SGPC to compile book on role of ‘Kala Pani’ inmates

Tribune News Service

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Amritsar, October 17

The SGPC has decided to compile a book on the role played by Sikhs in the freedom struggle at Cellular Jail in Andaman and Nicobar Islands, referred to as ‘Kala Pani’ in local parlance. Besides, the various morchas led by Sikh organisations from time to time will also be penned down.

The task has been entrusted to Dr Paramveer Singh of Punjabi University, Patiala.

The decisions were taken during the Sikh History Research Board meeting held under the chairmanship of SGPC president Gobind Singh Longowal.

A seven-member delegation was sent to Cellular Jail last year after reports of skewed narration of the Sikh freedom struggle had surfaced. The delegation observed that the role of Sikhs stood virtually deleted from the narrative of Cellular Jail, which was given the status of a national monument in 1979.

Even the pictures of Punjabis were found to be missing from the gallery of the museum on the jail premises. The light and sound show that takes the visitor to pre-Independence days and shows the sacrifices made by Indians also did not feature the Sikh freedom struggle prominently.

Several Sikh activists of the Ghadar Party, Komagata Maru and Babbar Akali Lehar were lodged at Cellular Jail. Jathedar Kartar Singh Jabbar, who led the Gurdwara Reform Movement, was also put up there.

Apart from this, it was decided to accumulate the historical aspects of the 1975 Emergency morcha and 1982 Dharam Yudh morcha in the form of another book. The documents pertaining to the role of Sant Harchand Singh Longowal in these morchas will be a part of the book.