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Punjab – Sikh's Most Precious Gift to India
M S Ahluwalia*
The various religious communities that populated India had
joined together to drive out the British, which was achieved
in August 1947. However, all attempts by the various actors
to hold India together failed. This was mainly because of
the Muslim apprehensions, who feared that they will be ruled
by the Hindus who formed the majority. The British on their
part appeased both the religious communities by offering
them separate states – India and Pakistan. Sir Cyril
Radcliffe was assigned the job of creating two countries
from one, i.e., Hindustan (land of the Hindus) and Pakistan
(land of the pure).
The partition of India and the creation of Pakistan have
not been studied in one important aspect that concerns the
Sikh community. The Sikhs, as an important religious minority,
were mainly concentrated in the region which now forms the
Pakistani Punjab. The events leading to the partition made
the Sikhs the main victims of circumstance. The tussle between
the Congress and the Muslim League led both to follow their
own paths leading to non-cooperation and direct action,
respectively. (The chronology here has been sacrificed for
coherence). The events leading to partition show that the
Sikhs could not withstand the massive onslaught of religious
fanaticism and separatism of the Muslim League, on the one
hand, and the Congress tactics for the independence, on
the other. Independence was achieved at a cost chiefly paid
by the Sikhs of Punjab.
To put the record straight, the Sikhs never pressed for
a separate state since they considered themselves an integral
part of India. The brokers of power, however, took full
advantage of Sikhs’ minority status. In the events
leading to partition, it is pertinent to note that the Sikhs
paid the heaviest price due to their ‘opposition’
to the Congress and the communal propaganda of the Muslim
League. It is a well known fact that instead of getting
any political benefit, the Sikhs only got physical, religious
and economic destabilization, when the movement for the
creation of Pakistan became unstoppable. A glimpse at the
events leading to partition will amply demonstrate this
bitter truth.
The contradictory aims of the Congress and the Muslim League
put Sikhs in the most awkward situation. One thing common
to both the Hindus and the Muslims as such was that their
leaders positioned themselves for power whereas the Sikhs,
inept in political skills, failed to protect their political
interests and their homeland. During the negotiations, they
were fed with ‘craftily worded’ promises that
were never honoured.
Although both Mahatma Gandhi and Jinnah had been working
at cross purposes, it was Gandhi who proposed a formula
to Mr Jinnah, which was basically a clear acceptance of
the partition, and creation of Pakistan.
In May 1944, Mahatma Gandhi declared that at the end of
the war (WW-II), a commission would be asked to demarcate
the ‘contiguous districts’ in North West and
East India having an absolute majority. In the areas thus
demarcated, a plebiscite of the adult population would be
taken. If the majority voted for a separate sovereign state,
it would be given effect to but border districts would have
the option to join one of the new states. In the event of
separation, mutual agreements would be entered into for
safeguarding defence, commerce and communications. These
terms would be binding when the British transferred the
full power to India.
Before independence, the Sikhs under the leadership of Master
Tara Singh could not pledge unconditional support either
to the Congress or to the Muslim League as they could not
rely on anyone, and this was amply confirmed by the subsequent
events. At the same time, he was quite aware of the political
advantages of being associated with India to maintain Sikhs’
strong numerical representation in the army. It was quite
apparent that neither of the two parties would extend any
favors to the Sikhs, without some strings being attached.
In fact, the move for a separate homeland had been gaining
ground ever since ‘Moti Lal Nehru Report’ came
out recommending a 30% quota (reservation) for the Sikhs
in Punjab Provincial legislature.
Mahatma Gandhi, in his own way, also approved the recommendations
made in the Nehru Report, while also conceding that they
had not done justice to the Sikhs. Congress, however, could
not afford to lose the confidence of the Sikh community
as a whole and then face the Muslim League’s demands
and the spread of communal virus. Accordingly, a formal
resolution was adopted at the Congress Session at Lahore
saying:
“This Congress assures the Sikhs and the Muslims and
other minorities that no solution thereof, in any future
constitution will be accepted by the Congress that does
not give full satisfaction to the parties concerned.”
Meanwhile, Mr Jinnah had emerged as the blue-eyed boy of
the British. Events favoring the formation of Pakistan moved
very fast. The Muslim League at its annual session held
at Lahore in March 1940 finally showed their true colors
in favour of a separate Sovereign State of Pakistan for
the Muslims. This demand for Pakistan led all the Sikh leaders
to unite on one platform to oppose the formation of Pakistan.
They held an anti-Pakistan Conference at Lahore on December
01, 1940, in which a unanimous resolution was passed to
oppose the formation of Pakistan.
The political situation in Punjab became more worrisome
with ‘Muslim League’ adopting uncompromising
communal overtones. This compelled the Sikhs to demand a
partition of the united Punjab. Primary aim was to get some
leverage for the Sikhs in the eastern portion of the Province.
It is in this context that the demand for Azad Punjab was
conceived, mainly in the spirit of countering the Muslim
demand for Pakistan.
Although the Akalis got unduly labeled as ‘opportunists
lacking any ideology’, the fact remains that there
were communal elements in all parties and there was no reason
to single out the Akali leadership for public mud slunging.
The subsequent events proved, beyond any doubt, that the
Sikhs were eager to stake their all for the sake of their
motherland.
In the long and historic struggle for independence, the
best gift the Akalis gave to India was – a very precious,
Eastern half of Punjab – the granary of India.
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