Battle for identity

Sarbjit Dhaliwal

History has not done justice to Master Tara Singh, the most distinguished Sikh leader of the 20th century. His role, however, has not been duly recognised by historians. In fact, he was maligned and the most misunderstood Sikh leader among the non-Sikh national leaders because he gave priority to ‘panthik’ (Sikh) concerns in the face of the Hindu-Muslim divide that plagued the Indian politics of his time. This is what has been discerned by former Vice-Chancellor of the Guru Nanak Dev University and historian Prof Prithipal Singh Kapur in the book Master Tara Singh and His Reminiscences.

The book highlights that it was Master Tara Singh’s determination that made Sikhs a third-major community during the partition. Relentless efforts were made to negate Jinnah’s thesis that the Indian Subcontinent was inhabited by Muslims and Hindus and others did not matter. Master Tara Singh fought against this perception and a moment of success came only during the parleys for the transfer of power when the Sikhs were recognised as a third party.

Contrary to the popular impression that it was the Congress led by Mahatama Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru that first opposed the Muslim League’s demand for Pakistan, the book asserts that Master Tara Singh took the initiative instead. He opposed and nudged the Congress repeatedly to take a clear stand on this issue. To oppose the Lahore Resolution, which is called Pakistan Resolution by most of the historians, of March 1940 passed by the Muslim League, the Akali Dal and the SGPC convened a congregation in May 1940 at the Akal Takht to celebrate the Ghalughara day. At the event, the Sikhs took a pledge to oppose the idea of creating Pakistan. On the other hand, the Congress could not come out with a formal stand on Pakistan till April 1942.

For Tara Singh, it meant a threat to the very survival of the Sikh community. He was always apprehensive that the Congress would ignore the interest of Sikhs in Punjab. He was the most vocal opponent to the idea of Pakistan, claims the historian. It also highlights that how some Sikh feudal lords of those times ditched Tara Singh on important occasions and played to the tune of the Congress leaders.

Master Tara Singh mobilised Sikhs to the level that he was invited to the Shimla Conference convened by the Viceroy Lord Wavell in June 1945. He was the sole representative of the Sikhs and insisted on recognition of the Sikhs as a separate religious minority with a distinct identity.

In the post-Independence period, Master Tara Singh played a major role to initiate a campaign for language-based Punjabi suba. He remained committed to the panth till his last breath. ‘Master’s contribution to the history of Sikhs mid-20th century appears to be in consonance with that of Banda Singh Bahadur in the early 18th century,’ writes Kapoor.

It is a must read for those interested in Punjab’s history and who want to add to their knowledge about the role played by various leaders in a pre-Partition period, especially in the 1930s and 1940s. The book, based on documents and research, breaks some per-conceived notions about the happenings that occurred immediately before the Partition of the country and shortly after the Independence, especially in the Punjab region.