Department of Distance Education Punjabi University, Patiala (All Copyrights are Reserved) Note : 2.7 2.6 2.5 2.4 2.3 2.2 2.1 1.5 1.4 1.3 1.2 1.1 LESSON NO : UNIT NO. 1 & 2 (SEMESTER IV) M.A. (HISTORY) PART-II the departments website www.dccpbi.com : : : : : : : : : : : : Students can download the syllabus from Punjab and the Rising of 1857 Punjab Arya SinghSamaj Sabha Movement Kuka MovementMovement in the Administration in the Punjab Nature and Development of British of Punjab to Partition the Leading (1947) Circumstances The The Babbar Akali Movement Gurudwara Reform Movement(1920-1925) of 1907 and Ghadar Movement Freedom Movement, GrowthAgrarian of Unrest Nationalof Land ConsciousnessAct, 1900 Rural andIndebtedness & Punjab Alienation Canal Irrigation and Colonisation Policy of Agrarian the Britis SECTION-B SECTION-A HISTORY OF PUNJAB FROM FROM h Government (1849-1947) PAPER-I M.A. (HISTORY) PART II PAPER I Sem IV (HISTORY OF PUNJAB FROM (1849–1947) LESSON NO. 1.1 NATURE AND DEVELOPMENT OF BRITISH ADMINISTRATION IN THE PUNJAB (a) Board of Administration, its formation and working (b) Sir John Lawrence as an Administrator After the Second Anglo-Sikh War, a Durbar was held at Lahore on March 29, 1849 by Sir Henry Eliot, the Foreign Secretary, under the order of Lord Dalhousie, the Governor General of the East India Company. Amidst deep silence, the proclamation of the annexation of the Punjab was read out and immediately thereafter the paper was signed by the young Maharaja Dalip Singh. The Punjab ceased to be an independent kingdom and new arrangement for its administration was made. Non-Regulations Pattern of Board of Administration In the words of Mohammad Latif, “To ensure substantial justice, the protection of the law was extended to the people without its tedious formalities and intricate niceties and if the system inaugurated was lax, compared with the strict procedure of the regulation province, it was thoroughly adopted to the condition of the people.” Thus, it was proposed that immediately after its annexation, the Punjab be administered under ‘Non-Regulation System’, which according to Aitchison means that ‘the administration should be conducted to the principles and spirit of the Regulation, but not fettered by the letter and that justice, equity and conscience should speak when the law is silent”. According to Aitchison three principles were involved in this system. First, the country was mapped out into districts, so small in respect of area, population and revenue that it was possible for the civil officers to gain a complete knowledge of them and to become personally acquainted with all the men of mark and influence. Secondly, every civil functionary from the lowest in due order of subordination was vested with judicial, fiscal and magisterial powers, so as to secure concentration of authority and undivided responsibility. Thirdly, the law and procedure introduced were of the simplest kind and were based as far might be on native customs and institutions. Board of Administration A Board of Administration consisting of three persons Sir Henry Lawrence, John Lawrence and Charles Mansel was constituted. Dalhousie did not like Henry Lawrence who had already once clashed with him and who was opposed to the policy of the annexation of the Punjab. But the Governor-General could not ignore Henry Lawrence as in the words of Gough, “there was no other man 1 M.A.(History) Part-II (Semester-IV) 2 Paper-I already so effectively and so widely won the personal admiration and confidence of the natives. Next to him stood his brother, John, harder of head, convincing to the western minds but less appreciated by the orientals. Henry’s integrity and his knack of handling people and reconciling adverse spirits proclaimed him to be only man who could heal the wounds of the Sikhs caused by the Anglo-Sikh War. He was a great moderating influence between the conqueror and the conquered. Despite the fact that Henry was appointed as President of the Board of Administration, Dalhousie would not like to leave the entire executive authority in his hands whom the Governor-General believed “that the opinion of Henry were wholly averse to the intended policy of the Government.” John’s opinions were more agreeable to the Governor General. Thus the brothers were certain to pull in different directions. So, Dalhousie appointed the third man Charles Mansel to secure the needed harmony. The differences on political matters between the two brothers were unbridgeable. Thus, from the very outset the Board did not possess the unity of purpose, a set procedure and concentration of power, vital for the pacification and consolidation of a new province. Nevertheless the Board, as we shall see, acquained itself creditably and produced enduring results. To each member of the Board was given the task suited to his aptitude and liking. Henry Lawrence received the charge of political and military affairs. His duties included the disarming of the state, and the defence of the frontier. He was to apply the balm and heal the wounds of those who deeply felt the loss of their former powers. John Lawrence was to head the departments of finance and land settlement. Charles Mansel who was thoughtful, contemplative and pacific and very conciliatory had a legal and technical turn of mind. So he was given the charge of Judicial Department. He was not on the Board for long and was replaced by Robert Montgomery in 1851. The system in the words of Kaye was “of divided labour and common responsibility.” Each was answerable for the acts of the other two. All official papers were circulated to three members of the Board and each member recorded his opinion on every matter that came before him. The matter was then discussed by the Board and a decision was taken collectively. The Board had wide powers over the matters relating to the Punjab. The new system did not have many regulations or tedious rules, which were beyond the understanding of the people. Dalhousie placed the services of the most talented band of British officers at the disposal of the Board. Work of the Board of Administration At the time of constituting the Board Dalhousie said, “by prosecuting these projects of employment and directing the energies of these people to new sources of interest and excitement we may gradually win them from those M.A.(History) Part-II (Semester-IV) 3 Paper-I schemes of agitation and violence and it may be our happiness before long to see our efforts crowned by the conversion of a martial and hostile population into industrious subjects cultivating the arts of peace and cultivation.” It was enjoined upon the Board to bring about peace and prosperity in the Punjab. Henry Lawrence wanted of his subordinates to be kind and considerate to the people. (a) Military and Police Measures After the debacle of the Khalsa army at the hands of the British the Sikh soldiers were in a very dejected frame of mind. The British Government not only planned to disarm them but also to divert them to careers of peace and plenty. It was considered necessary to disarm the people of Punjab because they were stupefied by the military disasters. Any delay could result in formenting trouble in the ranks of the Sikh army. Through a proclamation, the people were asked to surrender their arms and pull down all private fortification. The Khalsa army without any protest gave up their arms. They were paid up their arrears and discharged from service to retire to their homes to take up the profession of agriculture. In the process of disarming the people the cooperation of the headmen of the villages was sought. The district officials had been instructed not to issue search warrants or resort to any drastic measure but the village headmen were held responsible for their respective areas. Unexpectedly most of the people came forward to surrender their arms. The Board feared some resistance from the landed aristocracy and the Sikhs because a short time back they had fought very severe battles for their faith and motherland. But they showed humility and voluntarily surrendered. Organisation of Punjab Frontier Force In order to create some opportunities for the daring among the people some new regiments were raised. This formed the nucleus of the Punjab forces. To check uprising in the 800 miles long north west frontier of the Punjab and to keep the frontier tribes under restraint a force called the Punjab Frontier Force was raised. This force became the finest body of native troops ever arrayed under British banners in India, equally excellent in its cavalry and infantry. Irregular columns called the Punjab Force were raised to defend the plains from the depredations of the hilly people who attacked the plains and escaped to the hills with the booty. The irregular army was mobile and swift and was under the civil officers. Some of the disbanded Sikh soldier who did not want to adopt any other profession joined the Punjab Frontier force. This force helped by the Guide corps and the military police looked after the borders. Organisation of Police Force M.A.(History) Part-II (Semester-IV) 4 Paper-I An efficient force of 8,100 men was created to deal with dacoits and thugs who were disturbing the peace of the country side. With the help of the police the Board removed these anti-social elements from the Punjab before it could do anything positive to ameliorate the condition of the people. One feature of the police organisation was that Tehsildar or native revenue collectors had police powers within their jurisdiction.