The Tribune’s chronicle of Punjab and Partition

THE TRIBUNE was started with the objective of countering the general tendency in educational institutions of Punjab to take to the Oriental instead of Western learning. Dyal Singh Majithia started The Tribune on February 2, 1881, as mentioned by SN Banerjee in his memoir 'A Nation in the Making'. The aim was to fairly and temperately advance the cause of the mute masses and spread the doctrine of Indian nationalism to bring about unity in a divided society.It is important to highlight the role played by The Tribune and Sikhs at a time when power was being transferred from the British to India and during the Partition.On May 19, 1947, The Tribune reported that some non-party public men had decided to form a conciliation committee. Sikhs belonging to every school of thought — in public, religious or social existence — reiterated their stand that Punjab was their homeland and not of Muslims. Although the Cabinet was formed on the British model, voters, on the basis of the Communal Award, gave the Muslims a majority, as reported by The Tribune in its issues of February 23, 1945 and June 4, 1947. On June 27, 1945, Sardar Baldev Singh met Lord Wavell. Master Tara Singh met Lord Wavell on July 6, 1945 and agreed to join the interim government. On March 9, 1946, the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee moved a resolution in favour of a Sikh state.The Tribune reported that on April 15, 1946, Master Tara Singh announced that the Sikhs wanted a United Bharat and a Joint Government coalition with the Muslim League and the Congress. In response to Stafford Cripps' question as to how Khalistan might be formed, Baldev Singh responded that it might incorporate a part of the existing Punjab, with the exception of Multan and Rawalpindi divisions, with an approximate boundary alongside Chenab. He would prefer Lahore to be in the Sikh state. A Khalistan with Ambala, Jalandhar and Lahore divisions stood out as the smallest possible area that might be contemplated, as reported by The Tribune on March 23, 1946.The paper reported that Sir Khizar Hayat Khan met Cabinet Mission members and Lord Wavell on April 5, 1946. The Mission recommended the division of the country into three Sections — A, B and C — as its members felt that this would give a greater sense of assurance to the minorities of Section A. Section B would include Punjab, Sindh, North Western Frontier Province and British Baluchistan, a Muslim-majority area. Section C would include Bengal and Assam, with the Muslims in a small majority.As per The Tribune, the Cabinet Mission offered a tentative scheme of dialogue to be held at a convention in Simla from May 2 to 12, 1946 to facilitate an agreement between the Muslim League and the Indian National Congress. The Tribune reported that by April 30, 1946, Baldev Singh had turned into a Congress supporter, advocating the formation of a Jatstan, comprising areas from the Ravi to Meerut, including Jalandhar, Ambala, Meerut and Agra divisions. Sikhs of all political shades were confused. The Tribune, on May 17, 1946, reported that Baldev Singh invited the Akalis mainly to organise themselves and prepare them to die in the battle ahead. To this effect, Sadhu Swarup Singh wrote the pamphlet, titled 'The Sikhs Demand their Homeland.'On February 22, 1946, The Tribune reported that the poor performance of the Unionist Party surprised everyone as 57 Muslim Unionists lost their seats. On March 10, 1946, it highlighted that it was Sardar Baldev Singh who induced Khizar Hayat Khan to head the new government. In May 1946, it reported that Baba Kharak Singh had criticised the Cabinet Mission Plan. Master Tara Singh, along with Sardar Baldev Singh, warned the Cabinet Mission of evil consequences as the Sikhs might not obtain the same rights as Muslims and Hindus under Section 15 (2) and Section 19 (7). On June 1, 1946, as per The Tribune, the Cabinet Mission rescheduled a meeting with Master Tara Singh and Baldev Singh. The paper highlighted in its issues of June 25 and 29, 1946 and August 9, 1946 that the Congress Working Committee had decided on June 25 to become a member of the Constituent Assembly to frame the Constitution of free India.The Tribune highlighted that on June 29, 1946, Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the disappointed leader, in Bombay, decided to withdraw acceptance to the Cabinet Mission Plan and asked the Muslims to observe 'Direct Action Day' on August 16.Baldev Singh had associated actively with the Congress and the Muslim League to further his own interests. He recommended that the British territory be so exchanged with some territories in the Kalsia state so as to include Moga tehsil of Ferozepur in the group constituted by the Princely States. On August 25, 1946 (as per The Tribune), Baldev Singh was made Defence Minister. He was hitherto a leader of the Akali Legislative Party.The Constituent Assembly held its inaugural meeting on December 9, 1946, which, according to Jinnah, was not attended by any Muslim League member. The Muslim League demanded a separate Constituent Assembly composed of members of the provinces in Sections B and C, as proposed by the Mission in its statement of May 16, 1946.The Tribune, on February 2, 1947, reported that Prime Minister Attlee made an important announcement to transfer power to responsible Indian hands by June 1948. Both the Muslim League and the Congress leaderships welcomed the announcement.The Tribune, on March 8, 1947, said that the Congress Working Committee, while agreeing to the partition of Punjab, announced that the principle of partition might have to be extended to Bengal as well. The outgoing Viceroy, Lord Wavell, in his farewell message to Indians, said: "You have hard, detrimental and difficult years ahead."Lord Mountbatten publicly announced the Partition Plan on June 3, 1947, as highlighted by The Tribune. It led to anarchy in Punjab. The Muslim League accepted the Plan by passing a resolution on June 9, 1947. It was decided to constitute two Boundary Commissions to deal with the partitions of Bengal and Punjab. The Punjab commission had Sir Cyril Radcliffe as its Chairman and Justice Din Muhammad, Justice Muhammad Munir, Justice Mehar Chand Mahajan and Justice Teja Singh as its members.An article objecting to the partition of Punjab was published by The Tribune employee, Rana Jang Bahadur Singh, entitled, 'The Hindustan-Pakistan Plan', on June 4, 1947. In a remarkable statement in the court on July 26, 1947, Rana Jang Bahadur Singh stated that the policy of The Tribune had always been to work for the unity of India as its division in two parts would be wrong on socio-political and cultural grounds.The Tribune reported that on August 11, 1947, Jinnah addressed the Pakistan Constituent meeting and stated, "You may belong to any religion or caste or creed, that has nothing to do with the business of the state."In its editorial dated August 9, 1947, The Tribune warned that the Partition proposal would in no way solve the majority-minority question, but inflame it to an explosion. On August 15, 1947, as India celebrated its Independence, nearly 10 million Punjabis were at each other's throats. Punjab groaned under the fury of fire and sword, amidst blood and tears.Mahatma Gandhi mourned quietly by himself in Calcutta. The Tribune made a sympathetic appeal: "Let us all Muslims and non-Muslims while living in India and Pakistan forget our differences and work in a spirit of goodwill and cooperation for the common good." The Tribune, editorial of August 14, 1947, titled "Pakistan a Non-Communal State", seemed to be the last one published from Lahore, but the issue of August 15, 1947 was printed from Lahore, one day in advance.The Tribune had been commenting on communal politics quite extensively. The politics of ethnic groups, political parties and identity crises were also responsible for the partition of Punjab. The Tribune championed the cause of unity among communities and made repeated appeals for mutual goodwill and cooperation. However, a number of agendas pertaining to tribe, religion, caste, class and race invited a clash of interests among the people, making the Partition inevitable and one of the most unfortunate events in Indian history.Manraj Singh is Assistant Professor, Department of History, Panjab University.

The Tribune’s chronicle of Punjab and Partition

Manraj Singh

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