Punjab - Sikhs’ most precious gift to India

Copyright ©2007 M.S. Ahluwalia

Various religious communities that populate India worked together to drive out the British colonists and independence was achieved in August, 1947. However, all attempts to hold India together failed. This was primarily due to Muslim apprehensions; Muslims feared being ruled by Hindus who formed the majority. The British on their part appeased both Hindus and Muslims by offering them separate states- India and Pakistan. Sir Cyril Radcliff 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 pushed 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 most price due to their ‘opposition’ of the Congress and the communal propaganda of the Muslim League. It is a well-known fact that without getting any political alternative, the Sikhs only got physical, religious, and economic destabilization when the movement for the creation of Pakistan became unstoppable. A glimpse of 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 with both the Hindus and the Muslims was that their leaders positioned themselves for power whereas the Sikhs, inept in political skills, failed to protect their interests and their homeland. During the negotiations Sikhs were fed with ‘craftily worded’ promises that were later never honored.

Although both Gandhi and Jinnah were, apparently, working at cross purposes, it was the Gandhi who proposed a formula to Jinnah, which was basically clear acceptance of the partition and creation of Pakistan. In May 1944 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 separate sovereign state it would be honored, but border districts had 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 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 either party, and this was amply confirmed by the subsequent events. At the same time Master Tara Singh 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 favor 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. The 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 is no reason to single out the Akali leadership for public lynching. The subsequent events proved beyond any doubt that the Sikhs were ever eager to stake everything for the sake of their motherland.

In the long and historic struggle for independence, the best gift the Akalis gave to India is the very precious eastern half of Punjab – the granary of India.

Author's Note: As a child of six years, I migrated to India from Rawalpindi (Now Islamabad). Of late it has raised a question in my mind that pertains entirely to history or its subjective interpretation. I had understood that the British acknowledged 3 entities as the rightful claimants to the British throne in India The Hindus, the Muslims and the Sikhs. The Hindus, being the largest majority of the population, the Muslims, whose Empire they had won/taken over in their military victories, and the Sikhs, whose Empire they took over" to be administered in trust" until the rightful heirs were able to manage/control the affairs of the state (which of course was never allowed to happen).

I understand this as a student of history, that this background resulted in the Sikhs being acknowledged as one of the three rightful heirs to the British power and hence the need arose for the Hindu and Muslim leaders to court Master Tara Singh, to chose one side. No other region, province or community enjoyed this special status Almighty God conferred on the Sikhs at that time.