servants to serve us and not to rule us. Do not fear the Jails nor death". Ajit Singh, another fiery speaker, called upon three hundred million Indians to oust hundred and fifty thousand Englishmen from India. Banke Dyal's son 'Pagri Sambhal Jatta' inculcated self res pect in the Punjab peasant. The prosecution and closure of news paper "The Punjabi" and the threatened increase of revenue of twenty-five per cent gave an impetus to the movement. At Rawal pindi, Ajit Singh appealed to the cultivators not to cultivate land 20 and pay the increased land tax. Three lawyers, the President,. Gurdas Ram and Amolak Ram and six of their countrymen were prosecuted on the charge of sedition and they all languished in Jails. On 2nd May, a complete hartal was observed in Rawalpindi. The repressive policy of the government caused resentment in the pro vince. A very important party "Anjuman-i-Mahibban-i-Watan" popularly known as Bharat Mata Society was formed. Ajit Singh, Sufi Amba Prashad and Lai Chand Falak, its important members inculcated the atform

The celebration of the Golden Jubilee of the revolt of 1857 greatly agitated the Government. Lala Lajpat Rai and Ajit Singh were deported. Gradually, due to the repressive measures ment and veto of the Colonisation Bill by the Governor-General, the movement abated. A raid was conducted on the Tilak Press, Hoshiarnur where secret literature was captured bv the Government.

In order to earn their livelihood, the Punjab peasants migrated to far and near countries of Asia and America, where they settled as cultivators and labourers. After few years of the Punjabi's settle ment, the Canadian and American anthorities became apprehensive of the adverse economic and social effects of these foreigners for their own countries. The harassment from the local people, discri minatory attitude of the Government and refusal of the Indian Go vernment to help them, forced them to organise themselves. Acting on the advice of Lala Lajpat Rai, Ajit Singh, Bhai Parmanand, Barkatullah and Hardyal? they formed the Ghadar Party to emanci pate their motherland from foreign yoke.

In 1913, the Ghadar Party came into existence at Washingt Workers Baba Sohan Singh Bhakna as its- President and Hardyal as its Secre tary. Soon the headquarters of the party were shifted to San Francisco where they began to bring out a journal named the Ghadar in Urdu, Punjabi and Gujarati. Besides, the Ghadar, the Yugantar Ashram, headquarters of the Ghadar Party published lm pamphlets like Ghadar di Goonj, Ilan-i-Jang, Nay a Zam Balance-sheet of the British Rule in India. 21

In 1914, a tragedy called Komagata Maru occurred. To check the migration of the Indians to Canada, the Government of that country banned the entry of all those emigrants who did not possess 200 and who did not journey continuously to Canada. There was no direct ship service from India in those days. Baba Gurdit Singh, an enterprising Sikh businessman, hired a Japanese steamer and sailed to Canada with 376 persons. All the passengers were the Punjabis with the exception of few. The Canadian authorities at Vancouver did not allow the passen gers to land except the domiciles of Canada, They threatened Baba Gurdit Singh to impound his ship in case of non-payment of the charters fee. He could not pay till he fulfilled his contract with the passengers. The provisions ran short and after two months stay, the ship turned back towards Hong Kong. The passengers were not allowed to land either at Hong Kong or at Singapore. At last the ship finally reached the Budge Budge Harbour at Calcutta on 26th September, 1914. Due to the out break of the First World War, their entry into India was banned by an ordinance. Special arrangements were made to carry the passengers from Calcutta to Punjab. As a result of the conflict with the police, 18 were killed and 25 were wounded. Gurdit Singh with twenty-eight passengers escaped.

After the Komagata Maru Tragedy, the Ghadrites gave call to "the Punjabis settled in the U.S.A., Canada and South-East Asia to move quickly to India to liberate their motherland. The first group of the Ghadrites left San Francisco for India in August; 1914 by the ship 'Korea', Of all the ships which brought Ghadrites to India, Tosa Maru is the most important. There were about three hundred per sons aboardit. After reaching the Indian shore on 29th October, 1914, four leaders were arrested and rest of them were sent by a special train to Punjab where they were imprisoned in the central jails of Montgomery and Multan. Despite the great vigilance of Ihe Govern ment, one thousand Ghadrites managed to reach the Punjab by the end of December, 1914. • After entering the Punjab, the Ghadrites resorted to raiding police stations to obtain arms and to derail trains and destroy bridges. They did not succeed in their activites due to the vigilance of the Govern ment. They opened bomb factories at Amritsari and Lahore. 22

main aim of the Ghadrites was to spread disaffection amon the troops. In ai short time aim cantonments of the Punjab. The night of 21st February, 1915 was fixed by Rash Bihari Bose for the Indian soldiers to revolt against the British.

The plans of the Ghadriies came to the notice of the Government through their agents. The Government acted promptly, arrested the Ghadrites sentenced eighteen of them to death, out of whom twelve were hanged. Due to the repressive policy of the Government, the Ghadrites could not succeed. The Government assumed special powers by passing the Defence of India Act. The accuseds in the Lahore Conspiracy Case were tried summarily. Out of them 46 were sentenced to death, 194 were, transported for life, 93 were sentenced to varying terms and only 42 were released.

During the Great War, with the help of the Germany the Ghadrites formed a provisional Government in Kabul with Mahendra Pratap as President and Barkatullah as Prime Minister. To obtain the support of the Muslim Chiefs of Asia and to separate the Russians from the British the Provisional Government dispatched letters writ ten on silk and sewn inside the clothes to India. Some of the letters were seized by the Government and the plot known as Silk Letters Conspiracy Case proved abortive.

number of Punjabis was four lakhs who ie World War. After thp war the Punial m legitimate rights, but the Government gave high sounding tributes and few glittering medals. The prices rose enormously during the war and there was no fall in prices after the war as expected. The natural consequences were strikes and lock-outs. The out break of plague, influenza and famine added to the misery of the people. Mor >over, the policy of Michael O'Dyer, the Lieutenant-Governor mi ed the latter. The Muslims turned against the British as they thought that the assurances, given to them were not fulfilled. About this time, the Rikab Ganj Morcha was launched by the Sikhs. The outer wall of the Gurdwara Rikab Ganj at Delhi was < 23

demolished and some land was acquired by the Government to build a new capital in 1912. After the end of war, the Sikhs started the agitation-on the question of the demolished wall. The Govern ment had to yield but after sufferings of many Sikhs.

| As the Defence of India Act was only for the duration of the war and the Indian Government was not ready to part with the special powers vested in it by the Act, it passed the Rowlatt Bill on the recom mendation of the Rowlatt Commission. It gave the Government im mense extraordinary powers to deal with sedition.

Against the Rowlatt Bills, Mahatma Gandhi gave a call for hartal on 6th April. It raised great enthusiasm in Punjab. At Amritsar, Dr. Satyapal and Dr. Kitchlew, who were guiding the movement were arrested and sent to Dharamsala Jail. A large number of people marched from Hall Gate to the Office of the Deputy Commissioner to demand the release of their leaders. On the way, they were fired at and ten of them were killed. At Lahore, a black flag procession was fixed at.

To improve the situation at Amritsar5 the town of Amritsar was handed over to General Dyer on 12th April, 1919 for administration. On the 13th April, 1919, a public meeting was held aJ. Jallianwala Bagh. Without any warning, the General blocked the only exit and ordered his troops to fire at the people. About five hundred people were either killed or wounded. It was a massacre of a most non-violent gathering. Moreover, in order to inspire terror among people, the General resorted to flogging and other third degree methods of punishment.

In the year 1920, there was a great change in the temper and tempo of the national movement. The new objective of the move ment was Swaraj, the new leader was Mahatma Gandhi and new methods were both non-violent and revolutionary. Thus, in the words of Phillips the "nationalist middle class agitation was transformed into mass revolutionary movement." During the post-World War period, two major movements preci pitated the situation in the Punjab: (1) militant reaction to the enact ment of the Rowlatt Act resulting in hartals and demonstrations. 24

(ii) Pan-Islamic movement. After the defeat of Turkey by the British, the Turkish Sultan who was also the Khalifa of the Islamic world was dethroned. As Mahatma Gandhi's aim was to cultivate good relationship between the Hindus and the Muslims, he gave a call to observe 17th October as the Khilafat Day.

On the 1st August, 1920, Mahatma Gandhi launched the Non- Co-operation Movement and appealed to the people to surrender titles, honorary posts and observe hartal due to the attitude of the Government towards Khilafat and Amritsar atrocities. At a special session of the Indian National Congress under the presidentship of Lala Lajpat Rai on 4th September, 1920, an appeal was made to public servants to resign from the administrative and Government educational institutions and to boycott councils and foreign textiles. At its annual session in December 1920 at Nagpur, the decision of non-cooperation was ratified with the declaration "Swraj by all peaceful and legitimate means". The new policy of the Congress and the crop failure gave the movement a mass character.. The Akali movement brought the Sikhs in the national movement. Boycott of councils, courts, schools, and foreign cloth and above all the visit of the Prince of Wales to India in December, 1927 and the Hindu- Muslim unity shook* the Government; and resulted in the repressive measures by the official machinery. Twenity-five thousand persons were imprisoned. By the end of 1921, the activities of the Akalis in the Punjab, the Moplah revolt on the Malabar coast, the peasant movement in U.P., the strikes of the working class and the non-cooperation movement of the Congress threatened the very existence of the BritishEmpire. The tragedy at Chauri Chaura where 22 policemen were burnt alive in a police station, greatly shocked Mahatma Gandhi who withdrew the movement in February, 1922 to avoid further violence.

Mahatm the constructive programme. Such Congress leaders as Moti Lai Nehru and C. R. Dass who did not agree with Gandhi ji, formed the Swarajist party to fight the elections and enter into the legislatures. The Swarajists secured many victories during the first two years. They successfully thwarted the working of the Dyarchy. But soon 25

a section among the Swarajists began to co-operate with the Go vernment. The Swarajists remained in councils till 1928 when asked by the Indian National Congress to quit the councils and participate in the freedom struggle.

On the 14th December, 1920, the Shiromani Akali Dal was organised with a view to work for the reforms in the Gurdwaras. After the passage of time, the Dal began to take interest in the political problems of the Sikhs and later on it emerged as their main political party. Since its inception, the various agitations launched * by the Akali Dal have always been peaceful. The Akalis laid stress on non-violence and suffered a lot whether the agitation was religious or political. Acting on the precedents of the Great Gurus, the Akalis made their sacrifices and did not butcher others. Although the agita tions of the Akalis were for the liberation of the Gurdwaras, they came into collision with the Government and ultimately contributed "to the freedom movement of the country.

Before passing of the Sikh Gurdwara Act by the Punjab Go vernment in 1925, the main aim of the Akalis was to liberate the Gurdwaras from the abnoxious Mahants and hand over the Shrines to the Shiromani Gurwara Parbandhak Committee which was formed on the 15th November, 1920.

The Gurdwara reform movement launched by the Akalis had its genesis in the discontent among the Sikhs against the corruption of the Mahants, the hereditary priests of the Sikh Shrines. Its main aim was to reform the management of the Gurdwaras and to bring them under the control of the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabhandhak Committee. The Akali movement during the period 1920—25 was a mass upsurge for the liberation of the Gurdwaras.

The Akalis who launched the agitation for the liberation of the Gurdwaras remained non-violent despite the atrocities perpetrated by the Mahants, their stooges and the Government. Nankana Sahib, the birth place of Guru Nanak was managed by an Udasi Mahant and Narain Dass, the richest of the Mahants. He kept a concubiene at the Gurdwara and used to organise dance of the prostitutes at the Gurdwara. The local Sikhs protested against the profligacy of the 26

Mahant and were eager to oust him. The Mahant sought protection from the police and hired four hundred thugs who lived in the Gurdwara premises to protect him.

On the 20th February,. 1921, a Jatha of Akalis led by the Lachhman Singh Dharowala entered the Gurdwara to offer prayers. Lachhman Singh sat on the dias and begain to recite from the Holy Granth. The Mahant got the gates of the Shrine closed. His hire lings fell upon the unarmed and non-violent Akalis and killed them in cold blood. The dead and dying Akalis were dragged to a pile of wood collected earlier and set on fire. By the time the police and the local Sikhs reached the spot, 130 Akalis had been burnt. For the murder of 130 Akalis, three were sentenced to death and two includ ing the Mahant were imprisoned for life. Bands of the Akalis began to gather at Nankana Sahib and it was openly alleged that the Commissioner of Lahore had supported the Mahant secretly with whose permission he purchased arms. The Commissioner of Lahore hurried to Nankana Sahib and handed over the keys Gurdwara to the representatives of the Shiromani Gurdwara i Prabandhak Committee. It is to the credit of the Akalis that despite great atrocities, they remained peaceful and conducted the morcha peacefully. Mahatma Gandhi wrote about the incident at the Nankana, "Everything points to a second edition of Dyerism, more' barbarous and more fiendish than the barbarism at Jallianwala. Bagh".

Being suspicious of the bona fides of Baba Kharak Singh, the new President of the S.G.P.C, the Deputy Commissioner of Amritsar took away the keys of the Golden Temple Amritsar on the 7th November, 1921, and intended to hand them over to a person nominated by him. The S.G.P.C. did not allow the nominee of the Deputy Commissioner to enter the Gurdwara. On November 21 the police arrested 193 prominent Akali leaders including Baba Kharak Singh, Mehtab Singh and Master Tara Singh and they were sen tenced to various terms of imprisonment. The Governor interceded and by January 1922, all the Akali. leaders were set free and the keys of the Golden Temple were given to Baba Kharak Singh. Mahatma 27

Gandhi cangratulated the Baba telegraphically, "First decisive battle for India's freedom won, Congratulations".

Mahant of the Guru Ka Bagh a small shrine near Amritsar, handed over the Gurdwara to the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee and was baptised as Sikh. But when he saw the favourable attitude of the Government towards the Mahants, he asserted that though he had handed over the Gurdwara to the S.G.P.C. yet he regarded the place as Guru Ka Bagh as his personal property. He objected to the Sikhs cutting of timber for the langar in the Gurdwara. On the 9th August, 1922, five Sikhs were arrested on the charge of tres pass and sentenced to six months rigorous imprisonment. The Government arrested the S.G.P.C. leaders in- eluding Mehtab Singh and Master Tara Singh. The police blocked all the approaches to the Guru Ka Bagh Gurdwara and ssverely beat those with iron-knobbed lathis who proceeded to the shrine, till they fell unconscious on the ground.

The Akali Ja/thas of 100 volunteers daily proceeded to the Guru Ka Bagh and remained non-violent in word and deed. They were severely beaten by the police and thrown into ditches where non government relief parties picked them up-# For nineteen days, the Akali Jathas were sent and treated in the like manner. The dis tinguished leader like Pandit Madan Mohan Malvia, Hakim Ajmal Khan, Dr. Rajinder Parshad and C. F. Andrews observed the non violent Akalis beaten by the police. C.F. Andrews was greatly moved and he wrote, "A new heroism, learnt through suffering, has arisen in the land. A new lesson in moral war fare has been taught to the world." John S. Hoyland, wrote "An English spectator of move ment of Satyagraha, when hundreds of ex-soldiers belonging to the proudest and most martial (Sikh) race in India, marched in rank after rank to a cordon of police, there to be clubbed down unresis tingly, he said to the present writer that never in his life did he see any thing so dreadful and at the same time so impressive." The Lt. Governor of Punjab who visited Guru Ka Bagh, ordered the Police to stop beating the Satyagrahi Akalis. Due to his intercession, Sir Ganga Ram, a retired engineer and a philanthorpist, purchased the land and handed it over to the Akalis. 28

Maharaja Ripudaman Singh of Nabha had sympathies with the Akalis and the British Government wanted to dethrone him. On the complaint of the Maharaja of Patiala, the boundary dispute bet ween Patiala and Nabha States was referred to a British Court of Inquiry. The Court gave the verdict against the ruler of Nabha. The Political Agent forced Ripudaman Singh to abdicate. This •greatly enraged the Sikhs. The S.G.P.C. passed resolution demand ing the restoration of the Maharaja and asked the Sikhs to observe 9th September, 1923 Nabha Day. The Sikhs of Nabha State organis ed Akhand Paths on the occasion. One such Akhand Path was at Gurdwara Gangsar in village Jaitu. The Police of Punjab and Nabha State entered the shrine, interrupted the recitation of the holy Granth and arrested some Akalis. This greatly hurt the Sikh sentiments and a new morcha was launched. The Government declared S.G.P.C. and Shiromani Akali Dal as unlawful bodies. Prominent Akali leaders including Mehtab Singh, Teja Singh Samundri and Master Tara Singh were arrested on the charge of waging war against the King and brought to Lahore fort for trial. The Jathas continued to march to Jaitu. They were severely beaten and many of them imprisoned. On February 21, 1923, a Jatha of 500 was fired upon but the members of the Jatha continued marching resulting considerable loss of life. The Indian National Congress declared its sull support to the Akali Morcha at Jaitu. Pt. Jawahar Lai Nehru, K. Santhanam and A. T. Gidwani who were also the mem bers of the All India Congress Committee, proceeded to Jaitu from Delhi to ascertain the exact position. They were arrested on the the orders of J. Wilson Johnston, I.C.S., the Administrator of Nabha on October 3, 1923 and subsequently released after few days. The Government ultimately surrendered in October, 1924 and allowed a Jatha of Sikh Sudhar Sabha to enter the Gurdwara at Jaitu in order to hold the Akhand Path.

The result of the peaceful Akali Morchas was thai the Govern ment passed the Sikh Gurdwara and Shrines Act in 1925.

As mentioned earlier, throughout the Sikh Struggle for Gurdwara Heform, he Akalis remained non-violent despite the attrocities per petrated on them by the Government and the Mahants. About forty thousands Akalis were imprisoned and about five thousand were 29 killed. Sixteen lakhs of Rupees were paid as fine and forfeitures' and about seven thousand Sikh Government employees were deprived of their posts. Despite these vicissitudes, the Akalis were non-violent. The Akalis in the words of Prof. Ruchi Ram Sahni, "went through suffering and made sacrifices that could only have demanded of seasoned soldiers. In their case, it was A blind obedience like that of the Balaclava horsemen. Not desperate submission to an order because it mus domi able, unconquerable faith that they were doing the right thing in the service of their God and the Community. The stories of the Crusaders pale into insignificant before the Guru-Ka-Bagh or Jaito episodes for instance, because, if for no o\her reason, the Akalis prac tised non-violence such as Christ himself preached in the Sermon; of the Mount."

The Babbars also played significant role-against the Raj.

Thanks to the efforts of Bhai Santokh Singh and Abdul Majid, the Kirti Kisan party was formed in 1927. The Publication of a newspaper 'The Kirti' was started. In the beginning, the party worked for the reduction of rents, abolition of nazranas, etc. Due to its association, with a revolutionary, the Nau Jawan Sabha, the Government became apprehensive of its designs and with the assis tance of the Unionist Party, the activities of the party were curbed. As a result, the members of the party changed their label and join ed the Communist Party.

In March, 1926, Bhagat Singh formed the Nau Jawan Sabha wi ;h a view to inspire the Punjabi youth for the revolutionery activity. With the help of Kedar Nath Sehgal, Sardul Singh, Anand Kishore Mehta, Pindi Dass Sodhi and Ram Chandra, the Nau Jawan Sabha soon became powerful. Eminent national leaders like Jawahar Lai Nehru spoke from its platform.

In 1928, in association with the Kirti Kisan party, the Nau Jawan Sabha spread its activities. was ed with the primary object of publishing revolutionary literature. Their literature was mostly distributed among the students at Lahore, a centre of learning at that time. The Sabha also organised 30 a big procession under the leadership of Lala Lajpat Rai to protest against the all white Simon Commission. While heading the pro cession, the Lala received fatal-blows of police lathis and died due to injuries on 17th November, 1928. Greatly enraged, Bhagat Singh, Raj guru, Yash Pal and Chandra Shekhar Azad killed a high police officer Saunders.

After this incident, the Punjab Revolutionaries went under ground and formed Hindustan Socialist Republican Association. Bhagat Singh and Batukeshwar Dutt threw bombs in the Central Assembly Hall with a view to apprise the British administration, the sentiments of the Indian people. The Lahore Conspiracy Case was | instituted in 1929. Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev and Raj-guru were sen tenced to death in October, 1930. The British Government did not commute the sentence of death into transportation for life despite nationwide appeals.

Sohan Singh Josh, Kedar Nath Sehgal and Abdul Majid, an other accomplices of Bhagat Singh were involved in the Meerut Conspiracy Case. Due to the ruthlessness oi the British Government the revolutionary movement gradually faded out but it left its great impact. The Raj succeeded in arousing communal tensions.

M. N. Roy and his associates formed the Communist Party of "India. Gradually, its branches spread all over India. Its association with the revolutionaries and militant organisations and its involve ment in the Meerut Conspiracy Case, 1929, invited the wrath of the British Government and the Communist activity was suppressed for the time being.

A statutory provision of the Government of India Act, 1919 was. that a royal commission would be set up after ten years to judge the working of reforms and recommend further action if necessary. Being afraid that the Labour Party might be in majority in the parliamentary elections due in 1929, the Conservative Government established an inquiry commission of seven members with Sir John Simon as its Chairman. This all-white Commission was boy-cotted by all the parties since it's arrival on 3rd February, 1928 Where ver the Commission went, there were demonstrations wiAh black 31

flags. In one of the demonstrations at Lahore, Lala Lajpat Rai received fatal lathi blows from the police.

The Simon Commission though rejected by all the parties in directly urged the Indian leaders to draft a constitution of their own to which all parties agree. The first conference was held at Delhi on 12th February, 1928. Its chairman was Dr. M. A. Ansari. After it, there was political parties conference in August, 1928. The draft ing of a constitution ended in fiasco due to the opposition of Jinah at Calcutta convention. Despite not succeeding in obtaining the sup port of all the political parties for the Nehru Report, as the draft constitution was called, the Indian National Congress appealed to the British Government to accept it but it proved abortive.

In 1929, the declaration for the Puran Swaraj was made at the Lahore session of the Indian National Congress. Due to the ada mant attitude of the Government, the Congress launched the Civil Disobedience Movement in 1930. The movement was started with the famous Dandi March of Mahatma Gandhi. There were sporadic case of violence but Gandhi was determined to continue the move ment. In the meantime, the First Round Table Conference was con vened to discuss the recommendations of the Simon Commission. In this conference. Dr. B. R. Ambedkar, demanded separate representa tion for the depressed classes and the Muslim leaders demanded a inajor share in the government of the provinces where the Muslims were in majority and reservation of rights where they were in minority. No major political party took part in the First Round Table Conference.

After the First Round Table Conference, the British Prime Minister urged the Congress to revise its policy. Gandhi held a meeting with the Viceroy, Lord Irwin. This resulted in the Gandhi- Irwin Pact on 5th March, 1931. The Congress suspended the Civil Disobedience Movement and agreed to attend the Second Round Table Conference.

While Gandhiji was preparing for the Second Round Table Conference, there was political unrest in the whole of the countrv. 32

In the North-West Frontier Province, the Red Shirts under Abdul Gaffar Khan were picketing Government institutions. In U.P.,. Jawahar Lai Nehru launched a no rent campaign of the peasants.

Gandhiji came empty-handed from the Second Round Table Conference. Communal harmony in the country suffered greatly as the depressed classes demanded separate rights. On 17th August, 1932, the Viceroy announced Communal Award, according to which representation was fixed on the basis of percentage for each minority including depressed classes. To stop the further division of the society, Gandhiji, on 13th December, 1932 went on fast unto deaxh till the depressed classes agreed to return to Hinduism. The result was the Poona Pact according to which the depressed classes were given special protection within Hinduism. The Harijans agreed to withdraw their demand for separate representation and the Com munal Award had to be amended by the Viceroy.

After the last session of the Round Table Conference on 17th November, 1932, the Government published a white paper on the basis of which bill was introduced in Parliament on 19th December, 1934. It was passed and according to this Government of India Act,. 1935, there was an all India federation having a Federal Court and Federal Public Service Commission. In the place of dyarchy in the provinces, the provincial autonomy was introduced. At the Centre, dyarchy was introduced. The federal scheme was opposed by all political parties. was deemed various parties agreed to participate in 1937.

Communal relations worsened during the thirties and rights were widespread. At Karachi over the murder of Hindu and at Lahore over the site of the Gurdwara Shahidganj, there were serious communal riots. There were communal riots in U.P. and Bombay. Congress won the elections except in Punjab and Sindh. The Muslim League fared verv hadlv

Inspired by the political movements in British India, the back- war people of the Princely States launched struggle to abolish feudalism and to obtain democratic rights wi they formed political party known as Praia Mandal 33

owth of nationalism more of Indian rulers. The political twenties injab drew the people of the Princely States and the British Smpire closer to one another. The Akali Dal also began to take interest in the affairs of the Princely States of the Punjab. The arrest of some prominent and pcpular leaders by the Patiala State greatly hurt the feeling of the t eople who convened a meeting at Man The f c unda- Mandal

• On 10th August, 1928, the Punjab Rayasti Praja Mandal decided to extend, its activities to other neighbouring states such as Itharu, Pataudi, Nahan, Mandi, Saket, Chamba, Bhawalpur and Kashmir. The Praja Mandal advocated for the curtailment of royal purses and privileges, popular legislatures, independent judiciary and obtaining other rights for the people.

With the help of Congress, the Praja Mandal Movement gained momentum. The princes tried to suppress the movement. Mid night raids were conducted on villages. The properties of the parti cipants were confiscated and they were imprisoned. Sewa Singh Thikriwala, President of the Punjab Riyasti Praja Mandal, was arrested and sentenced to eight years imprisonment and rupees five thousand as fine. He went on hunger strike in jail and died on 20th January, 1935.

When Mahatma Gandhi launched the Quit India Movement in 1947, the Praja Mandal supported it. According to the Act of 1935, the Princes had the option to join federation or not. The people of the states were ready to merge with India to end the aristocratic and autocratic rule of the Princes. In 1946, there was in Faridkot state against its arbitrary ruler!

From 1937, there was a triangular political contest. The Cong ress struggled for independence, the Muslim League was for the effective share of the Muslims in political power and the British took advantage of the mutual differences of the two to delay the trans fer Of nnwer in Tn^iane 34

In 1939, the Second World War broke out. As Great Britain was engaged in the War, India being her dependency was declared a belligerent country. The Congress protested that the people of the country had not been consulted on this ground. The Congress ministries resigned and Mahatma Gandhi started Individual Satya- graha against the war propaganda of the Government.

During the War when the Japanese were greatly pressurising the British in South-East Asia, the Indian Government started nego tiations to obtain the support of Indians to their efforts. In March, 1942. Sir Stafford Cripps, a Socialist and a friend of Jawahar Lai Nehr i was dispatched to India to offer independence as soon as the War ended. The statement of Cripps about the British policy that it was their duty to protect the minorities greatly offended the Congress. Hence Cripps Mission ended in failure.

Due to the frustration in the country and the growing pressure of the Japanese on the British, Mahatma Gandhi launched the Quit India Movement in 1942. The Indian National Congress was declared an) illegal institution. Its leaders and participants were arres "ed and force was used to quell the movement. Due to the lack of leadership, the movement began to subside. After Russia's joining the War as the ally of the Britain, the Communists support ed the British Government. The Muslim League took full advan tage to better i+s position among the Muslims.

The Indian National Army commonly known as I.N.A. under the able leadership of Subhash Chandra Bose and General Mohan Singh greatly contributed to the freedom struggle. Subhash Chandra Bose was against the Gandhi's technique of Satyaoraha and advocated militancy. He escaped from India, went to Berlin and from there proceeded to Saigon and Rangoon. As the Japanese establi shed a puppet government in Burma, Netaji formed the Government of Free India in the Andaman-Nicobar Islands. With the help of some prominent Punjabi army officers and Indians living in South- East Asia, they formed the Indian National Army. The newly form ed army fought many battles for the country. Most of them were the Punjabis. The I.N.A. was disbanded after the War. 35

was in the War. As the situation improved, the Government the Congress leaders.

After the War in 1945, the Labour Party won the elections in England. The new Labour Government ordered general elections in India. In these elections, the Muslim League fared better, be cause majority of the Muslim voters voted for the League. In the Punjab, the Muslic League captured 79 seats out of total of 175 sea^s. No single party had so many seats. The Congress, the Sikhs and the Unionist Party joined to> prevent! the Muslim League from coming to power. In Bengal and Sindh the position of the League was ven better# The position of the Congress was not as strong aS was in majority in many

A Cabinet Mission consisting of Lord Pathick Lawrence Sir Stafford Cripps and A. Alexander was sent to India to effect the political settlement among the various parties of India. The Cabinet Mission had consultations with the various parties of India. The Cabinet Mission held consultations with the eminent political leaders and then offered their scheme which sought to reconcile the va rious conflicting interests. According to the scheme, the unity of India was to be maintained while largely meeting the view point of +he League. The scheme proved abortive due to the mistrust between the Congress and the Muslim League. After the failure of the Cabinet Mission, the Labour Government of England decided to establish an Interim Government comprising the representatives of the major political parties. The Muslim League did not join. The Congress was asked to form the government which it did. After a few months the Muslim Lea£ League to a policy of 'Direct Action'. was on 6th August, 1946. There was great turmoil on that day. The # division of the country appeared inevitable.

Lord Mountbatten was particularly sent to India to effect the peaceful partition of India. The Congress was persuaded by the new Viceroy to accept the partition of the country. The Sikhs were opposed to the formation of Pakistan. On the assurance of the Con gress that they would be accorded due treatment! in India^ they threw their lot with the Congress. On 2nd June 1947, plan for the partition 36 of the country was announced and after its approval by the Congress and the League, 15th August, 1947 was fixed the deadline for the transfer of power. One man commission of Sir Cyril Redcliffe was appointed to demarcate the boundaries of India and Pakistan, to divide property and armed forces between two sitates. The work was completed during the stipulated period.

At last, the long struggle for independences came to an end after the independence of India on 15th August, 1947. There were tragic events of communal riots, violence and arson. Finding them selves, insecure in Pakistan, the Hindus and Sikhs migrated from Pakistan to India. Similarly, the Muslims who felt insecure in India migrated to Pakistan.

Punjab played a prominent role in India's struggle for freedom. It was second to nlone in its efforts to throw off the foreign yoke. The daring Punjabis staked their all for their motherland. The non-violent performance of the heroes of the different Morchas of the Akali Movement is unparalleled in the annals of our freedom struggle.

23370 D of Arch—Govt. Press, U.T., Chandigarh. L

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Jallian Wala Bagh Amritsar