# Religious intolerance

 There is no doubt that #Rising intolerance bandwagon is growing in number and so is the heard of writers and filmmakers who are returning their awards in protest of this intolerance, which according to them has suddenly gripped entire India under its venomous tentacles. And hello hello hello who are responsible for it. No awards for guessing, because otherwise you might one fine morning decide to return this award. It’s BJP and our PM, Mr.Narendra Modi. Aren’t these people being obtuse with no rationale behind their act? India’s history is marred with instances of religious intolerance and hatred. Then why is this drama happening and why are these people painting our country in the colour of Intolerance? The answer is simple and straightforward and that is these congress fans and followers are not able to gulp or digest the fact that our country is being governed by BJP and Narendra Modi, who incidentally has been well accepted throughout the Globe. A man who was once facing the trial for Gujarat riots has swept the entire country off its feet and has become a new hope for the Indians at home as well as abroad. The kind of response he got in US was seen never before. This troubles the congress party and the band of these so called laureates and filmmakers. I am not hurt when they colour BJP and other right wing Hindu parties as intolerant. I would not even care for that.  But what hurts me and the rest of the people like me are that these people are bringing bad name to all the Indians and we are being portrayed as a bunch of murderers and lynch men. Mr and Ms Return awards, let me just give you a point wise reality check and ask you a simple question and that is why you did not return you awards when following happened:-

1.       To begin with let me give you an example of 1984 Sikh riots in which innumerable Sikhs were killed and slaughtered on the streets of Delhi. Let me just remind you that the riots were backed by your own congress men. Let me just not name them. I know it’s embarrassing for you.

2.       Now let me make you think a little more. Where were you, when 3 lac Kashmiri Pundits were ousted from their motherland. Wasn’t it religious intolerance? I know we are not a vote bank for any party. Nevertheless you could have spoken a word or two about us. You choose not to. I know you speak only as per your own convenience. If you have any other pending award with you, I request you to please come forward and return it to the government. At least you can make amendments to your mistake. Isn’t it? Mr. Ajay Raina and Sanjay Kak, our own kashmiri brethren, have also joined this bandwagon and have returned their awards. By the way, does anyone know who are they? I seriously don’t know. Sometimes as they say ignorance is bliss. But yea they have managed to catch some eye balls by doing this. At least a worthless mine.

3.       Ok now comes the toughest. Where were you at the time of Babri demolition on 6^th December 1992? Now most of you might argue that you guys had not received any award at that time. I know this fact. But fact remains that returning of the awards is not the only way to raise your voice. God has given you such a high intellect. Isn’t it? And on top of that he has given you some vocal cords. You could have certainly made use of them. Hey where are you hiding madam and Sir?

4.       The story doesn’t end here. Why didn’t you protest against the Wandahama massacare in which 23 kashmiri pundits were dragged out of their houses and brutally killed by militants on 25^th Jan, 1998. I know you guys were not instructed by your masters to do so at that time. Whether it is Kashmir muslim or Kashmiri pundits, both have been useless entities for you, till the time Nayantara Sehgal ji redeemed herself by condemning the killing of Kashmiri Muslim youth in Udhampur.

5.       Where were you when on March 20^th March of year 2000, Lashkar men killed 34 Sikh youths in Chattisinghpora (Kashmir) after asking them to assemble in a Gurdwara. We all know the aftermath of this massacre. Innocent lives were lost in the fake encounter of Pathribal. I hope I am giving you a reason to think and ponder over. Don’t become a victim of herd mentality. You are bringing disrepute to this nation and we won’t tolerate it.

6.       Shall I give you more, Mr and Ms Return awards? I know it’s hurting you. But let me just give you one more below the belt. Where were you when Dara Singh, murdered an Australian missionary and his family while they were sleeping in a station wagon at Manoharpur in Keonjhar district of Orissa. Were you sleeping or your conscience was dead at that time.

7.       Why did you choose to ignore the incidence in Chamba in August of 1998, when Pakistani militants killed 35 Hindus in cold blood? Stop being pseudo secular. We won’t tolerate your vitriol now.

8.       What about 2002 attacks on Raghunath temple (11 persons killed) and Akshardham temple (33 people killed), 2006 serial bombings in Varanasi (28 casualties) etc. I can give you more. Our history is full of such statistics.

9.       For your benefit let me tell you that between 2005 to 2009, an average fo 130 people have died every year because of communal riots in India. And during the same period, 24 states and union territories reported instances of religious Skirmishes and clashes. Everyone knows who were at the helm of affairs at centre during this period.

When nobody labelled India an Intolerant country at that time, then why now? You don’t have to be a genius to understand that. There is no doubt that some of these people in collusion with their political masters have a sinister plan of pushing this country into a panic state and then subsequently emerge as the Champions of the cause of the people. All these people have no moral stand with each one of them taking a fake stand. However to an extent they have been able to stir up a controversy with their politically motivated actions and as Junaid Mustafa says, “Only counterfeit is genuine these days”, these people might get their share of glory.

Sachin Raina

 

 

 

 

Babbar Akali's and their contribution to India's freedom struggle

India’s struggle for freedom began in 1857 and it took another 90 years to culminate into India’s independence. Anyone can imagine the kind of sacrifices our ancestors made to make this into a reality. They gave their life and blood for our freedom. We have been taught about our freedom struggle in so many ways and one of them is through the institution of school. From a very early age we have read about Indian National Congress and its contribution to this struggle. Not to mention here the names of Nehru and Gandhi, who are almost inseparable whenever we talk about our freedom struggle? But what about other people who laid down their lives in quest of India’s freedom?

Everyone knows about the contribution of Indian national congress to India’s freedom movement. But how many of us know about the other parties who contributed immensely to this cause. Why our historians have chosen not to write about these parties? Why none of these parties is in public glare. It is simply because we have read or we have been forced to read a very selective history on the instructions of the congress party which ruled India for the majority of last 69 years. The historical facts that are taught in schools and colleges in India is totally distorted, fudged and manipulated to favour a certain section of our political class.

Many of us might argue that considerable light has been shed on the history of nationalist parties like Ghadar Party, Subash Chander bose led INA, All India Muslim league, RSS etc. However there are considerable numbers of parties which don’t find even a mention in India’s history of freedom struggle. Their contribution might have been on the lower side as compared to congress but that does not undermine their impact on the struggle. I bet majority of the people would not even know the names of parties or movements like HSRA, Hindu Mahasabha, Jugantar, Babbar Akali’s, Khaskar tehreek, Khudai khidmatghar movement etc; leave aside the expectation of people being even aware about their contribution to our freedom struggle.

The aim of writing this article is to highlight the history of these little known parties who gave their blood for India’s struggle. If after just 68 years of our Independence people are unaware about these people, Imagine what will happen after 100 years into our Independence. Our posterity which is being raised on a fudged and manipulated history, the names of these people and parties will cease to exist forever. Give it a thought.

I would begin by highlighting the history of Babbar Akali’s based out of Punjab who not only took to Gurdwara reforms but also participated in India’s freedom struggle during a brief period from 1921 to 1925. Babbar Akali movement came into existence when the Akali struggle for Gurdwara Reforms was going through a crucial stage. The most popular Sikh shrines like Nankana Sahib and Taran Taran Sahib were being occupied by Mahants and were trying to convert these into their personal properties. Babbar Akalis were Gur Sikhs and vehemently opposed the Idea of Gandhi’s non violence and non cooperation formula. Majority of the babbar Akalis were returned immigrants from Cannada and some of them had actively participated in the Gadhar movement. They opposed the imperialistic British policies and at the same time they were upset about the Nankana Sahib tragedy in which hundreds of innocent Sikhs were killed. They rejected the idea of peaceful struggle for reformation in the Sikh shrines and decided to carry forward their movement separately without the active involvement and cooperation of Akali leadership.

Since the death of Maharaja Ranjit Singh on June 27, 1839, Punjab was under constant attack from British and eventually they lost their sovereignty to them on 29th Mar, 1849. As a result the socio-religious fabric of Punjab received a big jolt. Sikhs lost control and direct vigilance of its sacred shrines. During the next 70 odd years the Sikhism went through a drastic change. Their religious places and Gurudwaras were directly ruled by Mahants and they started to ignore the tenets and practices laid down in the Sikhism. Sikhism came under heavy attack during this time from British missionaries and elitist Brahmans. Undoubtedly the Sikhs were surrounded by forces which threatened their existence and their gradual decline seemed inevitable.

During subsequent years there were lots of organisations which were formed by Sikhs to cater to the ever increasing demand of the public to free its Gurdwaras from British and Mahants. However it was during 1920 that they finally became successful in forming Shiromani Gurudwara Prabhandak Comittee and then subsequently its task force, Akali Dal. Later on SGPC and Akali Dal made all efforts to make their gurdwars free from the clutches of these Mahants.

Later on during one such incident, Guru Ka Bagh Morcha, the back bone of Babbar Akali movement was formed. Though most of the Gurudwars were freed easily by SGPC from Mahants, Guru Ka Bagh, which is about 20 kms away from Amritsar, was never going to be an easy task for SGPC. In 1921, Sunder Das Udasi was the mahant of guru ka Bagh. In an attempt to save the shrine from being occupied by reformist Sikhs, he signed a formal agreement with them on 31 January 1921, promising to reform his ways and make a new start, as well as, agreeing to receive the rites of Khalsa initiation. He even agreed to serve under an eleven member committee appointed by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee. However, seeing how the government was everywhere supporting the mahants in their efforts to retain the Gurdwaras, he repudiated part of the agreement and said that, though he had surrendered the gurdwara to the Shiromani Committee, the piece of land known as Guru ka Bagh attached to it was still his property. He objected to Sikhs cutting trees from Guru Ka bagh for the common Langar and thus he lodged a comlaint with the police and as a result of that authorities arrested 5 Akali’s on 9th Aug, 1922 on the charges of trespass. It was just a beginning and till 17th November, 1922 the number of Sikhs that were arrested amounted to 5605. This included 35 members of SGPC. The government at that time tried evry leaf in the book to traumatise Sikhs, however that was not to be a case. The violent use of force on Sikhs had a great impact outside and inside Punjab. Large number of Sikhs who took part in Guru Ka Bagh morcha, either joined Babbar Akali Jatha or worked actively to support their cause. When guru ka Bagh morcha was in full swing in 1922, Jathedar Kishan Singh Garja, he later on became a Babbar Akali Stalwart, wrote to then SGPC secretary, and asked him to reconsider the non violent means of fighting the cause and urged him to allow Sikhs to take up the sword. There is no doubt that Babbar Akali movement took its final shape during this morcha. Sikhs who could not digest the discipline of Satyagrah took to dynamite, bomb and pistols and became the Babbar Akali’s. The heaps of atrocities thrown on Sikhs inflamed their passion for revenge and no true discipline of Guru Gobind Singh could remain loyal to the British afterwards. Hence a few Akalis who had participated in the Gurudwara reform movement became Babbar Akali’s. Infact the struggle to liberate Gurudwars from Mahants and government was considered to be the stepping stone to India’s freedom. No wonder it included, ex ghadarites, congress workers and soldiers.
The Babbar Akalis made their first appearance during the Sikh Educational Conference held at Hoshiarpur from March 19th to 21st, 1921. Later on, they organized their own meetings which were attended by renowned personalities like Master Mota Singh, Kishan Singh, Amar Singh, Tota Singh Peshawari, Gurbachan Singh and Buttan Singh and some of the returned emigrants from Canada. The working committee of the Babbar Akalis was elected in 1922 with Sardar Kishan Singh Garja as Jathedar, Dalip Singh Gosal, as Secretary and Baba Santa Singh as Treasurer. To reinforce the propaganda machinery and to promote the cause of the movement, the working committee decided to publish a newspaper called Babbar Akali Doaba Akhbar, with Sardar Karam Singh Daulatpur appointed as Editor. Their main objective was to "eliminate" certain officials and non-officials condemned as enemies of the Khalsa Panth.

They appealed to the Hindus and Muslims through articles, leaflets, Babbar Akali Doaba Akhbar and the religious congregations to join them in their war against the foreigners for freedom. To fulfil their programme Bela Singh and Ganda Singh were sent to Lahore on May 23, 1921 to take care of Mr. J.W. Bowring, considered responsible for Nankana Sahib Massacare. However on their way they got arrested and thus other members of the party like Amar Singh, Tota Singh, Chatar Singh etc landed in the police custody.

Babbar Akalis also aimed to paralyse the supporters of the British Government such as Zaildars, Lambardars, Patwaries, police informers and other stooges by terrorising them through various forms of punishments. According to the plans of the Babbars an attempt was made to kill Arjan Singh Patwari of Haripur who had allegedly helped in the arrest of Master Mota Singh. Somehow the attempt failed. Then, Zaildar Bishan Singh, a retired official of the Canal Department was shot dead on February 10th, 1923.

The continuous "elimination" created panic among the informers, agents and the Government authorities. Numbers of village officials and other loyalists to the Government started expressing fear for their lives and the desire to resign from their posts. The government took stiff measures to meet the Babbar challenge and tried to restore peace and confidence among the loyalists. Special C.I.D. was deputed to assist the police. The police force at Jullundur was increased by adding another fifty men. Above all, a special enrolment of 150 was sanctioned, and an Indian infantry of 250 and a squadron of armoured cars were deputed to assist the police in making the arrests of the Babbars. Leaflets were scattered by airplane over the affected area in order to restore peace, and the Babbars were proclaimed as an unlawful association under the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act of 1908. As a result some important leaders like Kishan Singh Garja, Master Mota Singh and Sunder Singh were arrested.

Undeterred by the arrests and deaths of the important leaders, the Babbars continued their programme of eliminating the agents and the supporters of the Government. Simultaneously, they continued preaching against the British rule. The threats by the Babbars and the continuous elimination of government officials caused considerable anxiety in the official circle in London. Members of the British Parliament raised questions about the deteriorating condition of law and order in the Punjab. The government of the Punjab was criticised, and fears were expressed about the safety of the British officials in India.

On June 4th, 1923, Sir C. Yates drew the attention of the House of Commons to the Babbar programme of murdering officers and the foreigners and wanted the Government to make a statement on the situation in Punjab. The motion was again tabled on June 14th, 1923 in the British Parliament regarding the seriousness of the Babbar Akali Movement. Upon pressure of the British Parliament, London, the government of the Punjab introduced more stringent measures against the Babbars. Hideout places of the Babbars were raided. As a result, 186 arrests were made. By the middle of 1924 all the important Babbars were either killed or arrested. However, the Akali leaders and the Congress leaders like Mahatma Gandhi did not approve of the Babbars' programme of violence. The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (S.G.P.C.) issued statement appealing to the Sikhs to disassociate with the activities of the Babbars, writes Mohinder Singh, author of The Akali Movement:

Though the Akali leadership disowned both the Babbars as well as their tactics and went even to the extent of passing formal resolutions against them, the Babbars contribution to the Akali Movement and India’s freedom struggle cannot be ignored. They have and will be the integral part of our history forever. None can undermine their contribution to Sikhism and its resurgence in the early twentieth century.