Fundamentalism and the Sikh Religious Tradition by T.N. Madan
Fundamentalism and the Sikh Religious Tradition by T.N. Madan
Fundamentalism and the Sikh Religious Tradition by T.N. Madan
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In 1929 when Shri Jawahar Lal Nehru was <strong>the</strong> President, a formal resolution was<br />
passed <strong>by</strong> <strong>the</strong> Indian National Congress at Lahore" that no constitution of India would be<br />
finalised, until it was acceptable to <strong>the</strong> <strong>Sikh</strong>s. The second assurance was <strong>the</strong> clear<br />
statement of Nehru in 1946 that <strong>the</strong>re was nothing objectionable in <strong>the</strong> <strong>Sikh</strong>s having an<br />
area demarcated in <strong>the</strong> North-West of India, where <strong>the</strong>y could enjoy <strong>the</strong> 'glow of<br />
freedom'. It was a significant statement, since it was given in <strong>the</strong> context of Jinnah's<br />
offering to <strong>the</strong> <strong>Sikh</strong>s constitutional guarantees in a separate state in <strong>the</strong> Eastern part of <strong>the</strong><br />
contemplated Pakistan." Third, <strong>the</strong>re was <strong>the</strong> statement of Mahatma G<strong>and</strong>hi, saying that<br />
his words should be accepted <strong>and</strong> that <strong>the</strong> Congress would never betray any one, <strong>and</strong> that<br />
if <strong>the</strong>y did, <strong>the</strong> <strong>Sikh</strong>s knew how to use <strong>the</strong>ir Kirpan (sword). Finally, <strong>the</strong>re was <strong>the</strong><br />
statement of Nehru in <strong>the</strong> Constituent Assembly in December, 1946, while proposing a<br />
federal system with autonomous states. He moved <strong>the</strong> executive resolution, which<br />
envisaged "The Indian Union as an independent sovereign republic comprising<br />
autonomous units with residuary, powers, wherein <strong>the</strong> ideals of social, political <strong>and</strong><br />
economic democracy, would be guaranteed to all sections of <strong>the</strong> people, <strong>and</strong> adequate<br />
safeguards would be provided for minorities, backward communities <strong>and</strong> areas," Nehru<br />
described <strong>the</strong> resolution as a "Declaration, a pledge <strong>and</strong> an undertaking before <strong>the</strong> world,<br />
a contract of millions of Indians, <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong>refore, in <strong>the</strong> nature of an oath which we mean to<br />
keep."<br />
An important fact is that <strong>the</strong> Congress had consistently been making two policy<br />
statements, first, that India would be reorganised on a linguistic basis, '<strong>and</strong>, second, that<br />
<strong>the</strong> Indian constitution would be Federal in its structure, with states being largely<br />
autonomous.<br />
(b) After 1947 : After 1947, to <strong>the</strong> surprise <strong>and</strong> dismay of <strong>the</strong> <strong>Sikh</strong>s, <strong>the</strong><br />
Congress completely changed its st<strong>and</strong>. When <strong>the</strong> Akalis approached <strong>the</strong> Home Minister,<br />
Sardar Patel, for <strong>the</strong> creation of a Punjabi Suba, his reply, as described <strong>by</strong> Prime Minister<br />
Charan Singh, was, "I am ready to concede it. But you will have only that much l<strong>and</strong> that<br />
falls in your share on grounds of population. So Punjab area will be halved. Now you<br />
form 17% of <strong>the</strong> Army. They will have to be dismissed. Are you prepared for it ?" This<br />
opened <strong>the</strong> eyes of <strong>Sikh</strong> leaders, but it was too late. In 1949, when <strong>the</strong> draft constitution<br />
was circulated to <strong>the</strong> State Assemblies, all <strong>the</strong> <strong>Sikh</strong> Members of <strong>the</strong> Punjab Legislative<br />
Assembly unanimously rejected it, saying, "It has been <strong>the</strong> declared policy of <strong>the</strong><br />
Congress that India is to be a union of autonomous states, <strong>and</strong> each unit is to develop in<br />
its own way, linguistically, culturally <strong>and</strong> socially. Of course. Defence, Communications<br />
<strong>and</strong> Foreign Affairs must remain <strong>the</strong> Central Subjects. To change <strong>the</strong> basic policy now, is<br />
to run counter to <strong>the</strong> oft-repeated creed of <strong>the</strong> Congress... In <strong>the</strong> considered opinion of <strong>the</strong><br />
Akali Dal <strong>the</strong> residuary powers should be with <strong>the</strong> states... The list distributing legislative<br />
power should be based on <strong>the</strong> principle that <strong>the</strong> Centre or <strong>the</strong> Union Parliament should be<br />
limited to Defence, Communication <strong>and</strong> Foreign Affairs only." But <strong>the</strong> Centre-went<br />
ahead <strong>and</strong> adopted a centralised constitution. In protest <strong>the</strong> Akali representives in<br />
Constituent Assembly declined to sign it.<br />
Thus started <strong>the</strong> agitation for an autonomous Punjabi speaking state in which <strong>the</strong><br />
<strong>Sikh</strong>s happened to be in a majority. The Centre did constitute a States Reorganisation<br />
Commission in 1956 for <strong>the</strong> purpose of creating linguistic states. It recommended <strong>the</strong><br />
formation of unilingual provinces in <strong>the</strong> entire country, except in <strong>the</strong> North West India,<br />
i.e. <strong>the</strong> Punjab. Following its recommendations, instead of forming a Punjabi speaking