Let us begin with a quiz.
He is known as ‘Panth da dimagh’ or Brain of the Panth.
He earned the epithet of ‘darvesh siasatdan’ or humble
politician.
He was 17 and in Amritsar during the massacre of Jallianwala in
April 1919.
Intense mental and emotional hurt caused by the imposition of
scary Martial Law scarred his sensitive psyche.
At age 22, he was appointed General Secretary of the newly
formed Shiromani Akali Dal of Lyallpur district. He underwent
six month imprisonment for entertaining a Shahidi Jatha of Jaito
Morcha. The year 1926 saw him elected as member of Shiromani
Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee.
He joined the anti-Simon Commission protest by shouting Simon Go
Back slogan at Lahore. His 1931 speeches against the British
rule landed him in jail for one year.
His active participation in the Akali movement and quality of
leadership earned him Executive committee membership of
Shiromani Akali Dal and SGPC.
He was Giani Kartar Singh, one of the prominent Sikh leaders of
the first half of the 20th century.
He was elected member of the first ever constituted Punjab
Assembly formed in 1937 and held the post of a Punjab minister
for about 10 years. His selfless service to the Sikh Panth is
exemplified by his graceful act after he was selected to fill
the post of a minister vacated by S. Baldev Singh's move to the
central (federal) cabinet. Kartar Singh willingly offered this
position to S. Swaran Singh.
During pre-partition negotiations, Giani Kartar Singh was next
only to Master Tara Singh as a representative of the Sikhs. He
was elected President of Shiromani Akali Dal in 1947. When the
British Government finally decided to divide Punjab, it was
through his efforts that the transfer of population and property
was made a concomitant of the partition. His last minute efforts
saved Zira and Ferozepur tehsils from going to West Punjab.
After August 1947, he helped in the safe migration of
non-Muslims from Lyallpur and Sheikhupura districts, risking his
own life. Giani Ji also worked painstakingly for their
settlement in India.
The ‘Giani-Sachar formula’ which led to the demarcation of
Punjabi-speaking areas of East Punjab was his brain-child. Later
on, it became the basis of Punjabi Suba.
As to his simplicity, this
writer once saw him relishing hot pakoras while standing
in his usual kurta kachhera before a rehri in
Chaura bazaar of Ludhiana. He was a senior cabinet minister of
Punjab at that time.
I along with my friend
S.Harmail Singh Grewal of Kila Raipur, an admirer of Giani Ji,
went to see him in Punjab MLA Hostel, Chandigarh in 1967. He was
sick and lying on a simple durri spread on a cot, without
any special amenities. Several leaders like Giani Zail Singh
came to visit him and for political consultations.
In the 1970s Giani Ji faced
failing physical health. He was admitted in Rajindra Hospital.
Patiala where he passed away on June 10, 1974. He was cremated
at Tanda and the local Government College there was named Giani
Kartar Singh College in his memory.
Hari Ram Gupta, a well-known
historian, dedicated the fourth volume of his History of the
Sikhs to Giani Kartar Singh, who “lived and died as a genuine
fakir”.
Copyright: Author
*****
{Note: As a
Sub-Editor of The Daily Akali Patrika, Jalandhur (1961-63 before
settling in the United Kingdom), I was fortunate to have met and
enjoyed the company of 'Darvesh Siastdaan' Giani Kartar Singh Ji
on many occasions whenever Giani Ji visited the office.----(Dr.)
Gurdial S. Rai}
ਰੁੱਖ ਬੋਲ ਨਾ ਸਕਦੇ ਭਾਵੇਂ, ਬੰਦਿਆਂ ਦਾ ਦੁੱਖ ਪੁੱਛਦੇ
