ROLE OF THE VERNACULAR PRESS DURING THE GURDWARA REFORM MOVEMENT

Author(s): Kamaljit Gill

Source: Proceedings of the Indian History Congress , 1983, Vol. 44 (1983), pp. 463-470
Published by: Indian History Congress

Stable URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/44139886

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ROLE OF THE VERNACULAR PRESS DURING THE GURDWARA
REFORM MOVEMENT

Kamal jit Gill ( Amritsar)

The vernacular press is important to any movement appealing to the

people. It played a significant role during the Gurdwara Reform move
ment.

The struggle of the Sikhs for reform in the Sikh shrines came out a
a two-fold reaction against the malpractices of the Mahants in the Gurd
waras, and the policy adopted by the British Indian Government t
patronize Mahants and Sarbrahs of the Gurdwaras. The vernacul
press tried its best to draw the Sikh community to the movement and t
popularize it among the Sikh masses to win their whole hearted suppor
The newspapers in Gurmukhi script like The Khalsa, Khalsa Samachar
Pardesi Khalsa , Alcali te-Pardesi, Sansar, The Panch, Punjab Darpan, Khal
te-Khaha Advocate, came out to support the Akalis. These papers gave
special attention to the religious sentiments of the Sikhs. In 1919, the
government appointed a clean-shaven Sikh as manager of the Gurdwa
Babe-di-Ber at Sialkot.1 The Punjabi papers considered him a non-Sikh
and appealed to the government not to appoint him as manager
of the Sikh Gurdwara. After a long trial when the same Mahant was
reappointed as the manager of the Gurdwara Babe-di-Ber in 1924, Akal
te-Pardesi sorrowfully published the news. The Sikhs were asked to b
prepared for a new Morcha?
The vernacular press infused a spirit of self-awareness among the
Sikhs. It gave wide coverage to the activities of the District Sikh
Leagues. It published the reports of the meetings of the Sikh Leagues
held in Gujranwala, Lahore, Rawalpindi and Lyallpur,3 and appealed to
the Sikhs to establish the Sikh Leagues in every district of the Punjab
the need was felt to organise the Sikhs against the exploitation of, an
interference in, their religion.
The Sikhs hal been planning a com nittee of management of their
own. On Novermber 15, 1920, a proclamation was made from th
Akal Takhat, Amritsar, to the effect that a committee of 175 to be known

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 464

as the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee had been setup

for the management of all Sikh shrines; Sunder Singh Majithia, Harbans
Singh of Attari, and Bhai Jodh Singh, were elected President Vice-
President and Secretary, respectively. The more radical elements organi-
sed a semi-military corps of volunteers known as the Akali Dal (army
of immortals)4 Its main object was to manage, reform and control the
Sikh Gurdwaras and shrines. The S. G. P. C. approached the Sikh
community through the vernacular press. These papers published the
declarations made by the S. G. P. C. Through these declarations a
picture of the struggle was presented to the Sikhs. The vernacular press
called upon the Sikh masses to assist the S. Gē P. C. to achicve the
desired objectives.

Pardesi Khalsa , a Punjabi paper published a declaration made by the

S. G. P. C. about the encounter of the Sikhs and the Police in the Gur-
dwara Heran in the District Ludhiana.5 The policemen tried to stop the
Sikh Sangat to enter the Gurdwara by force. While doing so Bhai
Bishan Singh Narangwalia was wounded. A Jatha led by Bhai Narinjan
Singh, Bhai Seva Singh and Bhai Khushal Singh, was attacked by the
Police.® With its publication the masses c ime to know how the govern-
ment's policy of supression of the Sikhs worked here and how the
corrupt Mahants were backed by the higher officials.
The Sikh masses came to know about the humiliation inflicted on
the Sikhs arrested by the Police in Guru-ka-Bagh Morcha, through the
declaration nos. 81 and 82, of the S. G. P. C., which were published in
the Khalsa on 21st September 1921. It wrote, «The policemen insulted
the arrested Sikhs by offering them cigarettes, when they were being
brought to Amritsar after their arresť.7 These news convinced the Sikh
masses and made a deep impression on their minds. It further reported
the pitiable condition of Sikhs in the Gurdwara Guru-ka-Bagh, in these
words, 'Guru Ka Bagh, is cordoned off and no ration is allowed to reach
the Sikhs inside the Gurdwara. The shortage of fuel and wood has
made the cooking of food impossible for the Sikhs inside the Gurdwara.
So, now, they have to depend on a handful of baked grams which were
with them before the Gurdwara was cordoned off'.8 This language of
the paper was so convincing that it succeeded in winning over the sym-
pathies of the Sikh masses and preparing them to undertake the struggle
for reform.

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 465

The massacre of Nankana S¿ hib, in which 130 Sikhs under the

leadership of Sardar I achman Sin^h Dharovalia were brutally massacred
by Udasi Mahant Narain Das's men on 20th February 1921, was consi-
dered a great tragedy by the vernacular press. The editorials not only
moved the Sikh but also won the sympathies of the people of other
communities. The Punjabi paper Khalsa Samachar reported the tragedy.
'Head-offerings at the land of the beloved', 'Bloodshed on the birth
place of the messenger of peace', 'Sad events and martyrdom of Sri
Nankana Sahib'.9 The government was called upon to make enquiries
about the incident and punish the quilty.
The Gurdwara Reform Movement was helped by various organisa-
tions. The Executive Committee of All India Congress offered Rs. 25,U)0
to the Punjab Congress Committee to help the families of the Akali
prisoners.10 This news was published ia Khalsa- te- Khalsa Advocate .
Another Punjabi paper, Sansar, published a detailed report of the help
provided to the Akalis by Hindu and Muslim leaders. It worte in its
issue of 7th Decembar 1921, 'Today on 2nd December, Janab Aga Safdar,
Shri Santanam Lai, Govardhan Dass, Malak Lal Khan along with Lala
Lajpat Rai reached Amritsar. Our Hindu Muslim brothers offered their
help with pleasure and said that 4to serve the Khalsaji they were ready
to speak on the Keys Affairs which is a purely religious matter, in a
Diwan arranged by the Khalsa at Guru Ka Bagh'.11 The news of the
monetary help of Rs. 1000/- from the Gurdwara Committee Sistan to the
Golden Temple, Aqiritsar, when the Municipal Committee of Amritsar
disconnected the supply of the electricity to the Golden Temple, was also
published by the vernacular papers.18 These papers published these
news with the purpose to show that the Congress, Hindus and Muslims,
and Gurdwara Committees we; e supporting the Akalis. In this way, the
vernacular papers encouraged the Sikhs to participate in the Reform
Movement.
The papers appreciated the constructive steps taken by the Khalsa.
In 1923, the reformists, joining hands with the Congress, decided to enter
the Civil Disobedience Movement.18 On another occasion, the press
also appreciated the decision of the Khalsa not to accept any Gurdwara
Reform Bill until the release of all the Sikh prisoners.14 The vernacular
press encouraged the Akali leaders for a firm stand.
After the Nankana Sahib tragedy in i921, Mahatma Gandhi visited
the spot. The press published a detailed report of his visit. The

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 465

Punjab Dirpan wrote, "Mahatama Gandhi reached at NanVana Sahib

on 3rd Marc'i along wiih his wife, son, Maulana Shaukat Ali and Lala
Duni Chand. The Sikh enthusiasts were numerous, the thunderous
slogan of Sat Sri Akal was being raised. Mahatma Gandhi emphatically
expressed, 'This is not the deed of Narain Dass alone, I can not imagine
lone Narain or his men doing such mischievous deed, unless backed by
some big power. I maintain that the officials are responsible for this act
who allowed the accumulation of firearms in such a large number'.15
Mahatma Gandhi further said, 'The Khalsa has brought laurels to India
once again by match1ess daredevilness, courage and martyrdom. Yoü
shall have to join the non-Cooperation'.16 Maulana Shaukat Ali, stress-
ing non-co-operation said, 'It was beyond the capacity of Mahant Narain
Dass to collect the large amount of firearms and kill our brethren so
brutally. The Government officials can not be spared of the responsibi-
lity of massacre. The Khalsa has proved beyond doubt that they arc
endowed with the merit not only of manl'ness but at the same time one
will fail to find a match to their spirit of non-violence"ģ17 In this way
the message of the nationalist leaders reached the Sikhs through verna-
cular papers.

The papers wrote a lot against the banning of the wearing of the
Kirpan by the Sikhs. The government limited the size of Kirpan to nine
inches in Punjab, Burma and in military.13 It declared the manufacturing
of the swords as unlawful.19 Several arrests were made and many Sikhs
were punished for keeping Kirpans. The government of Bombay impou-
nded a book 'History of Kirpan*, written Sy Sardar Palwant Singh.20
Fifteen Sikhs were jailed in connection with the Platoon No. 57 Rifles
Case.21 Pardesi Khalsa published the list of those Sikhs who were
impriosned in that case.

It also published the suggestions of the S. G.jP. C. given to the Sikhs

to get back the freedom of wearing the Kirpan. Those suggestions were,
not to obey the government's order, to open factories in every village to
make swords and to use Akali Dal for this purpose.22 In this way, the
vernacular papers contributed a lot in strengthening the reform
movement by raising the issue of symbolic Kirpan and giving much
importance to it.
Vernacolar papers highlighted the miserable condition of the Sikh
prisoners. These papers brought to the notice of the Sikhs, torture and

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 467

hardships the Sikhs had to face in jails. Sometimes they were made to
do strenuous labour for a long time. In Lyallpur jail the Sikh prisoners
were forced to work on an oilpress for several days.28 In Attock Jail
four Akalis were suspended on a peepal tree for merely raising the
slogans of Sat Sri Akal. They were kept thirsty for several hours.24 The
pollice arrested an Akali Jatha which was kept standing in heavy rain
during the whole night.20 The vernacular papers published the details
of these inhuman treatments meted out to the Sikhs and prepared them
to undertake the struggle for reform, We have religious claim over
Gurdwara Reform» Khalsa ji be prepared for it.'20

The papers criticized the intentions of the government to capture

the Gurdwaras, and warned the Panth against the corrupt policies of
bureaucracy and made the Sikhs aware that their Gurdwaras were in
dager.a?

The Vernacular papers gave a wide coverage to the activities of the

Diwans arranged by the Sikh organisations throughout the province to
popularise the movement. They published the Gurmatas passed by the
Khalsa in Sargodha Diwan held in 1922, 'not to accept any bill passed
by the government without the acceptance of the S. G. P. C/28 They also
published the Gurmatas passed by the Khalsa in Jalianwala Bagh Diwan
held in 1925, 'Not to practice the Gurdwara Act until all the Sikh
prisoners are not released'.29

The vernacular press condemned the police raid on the office of the
S. G. P. C. at Amritsar, on 19 January, 1924. The AkalUte-pardcsi
wrote. 'Today morning around 4.00 a. m. a police force consisting of
some more than oneh'indred policemen and six officers reached the gates
of the S. G. P. C. through Baba Âtal and Guru Ka Bcigh. More police
force is spread around the area. The police force entered forcibly the
Office of the S. G. P. C. after having lathi charged and injured the
Sevadars . The sound of whistles attracted many Akali Sikhs to the spot,
some of whom ran towards the Akal Takhat* A large mob gathered
near the office and the police mercilessly lathi charged. More Sikhs
started gathering near the office. The police cordoneJ off the office. The
officers telephonically called for army, machine guns and magistrate»
Search is still on under the heavy police guard. None is allowed to go in.
The wounded Sikhs are sent to Guru-ke-Hasptal.? 0

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 468

According to the vernacular papers the British government was a

stranger in índia, and it was impossible for the Britishers to understand
the problems of the natives. Thè papers recommended the demand fof
a free India providing equal justice to a!!.81

The press openly challenged the British policy of interference in the

Sikh religion. On 29ih October 192 1 the Executive Committee of the
S. G. P. C. passed a resolution requiring Sardar Sunder Singh
Ramgarhia, the manager of the Golden Temple, to hand over the keys
of the treasure of the Golden Temple, to Sardar Kharak Singh, President
of the S. G. P. C.32 The bunch of 53 keys was surrendered to the
authorities and deposited in the government treasury for safe custody,
as was instructed by the Deputy Commissioner to Sardar Sunder Singh.88
At this the vernacular press published the decision taken by the
Professors of the Khalsa College, Amritsar, on first December, 1921,
The Professors of the Khalsa College decided that 'the issue of keys is
religious, purely religious. We will riot refrain from raising our voice
and we must raise our voice. It is the duty of the Sikhs to be aleit and
they should be ready to face hardships for the Saké of their religion'.81
The vernacular press asked the Sikhs to realise their duty to religion to
protect it.

In the villages the Akalis became victims of the Zaildars and

Nambardars. I hey used to harass the Akalis a create obstacles in their
ways.35 The vernacular papers condemned these actions taken by the
British government and boldly published the reports of thèse happenings.
Devoted to the cause of religious p'Opaganda the Piinjabi papers publi-
shed the details of the arrests of the Sikhs made by thè police and älk>
the lists of those who were killed and injured during various mórčhůs.

In 1923, the British government made Maharaja Ripudaman Singh

of Nabha to abdicate in favour of his minor sou Parta p Singh. The
most important cause of his abdication was his broadmindedness,
national spirit atd patriotism.36 The vernacular press warned the govern-
ment to stop inicrfering in the matter otherwise great agitation would
spread 37

The vernacular press served as a link between the Akãli leadersh p

and the Sikh masses. With its creative writing it gave a necessary push
to the reform movement, and politicised the Sikhs. The vernacular press

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 469

supported the Gurdwara Reform Movement, encouraged the Sikhs to

join it, condemned the repressive polices of the British government and
prescribed a picture of the struggle befoie the masses.

NOTES & REFERENCES

1 Khahm Samachar , 13 March 1919*

2 Akali-te Par desi, 3 January 1924.
3 The Panch Lahore, 21 February 1920.
4 JChushwant Singh, A History of4he Sikhs, {Ì839 1974), Vol 2, Oxford Unive
Press, Delhi 1976, 19&

5 Par cleat Khaìsa, 30 March 1922,

€ I bid, 10 March 1922.

7 Khaìsa , 21 September 1922. Declaration no. SI.

8 KhaJse , 21 September Ï922. Declaration no. 82»
9 Kha l sa Samachar, 21 February 1821.
10 Khaīsa-te-Khaīsa Advocate > 5 Feb., 1923%
î 1 Sansar , 7 December 1 921 .

Ï2 KhcUsa Samachar ; 19 Ju4y 1923.

13 Akali te Par desi, 8 January 1923.
14 Ibid, 13 January 1923.

15 Punjab Dörpen, 1 March 1921.

16 Ibid,

17 Ibid.

18 Par desi Khaìsa, 9 March 1922.

59 A kali - te- Par desi, 8 January 1921.
20 Par de si Khalsa, 19 June,
Si Ibid, 21 June 1922.

22 Ibid, 23 April 1922.

23 Khaīsa, 25 May 192Ž.
24 Ibid . 4 November 1922.

25 Ibid, 22 September 1922.

26 Par de si Khaìsa , 4 March 1922.

27 Akali-te -Par des h 11 January 1922*

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 470

Ä kfialsa, 9 July 1922.

29 Akali-te-Pardesi , 23 October 1925.
30 Akali-te*Pardesi, 21 January 1924/
31 Par de si Khalsa, 25 March 1922.

Í2 S. C. Mittal. Freedom Movement irt Punjab 1905-1929, Concept Publishing

Company, Delhi 1977 p. Î55.
33 Satya M. Rai, Punjabi Heroic Tradition 19091947 , Punjabi University, Fat i ala
1978, p. 137.
94 Sansar , 7 December 192Í.
35 Akali-te-Pardesi, 14 Janüary 1924.
36 S. C. Mittali Freedom Movement in Pnnjab . Í905-19Ž9, Concept Publishing
Company Ltd,, Delhi 1977, 166.
$7 Khalsa Sumac har, 19 July 1925.

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