the lahore resolution.pdf
TRANSCRIPT
-
7/27/2019 THE LAHORE RESOLUTION.pdf
1/86
CHAPTER TWO
THE LAHORE RESOLUTION--A PERMANENT CLEAVAGE
BETWEEN MUSLIMS AND SIKHS
The Lahore Resolution of 1940 had an immense political impact on the Punjab
politics. In particular, the prospect of a Muslim homeland raised anxieties for the Sikh
political leadership which by this time was dominated by the Shiromani Akali Dal.
The Sikhs from time to time had raised their demands for the protection as the politics
became more democratized. But their demands had not been fully accepted either by
the British or the Congress and merely distanced them further from the Punjabi
Muslim sentiment. The Sikh demands were weak because they always worked in
reaction to the Muslim political developments. This chapter aims to look into the
Muslim-Sikh relations in the backdrop of the Lahore Resolution up to the time of the
Cripps proposals.
The Muslim-Sikh relations had been somewhat good but the Lahore
Resolution of 1940 drew a hard-line and widened the gulf between the two
communities even in the rural areas. To theSikhs, the Pakistan scheme had ended any
possibility of settlement with the Muslims. It created a crisis in the Punjab particularly
in the Sikh politics. The Hindus adopted different styles of opposing the Pakistan
scheme from different platforms nevertheless the strongest reaction came from the
Sikh community because the Punjab, cornerstone of the Leagues plan, was a sacred
land of Sikhs. Despite their fullest endeavours, they could not find a solid scheme to
counter the Pakistan scheme. They planned resistance of Pakistan instead of making a
plan to meet the rapidly changing situations of the 1940s. In the crucial phase of the
-
7/27/2019 THE LAHORE RESOLUTION.pdf
2/86
110
freedom movement, the Sikh leadership ignored all the situational realities of the day
relating to the panth, their sister communities and the turning tide of the Indian
history. This further weakened the nature of the Muslim-Sikh relationship in the
Punjab. The Sikhs by and large remained disunited, leaderless and directionless. As
far as the Sikh attitude towards the Muslims was concerned, the Sikhs continued to
portray them as the worst evil. The Akalis proved equally unsympathetic to the
Muslims whether they were Leaguers or the pro-British Unionists. They were
confused because their utmost desire was to remain with the defiant Congress but at
the same time they never wanted to lose the opportunity of the recruitment in the
army. Moreover, they did not want to surrender the benefits for their community
which the Muslims could have from the British.
The Unionist Premier, Sir Sikandar Hayat, had already assured the British of
the Muslim support in the war. And the Unionist Muslims after the Jinnah-Sikandar
Pact were technically members of the League1
at that timeas Ahmad Yar Daultana
admitted in his letter to Jinnah, I am a member of the Muslim League and my
relations of loyalty with you will always remain un-shattered.2
Under the Muslim
threat and the personal benefits, the Sikhs decided to support the British and fought
zealously in the World War I leaving behind all their homes and dear kinspersons .
According to Khushwant Singh, the main purpose of the Sikh recruitment was to arm
the community so that after the British departure they might utilize these army men as
the Khalsa fauj.3
The Hindu Mahasabha had a similar sentiment. Its Working
Committee on 22 September 1940 passed a resolution opposing Gandhian approach
on the recruitment. The leaders said that the war was a big opportunity for the
general militarization of the Hindus, and for the organization of the system of India on
sound and up-to-date modern lines, so that India be converted into a self-contained
-
7/27/2019 THE LAHORE RESOLUTION.pdf
3/86
111
defence unit.4
The Sikhs and Mahasabha Hindus were united against the Muslim
League and were trying to increase their fighting strength.
Communal Tension
The communal clashes in towns such as Shahpur, Sargodha, Sialkot,
Gujranwala, and Ludhiana caused an additional setback to the Muslim-Sikh relations.
Local conflicts coincided with the constitutional deadlock between the main political
parties none of whom appeared willing to compromise. In the first week of March
1940, Dr. R. P. Paranjpye, President, the National Liberal Federation of India depicted
the deplorable political situation in which the Congress was held responsible for the
constitutional deadlock:
It shows no desire on the part of the Congress to reach a peaceful settlement of the
Indian problem. While inveighing against British imperialism and exploitation, it isblind to the dangers of a much worse imperialism and exploitationDemocracy, in
Congress eyes, apparently means subservience to the High Command and ultimately to
Mr. Gandhi. The Congress, by its methods, alienating more and more several minorities
and is working against national unityI agree in the Congress repudiation of attempts
to divide India or to split up her nationhood, but earnestly trust that the Congress will
counteract these attempts by deeds of conciliation and not merely by words of
repudiation. As it is, the Congress has contributed largely to the separatist tendencies
by antagonising the minorities.5
The Congress resigned from the ministries (22 October 1939) in seven provinces
which gave Jinnah an opportunity to gain strength in the provinces as an alternative
political force. Therefore, in the current scenario, the League had its governments in
NWFP, Sindh and Balochistan while to K. C. Yadav, Punjab and Bengal already
were his.6In the beginning of March 1940, Dr. Muhammad Alam, MLA, resigned
from the Deputy leadership of the Congress party in the Punjab Legislative Assembly
and analyzed the Hindu attitude of the Congress which was not confined to sideline
Jinnah and his party but to all the Muslims; it never acknowledged the services of
other nationalist Muslims who were compelled to desert the Congress gradually. He
-
7/27/2019 THE LAHORE RESOLUTION.pdf
4/86
112
further stated that the war had made the situation very fragile and crucial therefore the
Congress must change its attitude towards the Muslim rights because soon the
situation would change in the country: The time for fighting over rights against the
British Government is soon to change into a time for distribution of rights.7
Furthermore, the nationalist Muslims kept on pressing the Congress leaders to change
their behaviour towards the Muslims. An article published in Hindustan depicts the
grievances of the Congressite Muslims:
Todaywe have issue of the Muslim inclusion in the Congress before us and amazingly
all aspects related to the issue are surfacing out time to time. To me, the severest and
the most important point is the Hindu mentality that the Congressite leadersthemselves have presented as a big psychological hurdle. In general, the atmosphere of
the daily routine work and meetings of the Congress does not attract the Muslims. For
example, our national songs, language of the proceedings, traditions, etc. were
pestering and irritating to the Muslims. And civilizationally it can conspicuously be
said a Hinduiyat. This is the root cause, which blocks the Congress popularity
among the Muslims. It is listened that Comrade M. N. Rai too has conceded the very
point.8
This was the original face of the Congress, which always made the Muslims feel that
they were inferior and aliens. On the other hand, the Sikhs were not ready to tolerate
even parleys between Congress and the League. On the League-Congress dialogue,
the Executive Committee of the Khalsa National Party in the Punjab Assembly under
Sir Sundar Singh Majithia,9
the Revenue Minister, resolved that the Sikhs
apprehensions had increased after watching the current political situation of India in
which the Sikh demands got no attention. He further elucidated that the Gandhi-
Viceroy and then Jinnah-Gandhi discussions showed that the Congress was ignoring
the Sikh claims just to pacify the Muslims because during these negotiations only the
Muslims were being considered as an important minority.10
Although the Sikhs
desired to participate in the discussions on the communal issue but as a matter of fact
the Hindu leadership and others perceived that the Sikhs could not survive without the
-
7/27/2019 THE LAHORE RESOLUTION.pdf
5/86
113
Hindu support. If the Congress was satisfied, the Sikhs would have felt the same
ultimately.
At Lahore, a major clash took place between the Khaksars and the police and
caused serious bloodshed (19 March 1940). Sir Sikandar requested Jinnah to prorogue
the Leagues session but Jinnah refused. According to Ashiq Hussain Batalvi, every
Muslim house was sad and mourning the poignant incident but the Sikhs were pleased
on the police action against the Khaksars.11
Under such a stringent atmosphere, the
League held its annual session at Lahore in March 1940 in which its leadership set a
goal to achieve Pakistan before the Indian Muslims. Sir Sikandar participated in the
drafting process of the Lahore Resolution commonly known as the Pakistan
Resolution.12
The Lahore Resolution
Jinnah had declared that the Lahore League session would bea landmark in the
future of the Muslims of the Subcontinent. Distinguished Punjabi Muslim leaders like
the Premier Sir Sikandar, Khizr Tiwana, Mian Abdul Haye and Sir Shah Nawaz of
Mamdot welcomed Jinnah to the ceremonial platform of Lahore. The people in
thousands were waiting for their leader outside the Railway Station while the streets
had been decorated to show love and devotion for the League leaders.13
In his
presidential address on 23 March, Jinnah gave a complete reply to the Ramgarh
Congress session ideology by saying that the spiritual, financial, cultural, social and
political differences between the Muslims and non-Muslims were fundamental and
deep-rooted which maintained the dividing line between the two throughout the
centuries. After experiencing a close interaction of a thousand years, both the
communities never merged into each other and were still separate and distinctive.
-
7/27/2019 THE LAHORE RESOLUTION.pdf
6/86
114
Merely the democratic constitution could not unite them forcibly together. Binding to
such a system was an un-natural and artificial effort of the British in the guise of the
parliamentary system.14
The major portions of the Lahore Resolution are as under:
no constitutional plan would be workable in this country or acceptable to the Muslims
unless it is designed on the following basic principles, viz., that geographically
contiguous units are demarcated into regions which should be so constituted, with suchterritorial readjustments as may be necessary, that the areas in which the Muslims are
numerically in a majority, as in the North-Western and Eastern zones of India, should be
grouped to constitute Independent States That adequate, effective and mandatory
safeguards should be specifically provided in the constitution for minorities in these units
and in the regions for the protection of their religious, cultural, economic, political,
administrative and other rights and interests in consultation with them15
According to Sir Craik, the resolution produced three results which elevated the
Muslims to speak more forcefully for their rights, including the status of the League,
unchallenged leadership of Jinnah and the unanimity of the Muslims on the Pakistan
demand.16
The Lahore Resolution17
was eventually to provide a rallying point for
Muslims from the majority and minority provinces who had possessed different
political interests. Its immediate impact was to invoke a hostile reaction among allthe
factions of the Sikhs.
Sikh Reaction to the Lahore Resolution
The Pakistan Resolution passed by the League provoked a new sense of rights
among the Indian Muslims by determining the clear-cut destination of Pakistan but
proved a bomb-shell to the Sikh community. Despite the rampant factionalism in
Sikh politics, all the Sikh groups were firmly united on one point, opposition to the
Pakistan scheme. To Tai Yong Tan, the Resolution of 1940 brought a colossal unrest
for the Sikh community. Their anger was genuine because it was a direct threat to the
economy, canal colony lands, religion and existence of Sikhs.18
On 24 March 1940,
Kartar Singh and Master Tara Singh led a Sikh procession in Amritsar and
condemned the idea of Pakistan. They advised the Sikhs to get ready for sacrifices
-
7/27/2019 THE LAHORE RESOLUTION.pdf
7/86
115
against the Muslims.19
Sikhs were hit the most by the Lahore Resolution. The
Shiromani Akali Dal declared it out rightly a declaration of the civil war.20
Even
before the passage of the Lahore Resolution, the Sikhs had been raising voice against
the expected Muslim demands for a separate state. The All India Akali Conference
was held at Attari (15 miles from Lahore) on 10-11 February 1940 in which the Akali
Sikhs from all the parts of India participated. Isher Singh Majhail, Professor Ganga
Singh, Santokh Singh, Sant Singh, MLA, and Partap Singh, MLA condemned the idea
of a separate Muslim state. They also criticized the Unionist ministry. Teja Singh of
Akarpura said in his presidential address that the Unionist Muslims were spending the
government finances to spread Islam. The speakers expressed determination that the
Sikhs would always work to strengthen the Congress position. They also advised the
audiences to set up the Akali Fauj Centres in every village.21
To H. N. Mitra, the
Sikhs pledged in this conference that the endeavours to convert the Punjab into
Pakistan would be resisted by all possible means.22
On the question of Pakistan,
according to Joseph T. OConnell, they were even ready to sacrifice Indian
independence which was their political creed.23
Master Tara Singh argued soon after the League resolution that if the Indian
Muslims feared from the Hindu majority, the Sikhs too feared from the Muslim
domination in the Punjab.24
The Pakistan scheme created panic among the common
Sikhs and the recruitment efforts in 1940 were severely downed. Major-General
Lockhart reported that the main factor behind the Sikh reluctance to enlist and the
desertions from the army was that the Sikhs thought that if they went to the front
abroad, their property, lands and villages would be attacked and occupied by the
Muslims who desired to capture the Punjab. The Sikhs, therefore, wished to live in
India to look after their families and community and protect them from the Muslims.
-
7/27/2019 THE LAHORE RESOLUTION.pdf
8/86
116
The Sikhs would be contented if the concessions were to be given to the Congress
rather than the League.25
The Sikhs were well aware of the dangers which they faced
but the situation required them to come up with remedies. Master Tara Singh himself
writes in his book that Pakistan meant Muslim Raj either in the name of Pakistan or
without it. To him, Pakistan created a new sense of prejudice in the Muslims and
increased apprehension of the non-Muslims. He further says that the rule in the
Punjab by the Unionist Muslims was enough to irritate the Sikhs but the Leaguers had
been pinching them more and more by adopting the word Pakistan.26
On 20 May
1940, 125 Sikh leaders gathered at Lahore who established Guru Raj Khalsa Darbar to
achieve an independent state of Khalistan from Jumna to Jamrud. They also planned
to have two more states including Takht Sri Hazur Sahib (Hyderabad State) and
Takhat Sri Patna Sahib. They claimed to regain the areas which had been under the
Sikh rule. In the next meeting presided over by Gopal Singh Gargaj on 23 May, the
Sikh leaders discussed the practicality of the scheme.27
This meeting was a countering
measure to the idea of Pakistan.
Pakistan Resolution and the Congress
In the practical parlance, the League had demanded Pakistan on the basis of
the Two-Nation Theory. The Times of India threw light on the League session of
Lahore and wrote that the Congress Session of Ramgarh highlighted the single nation
theory in India as Maulana Abul Kalam Azad had argued while the League retaliated
with the Two-Nation theory.28
The popularity of the League pervaded all the Muslim
minds. Raghuvendra Tanwar depicts the post-League session situation that With
every passing day after the adoption of the Pakistan Resolution the League moved one
step closer to its goal of a separate home land for Muslims.29
The sane minds could
-
7/27/2019 THE LAHORE RESOLUTION.pdf
9/86
117
look into the sharply changing situation. The Times portraying importance and
numerical strength of the Muslims wrote that the course of Muslim feelings could not
be brushed aside. The other communities would have to accommodate them in the
constitutional war. The French are a minority in Europe, which does not imply that
they must submit to German domination.30
Jinnah himself asserted in January 1941
that the Muslim League now represents 90 per cent Mussalmans31
in the
Subcontinent which meant that the increased support of Muslims created more
congenial atmosphere for the League leader to continue his struggle.
As far as the British response to the Pakistan scheme was concerned, they, as
usual, favoured the united India and seemed satisfied that the Muslim demand had no
backing of the Muslim majority provinces. Lord Linlithgow32
expressing his adverse
remarks against the League and Jinnahs move wrote to Zetland33
that they could not
make a plan as an alternative to the Hindu domination.34
Zetland supported
Linlithgows standpoint by saying that he disagreed in April 1940 with the Leagues
proposal for the Indian vivisection. He said that to concede such a demand would
mean to dishonour the efforts of the British and Indians for the unity of India.35
In fact
Zetland had always been in favour of the united India. He had expressed the same in
1938 by saying that they would have insuperable difficulties in the acceptance of
any move that would result in the territorial separation from the Indian Union.36
Moreover, in 1942, Linlithgow wrote to Amery37
that it was the Hindu community
which made a mistake of taking Jinnah seriously about Pakistan, and as a result they
have given substance to a shadow.38
The Congress had many friends in England39
who always paved the way for
the Congresss popularity through effective propaganda. The press generally
supported whatever the Hindu leadership stood for. The New Statesman in 1942
-
7/27/2019 THE LAHORE RESOLUTION.pdf
10/86
118
favoured Gandhis campaign and condemned the governments decision to exempt
the Muslims from the fines. Lord Huntingdon wrote in his book titled Common Sense
About India (1942) that the British should withdraw from India and surrender the
political powers to the Congress. Professor Laski through the Manchester Guardian
pressed on the Viceroy to accommodate Gandhi through dialogue. The wife of Lord
Pethick-Lawrence in August 1942 appreciated Gandhian campaign of civil
disobedience through a letter to The Times.40
All these fronts were facilitating the
Hindu struggle, even Sir Stafford Cripps, a friend of Nehru, extended greetings on the
success of Congress in the elections 1937 and latter had been continuously in contact
with him before he was sent to India in 1942.41
The Congress leadership adopted erratic attitude towards the Lahore
Resolution and the Sikhs. In the beginning, they tried to conceal their real feelings
about the Pakistan scheme but they could not help exposing themselves with the
passage of time. Sir Chimanlal Setalvad said that Jinnahs scheme would be
disastrous to the interests of all the communities equally.42
In a meeting of the
Congress in 1940, Rajendra Babu said that the recent resolution of the League meant
civil war without caring as to what his leader Gandhi was uttering in favour of the
Muslim separatist movement. In the same meeting, Gandhi had said that If Muslims
want separatism, he will not oppose.43
Gandhi in April 1940 declared the fight
against the Muslim scheme of partition through non-violent methods44
but at the same
time he conceded that all the communities had a right to demand their due political
share which suited them. Nehru, C. Rajagopalachari, Maulana Azad and other
Congress leaders considered that the Pakistan scheme was absurd. They believed that
the Muslim masses would never back it. The other Congress leaders expressed their
incapability to oppose it if the Muslims desired it. During May 1940, they made it
-
7/27/2019 THE LAHORE RESOLUTION.pdf
11/86
119
clear that the Congress wished no use of coercion against the Pakistan demand. The
Congress did not make any formal statement or pass a resolution against the partition
scheme of the League till April 1942.45
The situation after the Lahore Resolution
shows that no community of India or Punjab including the British had any sympathy
for the scheme presented by the League. The British may have been conducive to the
Muslim rights but they showed no favour for the Pakistan idea. Therefore, the League
leadership had to plead its case on the universally accepted principle of self-
determination.
Sikh Strategy
The Sikhs had been complaining against the Muslim domination in the provincial
legislature and proposed an increase in their representation from time to time. The
situation became worse because the League had declared a plan to have a permanent
Muslimdomination in the Punjab. The Muslim state was not an abrupt show of the
Muslims rather this idea had been in the air since 1930, and the idea of a physical
division of the country had been underlined by the Muslim League throughout
1939.46
Therefore, the rival community was ready to fully oppose it. Demand for
division and its opposition went simultaneously as parallel forces. The prime Sikh
strategy was to show utmost annoyance through the press and public statements. A
day after the Pakistan Resolution the Akalis organized a conference at Anandpur in
which Giani Dhanwant Singh and Master Ajit Singh strongly criticized the idea of
Pakistan.47
On 27 March, the executive committee of the Shiromani Akali Dal in a
meeting at Amritsar condemned the Pakistan scheme.48
The Khalsa National Party
held a conference at Lahore on 29 March in which the idea of Pakistan was rejected.
The Revenue Minister Sundar Singh Majithia warned that the Lahore Resolution was
-
7/27/2019 THE LAHORE RESOLUTION.pdf
12/86
120
fraught with grave dangers. A resolution passed at the conference expressed the Sikh
sentiments that it would be the height of audacity for anyone to imagine that the
Sikhs would tolerate for a single day the undiluted communal Raj of any community
in the Punjab which is not only their homeland but also their holy land.49
According
to the resolution:
In the opinion of the party the resolution of the Muslim League has created a situation
which may mean a parting of the ways for the Sikhs and Muslims with whom the
Khalsa National Party has been co-operating in the Provincial Autonomy regime in the
best interests of the province and the Sikh community.50
On 29 March 1940, the City Akali Jatha of Amritsar passed a resolution against the
Leagues demand for the Muslim state.51 All the Sikhs who had otherwise been
disunited were united in making statements against the Pakistan scheme. The
Communist Sikhs favoured the Muslim right of self-determination but appeared
confused in their response to the Pakistan scheme. They on 5 April arranged a
conference at Attari which was attended by the eminent leaders like Sohan Singh
Josh, Ghulam Fatima and Gopal Singh Qaumi to give a reply to the Akalis. The
conference deplored the communal activities of the organizations such as the
Khaksars and the Akalis at the same time opposition was raised to the Pakistan
scheme. Although the Intelligence reports considered it a weak counteraction to the
Akali conference of March 194052but through the speeches they had conveyed their
message to the Sikhs, Muslims and the Hindus that on the issue of the partition
scheme of the League they were with the Sikhs and Congress. They raised objections
to the Akali Dal because of its religious claims to represent all the Sikhs and its
verdict that their political opponents were traitors to the panth.53
At Pherala
(Lyallpur) on 6 April 1940, Master Tara Singh briefed the audience about the Akali
understanding on the current political scenario and the Akali policy to deal with the
situation. He said that the Sikhs were fighting a war for survival. The weak position of
-
7/27/2019 THE LAHORE RESOLUTION.pdf
13/86
121
the British in the war could result in a great change in the politics while theLeaguers
had called them for the civil war. He further maintained that the British government
had discouraged the Sikhs therefore they had become religiously very weak.54
Giani Kartar Singh, the brain of the Akalis, held that the Muslim scheme of a
separate state aimed to enslave the Sikhs.55
The SGPC postulated the Sikh co-
operation with Sir Sikandar on the war efforts to his resignation from the League.56
In
an anti-Pakistan conference at Lyallpur, Master Tara Singh repudiated the ideology of
Muslim separatism.57
In a Sikh diwan at Nankana Sahib, the Pakistan scheme was
deprecated.58The Pharala Akalis Conference (Lyallpur) on 6-7 April 1940 attracted abig throng to which the Sikh leaders like Ishar Singh Majhail, Master Tara Singh, and
Kartar Singh MLA, delivered anti-Pakistan speeches with determination that the
Sikhs would forcibly resist such an idea of the Muslim state. They even demanded
that Sir Sikandar should disown the League59
to show his impartiality.
Baba Kharak Singh of the Central Akali Dal maintained that the vivisection of
India would never be allowed and the Sikhs would undermine the anti-India
campaign.60
The Sikhs expressed their anger in the speeches made in the Akali
Conference held at Hasanabdal. They termed the Lahore Resolution as the end of
peace of the region.61
On 15 April 1940, at Lucknow, Master Tara Singh, President
of SGPC, made a tirade in the UP Sikh Conference decrying the League resolution for
a Muslim state. He demanded that the UP Sikhs must not be treated as the Punjabi
Sikhs who were under the Unionist Muslims.62
He further said that the Pakistan
scheme would mean a civil war and the Muslims would have to cross an ocean of
Sikh blood63
for the accomplishment of their task. The Central Khalsa Youngmen
Union in April 1940 pledged to suffocate the Pakistan scheme.64
The Sikhs launched a
series of protests through conferences in which they condemned the Pakistan scheme
-
7/27/2019 THE LAHORE RESOLUTION.pdf
14/86
122
but were silent on counter proposals as solution to the communal problem which
could be acceptable for all the stakeholders. The Sikh conferences attracted big
gathering from the rural areas who conveyed the infused anti-Muslim feelings to the
other community members. They also rejuvenated Sikh bitter memories of the
Mughal oppression and their sacrifices.
On the other hand, the League was busy to spread the idea of Pakistan in the
minds and hearts of the Muslim masses. According to the Intelligence Reports, the
League held eleven meetings at mosques in the districts of Lahore, Amritsar, Rohtak,
Jullundur, Jhelum, Karnal, Gurdaspur, Lyallpur, Jhang, Rawalpindi and Simla and
celebrated the Pakistan Day on 19 April and passed pro-Pakistan resolutions. In the
Rawalpindi meeting, Dr. Muhammad Alam declared that the Muslims were ready to
sacrifice their lives for their own cause but not for the Hindu raj.65
Master Tara Singh, always spoke in terms of sacrifice, but in resistance to
Pakistan he urged the Sikh militants to get ready for an action to block the possibility
of emergence of Pakistan.66
In July 1940, the government reports depicted the Sikh
intention that they would undermine the hopes of the Muslim self-determination at
any cost. For this purpose, they had started purchasing weapons and ammunition.
They were buying Kirpans and axes in large numbers so that the Sikhs could use them
in case of a fight.67
The SGPC and the Akali Dal organized a commemorative
ceremony for the Sikh martyrs of the Ghallughara. A gathering of 20,000 Sikhs
pledged to resist the Pakistan drive68
along with the revival of the Akali Saina (Sikh
army).69
The Muslims protested and condemned the Ghallughara Day celebrations
and warned that such activities would inflame the communal feelings in the
region.70Despite sensing the Muslim feelings, they kept on launching anti-Muslim
activities throughout the region. Another Ghallughara Conference was arranged at
-
7/27/2019 THE LAHORE RESOLUTION.pdf
15/86
123
Gujarwal (district Ludhiana) on 15 June 1940. The leaders held a secret session in
which they discussed the establishment of the Sikh state if the British government
collapsed. The report informed the conference about the distrust between the Sikh
and Muslim communities in the Ludhiana district.71
Dr. Satyapal considered the
Sikhs as communalists on the celebration of the Ghallughara Day.72
The Sikhs
organized the Ghallughara days or conferences almost in all the Sikh centers and
caused friction between the two communities. Nothing was done however to stop this
communal hatred. The British government was not taking the Sikh activities against
the Leagues Pakistan scheme seriously.73The Sikh press fully participated in the
anti-Pakistan activities and said that they would never let the Muslims establish their
rule over the Sikhs. The Muslims had to face fierce hurdles.74
An array of the non-Muslim political forces was against Pakistan and
intimidating the Muslims through speeches, press statements, physical trainings and
parades. In April 1940, the SGPC held a meeting at Amritsar in which Dalip Singh
Doabia expressed that creation of the Muslim state would remain a dream for good.
He hoped that the Sikh legislators would withdraw their support from the Unionist
ministry unless its Muslim members dissociated themselves from Muslim League.75
The Khalsa Defence League was organized in 1940 under the Maharaja Patiala with
Master Tara Singh and Giani Kartar as its members. The pro-government Khalsa
National Party refused to co-operate with the Khalsa League on the inclusion of the
Akali Dal. The clash of personalities remained a permanent feature of the Sikh
politics76
despite raging campaigns against the Pakistan scheme.
In November 1940, the Sikhs came to know that the British desired to
establish an Ahmadi77
state (covering area of 10 miles) in Qadian, district Gurdaspur
which caused bitterness between them and the Muslims. A big procession of the
-
7/27/2019 THE LAHORE RESOLUTION.pdf
16/86
124
Akalis passed through Qadian chanting anti-Qadian state slogans. Udham Singh
Nagoke, Parlok Singh, Teja Singh Akarpuri and many others addressed the
conference (17-18 November) held near Qadian. Parlok Singh appealed to the
government not to form an infant Pakistan in the Punjab. Nagoke spoke against the
proposed Ahmadi state and Pakistan and exhorted the Sikhs to join the Congress and
the Akali Dal. Pandit Dhirat Ram of Qadian told stories of the painful experiences of
the non-Ahmadis of the area and requested the Sikhs to save them from the cruelty of
the Qadiani Muslims.78
The Sikhs found allies in the Hindu Mahasabha. In December
1940, an Anti-Pakistan Conference was arranged under the chairmanship of Mr.
Anney, a Mahasabha leader, who said that the Muslims were planning to rule India
without using weapons. The Conference also condemned the Pakistan scheme.
Thousands of non-Muslims attended this Conference including Master Tara Singh.79
In March 1941, an anti-Pakistan conference was arranged at Lahore in which
the Hindus mostly from the Punjab, Sindh and NWFP participated. This was
originally conceived as purely a Hindu gathering, but the Sikhs enthusiastically joined
them because they were following the same agenda. Shyama Prasad Mukerji of the
Hindu Mahasabha, in his presidential address promised that 280 million Hindus
would be a big hurdle for the Pakistan scheme. He said that Pakistan would be
confined to the papers, pamphlets, slogans and the speeches only. He requested the
Sikhs to strengthen the hands of the Mahasabha to achieve their destination. M. C.
Khanna, a leader of the Hindu-Sikh Nationalist Party (NWFP Assembly), denounced
the Muslim state. Bhai Parmanand asked the audience to use weapons to upset the
Muslim hopes.80
The Hindus and Sikhs had joined hands with each other as usual.
According to the Police reports, Mahasha Khushal Chand Khursand was provoking
the Akalis against the Unionist government. It was also reported that Dr. Gokal Chand
-
7/27/2019 THE LAHORE RESOLUTION.pdf
17/86
125
Narang, Raja Narendra Nath and Bhai Parmanand had deliberations with Master Tara
Singh and the SGPC leaders to organize Hindu Sikh Unity League under Master
Tara Singh. Its major aim was to take joint action against the Muslims in case of
attacks on the Hindus or Sikhs. The other purpose was to counter the Unionist
government and the Pakistan scheme.81 The programme of the Hindu-Sikh Unity
League apparently was a defensive plan against the Muslim attacks but observing the
Sikh and Hindu leaders statements and activities, one can easily infer that it was
being organized to perpetrate violence against the Muslims.
The All-India Akali Conference was held on 15-16 February 1941 at Rurka
(Roorka) Kalan district Jallandhar in which the Sikhs presented their demands in
detail. The SGPC passed resolutions such as the release of the Sikhs of Sargodha,
approval of the SGPC in any legislation regarding Sikh religion, introduction of
Gurmukhi and Hindi languages in schools, removal of ban on Jhatka and waiving off
tax on religious and the educational institutions. Master Tara Singh appealed to the
Muslims and Hindus to support them in their struggle for justice and religious
freedom. He further expressed that the government could infuse a sense of security
into the Sikhs by conceding these demands.82
He wrote to the Governor on 28
February 1941 that the provincial government had launched a policy against the
Sikhs.83
Governor Craik on 3 March 1941 wrote to Linlithgow that Tara Singh was
wrong if he thought that the Punjab Ministers had an anti-Sikh policy.84
Master Tara
Singh met the Governor and the Premier in a friendly atmosphere in which Sir
Sikander assured that all the possible measures would be taken to meet the Sikh
demands. Craik passed his comments through a letter to the Viceroy that Master Tara
Singh lacked the leadership qualities:
-
7/27/2019 THE LAHORE RESOLUTION.pdf
18/86
126
Tara Singh cut a poor figure in argument with Sikander. He was shaky about the
facts and has no gift for expressing himself lucidly, but like most Sikhs he is
extraordinarily tenacious about his own point of view and incapable of seeing that
there can be any other.85
At Gojra, near Lyallpur, B. Singh Daler presiding over the Akali Political Conference
on 8-9 March 1941 promised that the Sikhs would launch morcha if their demands
passed at the Rurka Kalan conference were not conceded. Amar Singh Dosanjh said
that the Sikhs under the Unionist ministry were pushed to the bottom of the society. In
another conference at Chajjalwadi (Amritsar) Isher Singh Majhail, Giani Puran Singh
and Joginder Singh Shant strongly disapproved the Unionist government on the issues
ofJhatka, Gurmukhi, and discriminatory treatment with the Sikhs. The principle of
the Gandhian non-violence was repudiated in the conference.86 According to the
Intelligence Report, the Muslim-Sikh relations deteriorated speedily in the province
and the Sikhs under the fear of the Muslim attacks were putting all energies in
collecting weapons and giving physical trainings to their people in all of the Punjab
districts. The Muslims were investing their energies in the Pakistan demand while the
Sikh leadership was working on a retrograde agenda, dependence on violence.87
Even
Master Tara Singh demanded that the British should let the Sikhs and Muslims settle
their problems with weapons. In the same meeting at Amritsar, he attacked the
Unionist ministry and declared that the Unionist government was a band of the Sikh
and Muslim traitors. He attributed all the Sikh problems to the Unionist government
and indicated towards the following problems:
1. Ban on Jhatka, which was an interference with the Sikh religious affairs.2. Unionist government was working to perpetuate the Muslim dominance and
weaken the Sikh panth.
3. The immoral activities of the Muslim ministers including outraging the
modesty of Hindu and Sikh girls in College hostels, especially those in the
Medical School, Amritsar.88
He also alleged that the British government had collaborated with the Muslims to
prolong their own rule. The speakers protested against the Sikh murders at Sargodha
and Amritsar, ban on the NishanSahib, and the passive response on the issue of the
-
7/27/2019 THE LAHORE RESOLUTION.pdf
19/86
127
Sikh inclusion in the expanded Viceroys Council.89
Allthe problems pointed out by
the Sikh leaders were meant to counter the Pakistan scheme. They were looking for
the British support but at the same time they accused them of working under the
policy of divide and rule. The voice for the Sikh kingdom was raised as usual, but
not as a well-worked demand.
The Nihang issue90
was another problematic area of the tension in the region.
The Nihang Sikhs were found engaged in immoral activities. They had also refused to
obey the court orders regarding ban on the Nishan sahib. Many Nihang Sikhs were
arrested in the case of trespassing Anant Rams house in Sialkot but their associates
started protesting against these arrests.91
The police got reports that in many cities like
Kasur, Gujranwala, and Amritsar, the Nihangs were strengthening their numerical
position and were involved in the illegal activities. They traveled without tickets and
terrorized the commoners at the public places through violent postures.92Isher Singh
Majhail advised the Sikhs to help out the Nihangs and store the spears in the
Gurdwaras so that they could be used when needed. He accused the Hindus for giving
money to the Akalis just for their own benefit. He said that the fight with the Muslims
was inevitable therefore the panth must increase the number of Nihangs particularly
in the central areas of the Punjab. In all these meetings, they kept on condemning the
Pakistan scheme and the Unionist ministry in the Punjab and ban on Jhatka.93On the
Nihang issue, Master Tara Singh warned his followers that the Nihangs could seize
the Gurdwara funds if they gained more strength, therefore, the Akalis must be careful
in helping them. In the meeting of the SGPC held in July 1941, the Sikh leaders tried
to arrive at some agreed action against the Arms Act and the High Court decision
against the Nishan sahib. Udham Singh Nagoke was of the view that Nihangs were
armed with spears who could be useful in clashes with the Muslims, therefore, they at
-
7/27/2019 THE LAHORE RESOLUTION.pdf
20/86
128
any rate must be defended. The Sikh leaders anyhow advised the Nihangs to confine
to the Gurdwaras.94
The Akali approach ostensibly was evident by their political
activities and response to the events. Amazingly, they were not prepared to tolerate
any faction of the Sikh community which could challenge their authority in the
political, religious or financial matters. They were keener to obtain the Gurdwara
funds rather than the future of the Sikh community. They had never tolerated any
parallel leadership within the community and attacked those who stood outside their
ranks. In the Sikh Political Conference held on 29-30 May 1941, they insulted Sardar
Bahadur Ujjal Singh, MLA when he was talking about the Sikh recruitments for the
war. He was howled down by audience notwithstanding, Gurbachan Kaur who
came under escort of fifty armed Nihangs and repeated the same advice uttered by
Ujjal Singh to the same audience but nobody questioned and insulted her.95
The Akali leadership most of the time took submissive decisions which led
them to a confused policy. The Governor on 13 January 1941 wrote to the Viceroy
that Major Short, an experienced officer and Sikh enthusiast, had been in contact with
Master Tara Singh and other Akali leaders. To Major Short, Master Tara Singh along
with his lieutenants was genuinely anxious to stimulate recruitment, but they could
not do it openly because of the fear of the others who could project them as
reactionaries and supporters of Government. He further reported that the Akalis
agreed to continue the British support by supplying agents who would propagate and
make every effort for the recruitment. Short opined that the Sikh recruitment
depended on their own efforts and government could not be effective in this regard.96
In April 1941, the Daska Akali Conference was arranged in which Sant Singh, MLA,
used objectionable language for Jinnah and pledged to oppose the stunt of Pakistan at
any cost. He said that Pakistan would only be achieved over the dead bodies of the
-
7/27/2019 THE LAHORE RESOLUTION.pdf
21/86
129
Sikhs.97
They shouted against the Muslim Premier of the Punjab and observed that
even before the establishment of Pakistan the Premier during his four year regime had
made the Punjab a virtual Pakistan. His policies reduced the minorities to the
drawers of waters and hewers of wood and all the important appointments were
given to the Muslims. They also maintained that Sir Sikandar had sent Feroz Khan
Noon to the Viceroys Executive Council instead of giving the Sikhs a seat in the
central cabinet.98
Many people were of the opinion that the Nihang activities had compatibility
with those of the Akalis but Kehr Singh repudiated the allegations regarding Nihangs
planning to constitute an Akali army. There were discussions about the funds required
for future defence purposes. Madan Mohan Malaviya arranged a conference at
Benares to ponder over the safeguards for the Hindus in the possible future clashes.
Before leaving to join the Benares conference, Master Tara Singh talked to the Akali
leaders to seek comments on a Hindu proposal which was to offer Rs. 500,000 for the
Hindu protection against the Muslim attacks. The leaders suggested that the
Shiromani Akali Dal and the Hindu Mahasabha should be given equal share of the
money. They also urged him to consolidate the organizations such as Akali Saina and
Ram Saina.99On 2 November 1941, the Akhand Hindustan Conference was arranged
by the Hindus and Sikhs in which Master Tara Singh through a resolution declared
that he disliked the Khalistanscheme as he did regarding the Pakistanscheme. The
Hindu and Sikh leaders also advised the audience to give unconditional support to the
British in the war so that they might reject the Pakistan scheme.100
It is not amazing in the perspective of the leadership-crisis in the Sikh
community that the Akali leaders were accepting money from the Hindus and using
the Gurdwara funds against the Muslims. Some of the Sikhs talked of the Sikh state
-
7/27/2019 THE LAHORE RESOLUTION.pdf
22/86
130
while Master Tara Singh vividly declared that Khalistan meant as much of a betrayal
of the Indian nationalism as the League had done by demanding Pakistan. To meet the
Pakistan challenge, the sole solution the Sikhs found, was the strategy of violence and
joining hands with the Hindus. InAjit, Master Tara Singh wrote that Sir Sikandar was
the worst enemy of the Akali Sikhs. He disclosed a violent plan to occupy Lahore in
1940 after the expected defeat of the British in the war. The Sikh Jathas had been
deployed on the appropriate places from where they could easily capture Lahore.
Master Tara wrote that they did not arrange for guns because during attack it was
quite easy to snatch ammunition from the police stations. The surrender of Lahore
could establish the awful authority of the Sikhs which would make further plan very
easy.101
L. V. Deane102
filed a report on the Sikh politics on 13 January 1942 observing
that the Sikh political parties were working on the traditional lines. The pro-Unionist
Khalsa National Party was not still organized at the grassroots level. It had very little
hold on the Sikh masses. The Central Sikh League which associated itself with the
All-India Sikh League too had no reliable workers. Giani Sher Singh had deserted to
seek refuge under the SAD just to save himself from prosecution for embezzlement.
The Central Akali Dal aimed to damage the position of the SAD. Though it demanded
inclusion of a non-Akali member in the Viceroys Executive Council but as a matter
of fact it had no constructive programme for the Sikh community. When the Kirti
Kisan Party was banned, the Punjab Kisan Committee emerged and tried to work on
the communist lines but it enjoyed no popular support and was confined to the
specific areas of the province. The Sikhs were represented in the Punjab Communist
Party but like other Kisan organizations the government action made them
unimportant. The Sikh element in the Congress also had little importance in the Sikh
-
7/27/2019 THE LAHORE RESOLUTION.pdf
23/86
131
masses. The Akali Dal was a well entrenched party and had firm control over the
Gurdwara funds but had no agreed programme for the Sikhs. The Akalis opposed the
non-violence principle of Gandhi but even then they could not sever their uneasy
association with the Congress at the same time they favoured the Sikh recruitment in
the British army. The Akalis had been raising their voice against the Unionist ministry
on the points of the Pakistan scheme, pro-agriculturists policy, jhatka, Muslim
favouritism in the appointments, Sikh seat in the Executive Council and ban on Hindi
and Gurmukhi in the primary schools. The report further said that the Akalis had no
solid programme to pursue.103
The Akali party faced dissension between Giani Kartar and Udham Singh
Nagoke on the presidential nomination in 1942. Seeing this friction, Master Tara
Singh ended this fight by forwarding his own name as the president of the SAD. In his
brief speech, he said that although the Akali Dal was not allowed to join the Khalsa
Defence of India League but even then they would favour the Sikh recruitment policy.
He also declared that the Sikhs would support the Congress policy of complete
independence.104
The Akali leadership felt that Sir Sikandar wanted the British-Sikh
relations to be bitter and unfriendly.105
The CAD arranged a conference at Muktsar,
district Ferozepore on 13 January in which Baba Sohan Singh, Rais of Muktsar,
accused Master Tara Singh and his associates of misusing the Gurdwara funds. The
conference passed a resolution against the Pakistan scheme and ban onjhatka. On 21
January 1942, speaking to 5,000 people in a conference of the SAD at Chheharta
(Amritsar district), Mohinder Singh Pihariwala declared that the Sikhs were
confronting the issue of Pakistan, Jhatka and Punjabi language. The speakers
criticised the British and demanded a seat in the Executive Council for the Sikhs.106
Sometimes, the Akalis joined hands with the other forces just to create problems for
-
7/27/2019 THE LAHORE RESOLUTION.pdf
24/86
132
the Unionists. For example, the small traders were at protest against the Unionist
government on the issue of tax. The Akali Dal took up the issue because they had
connection with the trading classes but more to weaken the Unionist government. The
Akali Dal provided them jathas and other support while Shah Nawaz Khan of
Mamdot asked in the meeting of the League Provincial Working Committee at Lahore
on 15 February for action against the leaders who were participating in the beopari
agitation. Nevertheless, this point was not conceded as many Leaguers pointed out
that the Muslim shopkeepers were also affected by the Sales Tax Act. The Congress
and Ahrars joined the Akalis in the on-going agitation of the small traders.107
On 26 February, a meeting of the Working Committee of the All-Parties Sikh
Conference was held in Lahore which Sardar Baldev Singh presided over. Through
the resolutions, the leaders demanded formation of a national government at the
centre with acceptable Sikh representation. In another resolution, they appealed to the
Congress to honour the Ravi pledge of 1929 (Lahore). They also constituted a
committee which met on 28 February and wished to send a deputation consisting of
Master Tara Singh, Sir Joginder Singh and Baldev Singh with 12 other leaders to
convince the Sikh masses of the Punjab to be united to cope with the critical political
situation. In another conference, the speakers condemned the Unionist government
while various irresponsible speakers recited poems vilifying the Unionist
Ministry.108
Master Tara Singh presided over a secret meeting of the Akali Dal
which suggested various changes in the sums of Akali Daland the SGPC so that the
balance of the SGPC could be maintained properly as required by the Gurdwara Act.
Master Tara informed the activists that he had given a task through a circular to all the
Gurdwaras of the Punjab for raising the Sikh volunteers so that they could be called to
Amritsar whenever required. The volunteers would maintain their distinguished status
-
7/27/2019 THE LAHORE RESOLUTION.pdf
25/86
133
with yellow coloured uniform, called Shahidi Wardi. Through a letter, he also
conveyed the Sikh sentiments to Leo Amery, the Secretary of State for India (1940-
45) against the Pakistan scheme and Jinnah, and put up a demand for formation of a
national government at the centre and consultation with the Sikhs on any
constitutional move in future.109
Giani Kartar, MLA, in another meeting at the Akali
Diwan (Amritsar) assured the British of the Sikh military support but in return
demanded an assurance for the Sikh rights.110
In an Akali conference held at
Anandpur (Jallandhar), the speakers like Ganga Singh Badal, Achhar Singh, Giani
Mehr Singh, Professor Ganga Singh and Labh Singh addressed the different sessions.
The huge gatherings listened to their leaders who declared that the Sikhs would never
support the British in the war. They gave a verdict that the supporters of the Khalsa
Defence and the British were not the real Akali Sikhs. Baldev Singh said that the
Unionist ministry was a staunch anti-Sikh coalition.111
Master Tara Singh was present
in the session but he did not reiterate the Akali policy of the British support in the
war. Baldev Singh was an important ally of the Unionist and British government but
he too posed as an opponent to the government.
At the Doaba Diwan, Giani Mehr Singh spoke out against the principle of non-
violence and appreciated Sobhash Chandra Bose. He also suggested the Akali Sikhs
to establish their own rule with the help of weapons. The communal disturbance
would be the best opportunity to materialize this dream. At Baba Nath Singh Shahid
Akali conference (Sialkot) on 15 March 1942, Santokh Singh urged the need to
manage wheat supply to the Sikhs in the villages. He held the Punjab government
responsible for the wheat shortage. Sardar Gurmukh Singh, MLA, condemned the
idea of establishment of a Muslim state and asked the British to approve the demands
sent by Master Tara Singh to Mr. Churchill. Gopal Singh Qaumi spoke to a Sikh
-
7/27/2019 THE LAHORE RESOLUTION.pdf
26/86
-
7/27/2019 THE LAHORE RESOLUTION.pdf
27/86
135
against all promises. They kept on reminding their past services but could not spell
out what exactly their demands were.
Popularity of SAD and League
At Fatehgarh Sahib (Sirhind) in the Patiala Sate, the Sikhs gathered to
commemorate the murder of the two young sons of Guru Gobind Singh by the
Mughal governor of Sirhind where Giani Kartar and S. Kartar Singh115
expressedthe
strong support for raising the Sikh living standard in the Patiala State. Later on all the
points mentioned by the speakers were published in a pamphlet to emphasise the
demands. The Sikh leaders hoped that His Highness would win the Sikh hearts by
appointing a Sikh as his Prime Minister. They demanded 60 per cent share in the State
services, changes in the management of the Gurdwaras and Sikh shrines with their
properties under the jurisdiction of the Gurdwara Act. Voice was raised for Gurmukhi
to be declared as official language and its compulsory study for the Sikh youth. They
asked for a Legislative Assembly in which the Sikhs should constitute a majority.
These demands were unanimously passed by the Sikh Dewan at the Annual Shahidi
Dewan held on 26 December 1941 and endorsed by the Amritsar meeting of the Akali
Dal held on 19 and 20 January 1942.116
Through such demands, the Akalis tried to
interfere in the Princely States affairs. No doubt, protection of the Sikh rights was
their duty but at this crucial time they should have avoided opening more fronts to
remain focused on their core issues.
The Police report of 31 January 1942 reported about the period from October
to December 1941 accepted the SAD as the most popular party at that time among the
Sikhs.117
The appointment of Jogindar Singh as the Chief Minister of Patiala
strengthened the Akalis who were gratified with a strong hold on the affairs of Patiala
-
7/27/2019 THE LAHORE RESOLUTION.pdf
28/86
136
and other Sikh states.118
Unlike the Akalis, the Leagues ideological and constitutional
performance gained profound support of the masses who seemed fully prepared to
play their due role in the political activities. According to the Intelligence Report, the
Punjabi Muslims had full devotion to the League for its constitutional attitude while
they disliked the Congress.119
The Punjab Students League held the Pakistan
Conference at Batala on 27 February 1942 in which Maulana Zafar Ali Khan, MLA
(Central), Sheikh Chiragh Din and Professor Dildar Khan appreciated Jinnahs
leadership and pledged to support the Pakistan movement.120
The League declared
that the 23rd March should be celebrated as the Pakistan Day with full zeal. The
Intelligence Reports revealed the high graph of Jinnahs popularity among the Punjabi
Muslims and the leaders in the Ahrar Working Committee meeting at Lahore
expressed the opinion that Jinnah was working for the Muslim interests and the Ahrar
leaders could never be effective among the Muslim public if they denounced Mr.
Jinnah and the Pakistan scheme.121
The leadership of Jinnah and the Pakistan
demand had stricken from a common person to the Unionist Premier, Sir Sikandar
who expressed his views in a public gathering that he had not been against the Lahore
Resolution which ensured a peaceful life for the Hindus and Sikhs in the Muslim
majority region. Raja Ghazanfar Ali said that the Premier could never part with the
League.122
The Pakistan scheme of the Muslims and the anti-Pakistan or anti-Muslim
outbursts of the Akai Dal popularized the two parties in their respective communities.
The political and religious organizations, hierarchy and the ministers could feel this
profound change in the political domain. The Unionist Muslims sometimes sided
openly with the Pakistan scheme which caused uncertainty in the minds of their Sikh
and Hindu allies in the Assembly.
-
7/27/2019 THE LAHORE RESOLUTION.pdf
29/86
137
Muslim Preparations
The word protection remained very popular during these years and different
parties publicly passed resolutions for recruiting volunteers in the name of
protection. In a meeting of the Jamiat-ul-Ulema at Amritsar, Maulvi Abdul Hanan
and Maulvi Baha-ul-Haq Qasmi criticized the British for not training and arming
Indians. In a Working Committee meeting held at Lahore on 19 March 1942, the
leaders advised their workers to raise volunteers for self protection.123
The Khaksars
decided the same in an Amritsar meeting that they must work under Hilal-i-Ahmar
and volunteers be raised to protect thecommunity in times of internal unrest.124 In
Sheikhupura district, Maulvi Zahir Niaz Begi lauded the Muslim state and enrolled
1,000 Muslim National Guards who were given training in lathi fighting.125
The
Sikhs, Hindus and the religious parties of the Punjab felt the necessity to organize the
masses for self-protection. This sense of insecurity and mistrust of other communities
presented a woeful picture of the Punjabi society as the British rule drew to its end.
The provincial authorities seemed ineffective in this regard. All the communities were
scared and felt insecure from the other communities. According to the Governors
report:
No communal incidents of importance have been reported. As indicated in theforegoing portions of this report, fears of internal unrest and feelings engendered by the
conflicting constitutional claims of rival political parties have combined to heighten
communal unrest and mistrust. One result of this has been a tendency to revive
volunteer organisations, the advertised objects of which are invariably innocuous,though rival bodies show little disposition to accept them at their face value. The ban
on uniforms and military drill prevents these bodies being organised on a directlymilitary basis, butAkali efforts to organise the Sikh community clearly contemplate a
resort to violence in certain circumstances, and contribute to intensify communal
suspicion.126
Though, the Muslim National Guards, Sheikhupura collected the Muslims for the
training but it cannot be generalized that this organization had become strong enough
in all the areas of the Punjab. Yet much was required to popularize it.
-
7/27/2019 THE LAHORE RESOLUTION.pdf
30/86
138
Muslim-Sikh Tension
Although the Punjab government tried to restore peace but the Muslim-Sikh
riots continued. The year of 1940 produced nothing good in this regard and clashes
took place during the Moharram processions. The communal uneasiness furthered
when a communal fracas between the Hindu Jats and the Muslim Kamins broke out
on 7th
April, 1940 in Lahara, district Rohtak. The next year showed unchanged
trends in the communal relationship as numerous riots occurred on 14 March at
Amritsar and in May and June at Bhiwani district Hissar. Mian Iftekhar-ud-Din,
President of the Punjab Congress, organized a unity conference to restore peace and
invited the League, Akali and Mahasabha leaders but it produced nothing beneficial
regarding the communal harmony. Mohaya writes that the Punjab had ranked as a
province in which public peace was in serious and constant danger from terrorism.127
Communalismwas not confined to the physical clashes on the roads but was
prevailing in the institutions and other departments as well. The Sikhs had been
claiming that the Unionists had appointed the Muslims on all the key posts to relegate
the Sikhs to an ineffective position. But a Muslim newspaper retaliated with accurate
figures that the non-Muslims were ruling in the Forest Department with a high
percentage which was against the Muslims.128
Such kind of differences did not fare so
badly for the future as did economic boycotts and rumours of armed assaults. The
Muslim-Sikh tension arose in district Gujrat and both the communities started boycott
of each other but the situation settled down as the Muslims and Sikhs agreed to end
the boycott at Ala village. In Gujranwala, tension arose when the Sikhs celebrated
Ghallughara Day and the Muslim residents protested against the Sikh speeches and
asked the Muslims to prepare for any emergent situation. The tension was furthered
-
7/27/2019 THE LAHORE RESOLUTION.pdf
31/86
139
when a rumour pervaded that the Muslims would attack the Sikhs on 31 May 1940.
Nevertheless, the Deputy Commissioner called the leaders of both the communities
who promised to maintain peace in the area.129
In the same city, the Muslims
protested against the orders issued by the DC which irked them. He had filled the post
of the Civic Guard with a Sikh candidate while the Sikhs made only one percent of
the total population.130
The Muslim-Sikh tension proved pernicious to the communal
harmony of the region. Through an editorial, a Muslim newspaper pointed out the root
causes of the Muslim-Sikh tension and wrote that during the Muslim rule, the Sikh
sacred places were insulted while the Sikh rule was recalled as Sikha Shahi which
meant authoritarian and insulting rule to the Muslims. Their holy places were insulted
and the Muslims could not sayAzan in the Sikh dominated villages. The Sikhs and
Hindus were the same as they inter-dined and intermarried. The Hindu Mahasabha
considered them as co-religionist and the Akali leaders strongly supported the Sikh
separation from the Hindus in the religious identity but were ready to work closely
with the Hindu Mahasabha where it made strategic sense. The editorial continued that
the Sikhs wanted to take a big portion of the Punjab and gift it to the Hindus. The
paper further questioned as to why the Sikhs demanded a Sikh state if they were
actually Hindus. They ought to join Pakistan if they were a separate nation. They were
opposing the partition of India as well as demanding the same.131
The initiation of the
Sikh province could be a supportive demand for the League but the painful aspect was
that the Muslim-Sikh understanding was dwindling day by day.
Sikh Preparations for Violence
The Police reports verify that the Khaksar activities added to the Sikh fears
and in response to this they were arming themselves against the Muslims. They held
-
7/27/2019 THE LAHORE RESOLUTION.pdf
32/86
140
meetings in Mandirs and Gurdwaras and advised their communities to organize the
defence bodies at mohalla level.132
The Sikhs under the Akali patronage were proudly
involved in the violent activities. The Akali Dal had the militant offshoots which
practiced Gatka (wielding a stick in a fight)and physical exercises. On 3 March 1940,
the Akalis held a meeting at Lahore where the leaders condemned the ban on the
Akali regiments.133The members of Akali Sena of Tarn Taran were fully engaged in
practicing Gatka.134 The Police reports informed the authorities that Teja Singh
Akarpuri and Isher Singh Majhail were preparing a scheme which would assign every
Gurdwara Committee to plan a programme for the physical training of 20 to 50
Akalis. These trained Akalis would extend training to the rest of the Sikh community
in the Punjab. Every trainee would be given Rs. 10 with the facilities of food and
accommodation. The report further revealed that they had planned to encourage the
Akalis to procure arms smuggled from the North-West Frontier Province.135Master
Tara Singh explained in a conference at Pherala that the Khaksars by show of their
military strength in the bazaars were busy to overawe the people. The government
took action against these activities very late and banned drill which was not a correct
decision. The action was taken observing the Sikh force in the Attari Conference. He
motivated the audience to continue strengthening the Akali Fauj by increasing its
number and practicing Gatka daily.136
In July 1940, a Hindu from Dera Ghazi Khan
disclosed under the Rawalpindi Police custody about his provincial Hindu gang which
had planned to kill the Muslim leaders. In January 1941, the Delhi CID arrested a
fully armed Sikh band. During enquiry, Gyani Rattan Singh revealed that they had
smuggled arms from the NWFP and aimed to snatch weapons from the guards. The
Sikh preparations against the Muslims were going on in all the corners of the
country.137
The Governor during the second half of May 1942 presented a very
-
7/27/2019 THE LAHORE RESOLUTION.pdf
33/86
141
serious state of the rearmament. According to the report, unlicensed fire-arms had
been abundantly obtained in the province. The CID arms staff which was assigned the
duty to disarm the people found about 1,000 fire-arms in the Hissar district in a few
weeks. It was further informed that the illegal weapons in Hissar had been obtained
from the States of Patiala and Bikaner.138
On 15 April 1942, the Hindu and Sikh
locals gathered at Rawalpindi and decided to take arms for protection against the
activities of the bad characters. It was accordingly decided to distribute tridents in
every mohalla for this purpose.139
The rural Punjab remained peaceful but the conferences were mostly attended
by the rural Sikhs which was to have negative implications for its continued
tranquility. The Akalis stepped up their efforts to secure rural support. After
discussions on the current situation, the Akali leaders met in Amritsar (3-5 May 1942)
and decided to launch propaganda in the rural areasthrough theDadhi Jathas.140
The
Hindu allies of the Sikhs were equally engaged in such activities. Dr. Gopi Chand
disclosed that Gandhi was sure of the victory of the Axis powers and the Japanese
invasion of India after the rainy season. To him, it would be the best time to start civil
disobedience movement. The Congress also continued its workers physical training
particularly the use of lathi fighting. A lawyer Sham Lal at Hissar supervised this
training. Fifty-six volunteers from the towns of Ferozepore, Fazilka and Abohar also
joined this training plan.141
The Akalis were increasing their violent activities day by
day. They were intimidating even the other Sikh parties. It was reported that the
Akalis used force in preventing the other Sikh parties like communist Sikhs and the
Central Akali Dal from propagating their agenda in the Sikh masses. They also
pressurised the Jallianwala Bagh committee not to allow the Central Akali Dal to have
a meeting in the Bagh. On 13 July 1942, the Akalis tried the Kirti Kisan workers to
-
7/27/2019 THE LAHORE RESOLUTION.pdf
34/86
142
abandon their meeting at Guru ka Bagh. The meeting was held away from this site in
which the speakers used rough language for the Akalis.142
The murder of a Sikh, Autar Singh in Sargodha, badly affected Muslim-Sikh
relations and the Unionist government showed biased reaction in the administrative
measures.143
In all the conferences since the murder, the Sikhs condemned the district
and provincial authorities and held protests in all parts of the Punjab. The Hindus in
general and the Hindu Mahasabha in particular worked in Lahore to collect more
funds and volunteers to protect Hindus and Sikhs. It added tension immensely to the
decaying Muslim-Sikh relations.144 In a conference, Master Ajit Singh, Secretary
General of Shiromani Akali Dal, issued a circular that the Sikh community should
observe 28 July as the Autar Singh Shahidi Day. The Akalis decided to inaugurate atraining camp at Chheharta (Amritsar) in September. The trained Sikhs were supposed
to open new camps in their native districts. In a conference on 17-18 July 1940, Isher
Singh Majhail maintained that the Sikhs were not safe in the Punjab districts
administered by Muslim Deputy Commissioners. He said that the hooliganism was
increasing in the Muslim areas.145
The members of the Akali Sewadars and Akali Saina carried on the exercise of
Gatka in the areas of district Amritsar according to the Police reports.146An Akali
Diwan was organized at Ugoke near Sialkot on 22-24 October 1940 in which Master
Tara Singh emphasized that the Sikhs must join the army with an objective that they
were not supporting the British but to militarize their own community.147
The
speakers at Diwan (Amritsar) held on 30-31 October 1940 condemned the Pakistan
scheme and advised their fellow Sikhs to strengthen the Akali Saina and learn how to
use weapons.148
A similar message was conveyed by Master Tara Singh in Lahore on
30 May 1941 in which he said that the Unionist government was purely a Muslim rule
-
7/27/2019 THE LAHORE RESOLUTION.pdf
35/86
143
in the province therefore the Sikh Gurdwaras needed attention for protection
particularly where the Sikhs were in acute minority. Giani Kartar emphasized that
they must train the community by organizing the Akali Saina and Akali regiments at
all levels. Tara Singh announced the deployment of 1,000 Akalis on the Lahore
Gurdwaras and urged to mobilize the community against the ban onJhatka.149
The Sikhs preparations were copied by the Hindu communal organizations. In
a conference, Jugal Kishore Birla agreed to the views of Dr. B. S. Moonje that the
Arya Vir Dal members should be trained on the lines of the Akali Dal. Sant Singh,
MLA said that Pakistan was not possible until the Sikhs were alive in the country.150
The Punjab Hindu Students Federation arranged an anti-Pakistan meeting at Lahore
on 10 May 1942 in which Master Tara Singh said that Pakistanreflected the policy of
Aurangzeb and was to be put to an end by the Khalsa. The audience burnt a paper
named as the Pakistan scheme.151
The anti-Pakistan Sikh conferences were very
provocative for the Muslims. The Akali Sikhs and the Hindu Mahasabha propagated
for their joint gathering at Sultanwind (district Amritsar) on 13-14 June 1942 while
the CAD planned to hold an anti-Pakistan conference in Lahore on 17-18 June. The
Intelligence reports observed that these conferences have evoked Muslim
resentmentand relations between the two communities are likely to become
increasingly strained if such plans mature.152
Astoundingly, the Sikhs were setting the house on fire wherein they were
residing. Attempts to improve communal harmony were meager and unimportant. The
Unity Conference was a good step in this regard but disappointingly it could not fill
the gap created by the communal animosity and suspicion. In July, the Majlis-i-Ahrar-
i-Islam arranged a Unity Conference at Sialkot in which Hindu, Sikh and Muslim
leaders shared goodwill for each other. But it generated controversy over the Pakistan
-
7/27/2019 THE LAHORE RESOLUTION.pdf
36/86
144
scheme and by condemning the idea of the Muslim state Daulat Ram Bhatia said that
the Pakistan idea was being encouraged by the imperialist government. Sheikh
Hissam-ud-Din criticized the British policies in India. Sardar Mangal Singh called for
communal calm and reiterated that the Pakistan issue could be settled after the British
departure. Sayed Ataullah Shah Bhukhari frankly admitted that harmony could never
be achieved because hatred was very deep rooted. He, as evidence, quoted that
Gandhi refused to eat food prepared by Muslims and.Sikhs were collecting arms
in order to establish their own rule.153During this time, communal relations were
deteriorating.
In May 1941, the Sikhs took out a procession in Sargodha in commemoration
of the Guru Arjun Devs martyrdom. This city had already experienced tension
arising from the procession routes. Once again the Jama Mosque was on the Sikh
procession route. The procession was crossing the Mosque area when Dalip Singh a
notorious local agitator, incited the Sikhs who started playing music. The next day
3,000 Muslims gathered in the Mosque and showed their annoyance over the irritating
and insulting behaviour of the Sikhs.154
In June, the Muslims of Amritsar who
gathered in Khair Dins Mosque spoke against the discriminatory behaviour of the
Municipal Committee Amritsar and accused that the officials had dismantled the
Muslim buildings while they had not removed even a brick of the Hindu and Sikh
houses.155The Sikh political parties were staging protests against Pakistan and the
Unionist government by arranging conferences all over the province.156All of them
expressed stereotyped points, generally condemning the government on the issues of
Jhatka, Gurmukhi, ban on Kirpan, biased treatment towards the Sikhs, the League and
the Pakistan scheme.
-
7/27/2019 THE LAHORE RESOLUTION.pdf
37/86
145
Demand for Sikh State
The sentiments of the Sikhs were at boiling point after 23 March 1940 under
these stringent conditions some Sikhs spoke out for a separate homeland. To Anup
Chand Kapur, the Akalis at Attari (district Amritsar) soon after the League resolution
demanded Khalistan extending its boundaries from the river Chenab to the river
Jamna.157
The Khalsa National Party on 29 March 1940 demanded to restore the
Punjab of Maharaja Dalip Singh to the Sikhs.158
A Guru Raj Khalsa Durbar was
organized in a meeting at Amritsar on 19 May 1940. Its main objective was to take
the Punjab back from the non-Sikh rulers and to convert it into a Sikh state between
the river Jumna and Jamrud. Baba Madan Singh Gaga and Jagjit Singh, Editor,
Khalsa Sewak, were the eminent members of the committee to materialize this
scheme159while Dr. V. S. Bhati, a Sikh from Ludhiana, put forward a scheme of
Khalistan, a buffer state between Pakistan and Hindustan. It would consist of the Sikh
districts and states and function under Maharaja Patiala. Furthermore, a sub-
committee was approved and assigned to work on the scheme. But Master Tara Singh
strictly condemned such seceding sentiments among the Sikhs.160
To Anup Chand,
Dr. V. A. Bhatti through a pamphlet also demanded Muslim areas running through
Bahawalpur, Sindh and Rajputana enabling the Sikhs to have an outlet to the Gulf of
Cutch.161
The scheme on which the Akalis laid stress continuously was the Azad Punjab
scheme but it had to face severe criticism and opposition. The Governor in the
fortnightly report for the first half of December 1942 portrayed that the Akalis did not
seem much active in propagating the Azad Punjab scheme. The Hindu Mahasabha
leaders clarified their position by saying that they had a principal stand against the
Pakistan scheme therefore they were also opposed to the Azad Punjab scheme. The
-
7/27/2019 THE LAHORE RESOLUTION.pdf
38/86
146
scheme could not gain unanimous opinion of the Sikhs who remained divided. Master
Tara Singh and other leaders toured the western Punjab but could not secure favour
with the exception of the central Punjab. The All-India Sikh Youth Conference held at
Lahore supported this scheme but with an amendment. They opined that the scheme
should have the approval of two-third of the Sikh community. The Central Akali Dal
and Namdhari leaders also opposed the scheme. The Akalis decided to hold a
conference at Bhiwanigarh in Patiala State to prepare the panth to follow their
decision but success could not be expected for this scheme.162
Though they avoided
using the term Azad Punjab scheme, they pursued it persistently by demanding re-
demarcation of the Punjab boundaries.
Master Tara Singh strode very carefully. He declared that the Sikhs would not
demand Khalistan if the Muslims abandoned Pakistan.163
This attitude appeared
vacillating to those outside the community and did not convince the British for
consideration of the Sikh demands.Other Sikh leaders however continued to talk of a
Sikh state. In 1942, Sardar Kirpal Singh Majithia declared that they desired to
establish the Sikh rule. The Working Committee of the Central Akali Dal was
organized in Amritsar on 2 April 1942 in which the party reversed the core policy and
issued statement in favour of the partition. Baba Kharak Singh rejecting Cripps
proposals said that India was going to be partitioned in near future and the Sikhs had a
right to demand a separate Sikh state extending from River Jhelum to River Sutlej if
the division was inevitable.164
The report said that the Sikh leaders were uncertain
about how to block the Pakistan scheme. They also doubted, whether Khalistan would
be the best alternative for the Sikhs or not. On the other hand, the Khalsa Youth
League was propagating for Khalistan.165
On 2 May 1942, at Amritsar, Master Ajit
Singh declared that Khalistan would be achieved with the help of sword. In the
-
7/27/2019 THE LAHORE RESOLUTION.pdf
39/86
147
Working Committee meeting of the Central Akali Dal at Lahore, Bakhshish Singh,
editor ofKhalsa, called to launch a movement for the attainment of Khalistan.166
The
police report said that Master Tara Singh also discussed the issue of the partition and
the Sikh rule in the non-Muslim minority areas with Vir Savarkar, the Mahasabha
leader.167
According to the police report, the Akalis demanded the Azad Punjab after
the Sikandar-Baldev Pact (15 June 1942).168
The Akali conference was held in Kot
Moman (district Shahpur) on 2-3 October 1942 in which Dalip Singh of Sargodha
opposed the Pakistan scheme and said that the Sikhs desired no Khalistan. Giani Sher
Singh approved the Sikandar-Baldev Singh pact and demanded the re-demarcation of
the Punjab in which no community would be in an utter majority.169
Baldev Singh
expressed his fury against the Pakistan scheme and said that he would prefer slavery
to the partition. Giani Sher Singh elucidated that if the idea of Pakistan was
materialized, they would establish Khalistan. In November 1942, a Gurmukhi poster
was displayed with the signature of Bhagwan Singh which demanded the revision of
provincial boundaries of the Punjab. Sardar Kartar Singh, an Advocate from Patiala,
and Professor Ganga Singh emphasized the need for re-demarcation of the provincial
boundaries to establish the Sikh rule.170
The lack of vision and disunity was profoundly affecting the Sikh politics.
According to an Intelligence report, Master Tara Singh refrained from personal
discussions with Jinnah171
while it was an undeniable reality that nothing was possible
without negotiations on the conflicting issues. As a matter of fact, Tara Singh
possessed no political and constitutional arguments on which he could face Jinnah, a
staunch constitutionalist. Disunity overwhelmingly gripped the Sikhs and the leaders
could be distracted by trivialities. Sant Singh, an MLA resigned from the All Parties
-
7/27/2019 THE LAHORE RESOLUTION.pdf
40/86
148
Sikh Conference in 1942 just because his name was not included in the Sikh
delegation which was to meet the Cripps Mission.172
Congress and Sikhs
The Akalis differed from the Congress on the issue of support for the war
effort with the government, but expected support from the organization in their anti-
Pakistan stance.173
The myth that the Sikhs were their saviours was retained and
projected by the Hindus. The Congress had included the Sikh members in the
Congress Working Committee more than their proportion. Sardar Sohan Singh Josh,
MLA, in a Congress meeting, necessitated a volunteer corps to counter the communal
organizations.174The Congress continued brainwashing the Sikh leadership and the
masses that only the Congress could save their interests in the on-going struggle for
freedom and on the issue of Pakistan.175
In such an uncertain situation, the Sikhs were
struggling for the rights without any agreed voice. Some Muslims perhaps under the
stress of the communitarian dominance tried to show their balanced position on the
Muslim and non-Muslim issues and criticized the Congress, League and Akalis
equally. On 20-21 September 1940, they arranged an Azad Khyal Muslim Conference
presided over by Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah. He objected that the Congress
claimed to be a secular party but the communalist Akali Sikhs were speaking against
the Muslims from the Congress platform. He further said that Master Tara Singh and
the Maharaja of Patiala had planned for the Sikh raj in the Punjab. He also
complained that the Congressite Muslims had lost respect either in their own
community or in the Congress circles.176In this way, the nationalist Muslims within
the Congress were raising voice against the Hindu leadership on the issue of the Akali
Sikhs.
-
7/27/2019 THE LAHORE RESOLUTION.pdf
41/86
149
On the other hand, the Sikhs continued their submissive allegiance to the
Congress. The CAD condemned the Akali-Unionist pact of 1942. Sardar Mangal
Singh, MLA appealed to the Sikhs to resist this pact. He went to Wardha with
suggestions for the Congress Working Committee members that the Punjab Congress
should be given under the leadership of Baba Kharak Singh after the betrayal of the
SAD. The Intelligence report concludes that both the SADandCAD did not want to
lose the Congress support. The leaders found themselves helpless in the political
arena without the Congress.177
The analysis proved true because Master Tara Singh
had to request Vir Savarkar to convince the Congress leadership to avoid attacking the
Akalis. The Akali leaders also laid stress on the Sikhs to join the Congress in large
numbers to influence the decision-making strength of the party.178
Sikandar and Pakistan
The Unionists Muslims and non-Muslims pretended to be above all the
communal differences but one can observe through the Punjab Assembly debates
wherein the Muslims seemed scared to discuss the Quranic verses because it might
create religious tension. Discussing the Primary Education Bill, Chaudhri Shahab-ud-
Din, the Speaker, had to interfere in the debate with the following remarks:
What I said was that it would be enough to say that according to Islam purdah isnecessary and must be observed and that this Bill should not interfere with it. But to
quote Quran Sharif and translate on the floor of the House might, as already stated, result
in unpleasantness. I do not wish the Quran to be discussed and criticized. 179
The Leagues political activities were irritating for Sir Sikandar. Feeling himself
sandwiched between the League and the non-Muslim allies, he tried to wriggle out of
the situation but his efforts came to naught. He was to maintain his coalition
government and confidence of Jinnah simultaneously. The Premier was obliged that
Jinnah had never created problems for him even over the issues of the Khaksar-Police
clash in 1940 at Lahore. Sir Henry Craik wrote to Linlithgow on the wise leadership
-
7/27/2019 THE LAHORE RESOLUTION.pdf
42/86
150
of Jinnah that he did not provoke clash between a government headed by a Muslim
and the League. He not only facilitated the Punjab ministry but also secured the unity
in the League circle. He further wrote that through his wisdom, Jinnah increased his
influence over Leaguers in the Punjab.180
Sir Sikandar had to appease the Muslims
by presenting himself a pure Muslim leader and, on the other hand, opposed Jinnah to
pacify the non-Muslim allies as he did in a speech at Lyallpur. While addressing the
Pakistan Conference arranged by the students, he portrayed himself as a pure Muslim
by saying that he prayed five times regularly