100 years of Jaito Da Morcha: The British too tried to stop Sikhs by erecting barricades – 100 bullock carts, barbed-wire fence

An Akhand Path (non-stop recitation of the entire Guru Granth Sahib) was organised at Gurdwara Gangsar Sahib in Jaito from September 25 to 27, 1923. The British administrator of Nabha arrested Sikh priests to interrupt the Akhand Path, which was organised to pray for the return of Maharaja Ripudaman Singh.

In response, Sikhs started an Akhand Path for an indefinite period. The SGPC, which had no legal standing then, also joined the cause.

Non-violent Sikh Jatha and Nehru

The Nabha administrator cordoned off the gurdwara. The Sikhs inside the gurdwara struggled with a shortage of food while the Akhand Path continued. The British administrator committed sacrilege by forcefully removing the Bir (scripture) of Guru Granth Sahib to end the Akhand Path on September 14, 1923, and took control of the gurdwara. The SGPC started sending a jatha (group of Sikhs) of 25 Sikhs from the next day to enter the gurdwara. But police arrested the jatha, thrashed them and took them to a faraway place from Jaito before releasing them.

The non-violent acts of Sikh protesters caught the attention of national leaders like Jawaharlal Nehru, who visited Jaito. But he (Nehru) was not only arrested but also denied his legal rights in Nabha jail. His lawyer father Motilal Nehru tried to help him, but British laws were not applicable in Nabha princely state. Nehru was convicted of violating the orders of the Nabha administrator. He was released after two weeks without being given anything in writing.

SGPC started sending Jathas of 25 Sikhs from the next day to enter the Gurudwara. (Express Photo)

To mobilise more support for Jaito Da Morcha, the SGPC started sending jathas from the Akal Takht, and each jatha would take a different route to reach Jaito to make the public aware of the agitation along the way. The number of members in the jatha was increased from 25 to 500. It was the first jatha (of 500 members), started from Akal Takht Sahib on February 9, 1924, which was fired upon at Jaito on February 21.

Barricading with 100 bullock carts, barbed-wire fencing

To stop protesters from entering the gurdwara, police stationed 100 bullock carts on one side of the lane between Gurdwara Gangsar and Jaitu Fort, which was separated by a few metres. These bullock carts also had a barbed-wire fencing. The other side of the lane was also fenced with barbed wire. A special narrow enclosure was made (of barbed wire) at the entry of Gurdwara Gangsar. This set-up was to neutralise the 500-strong jatha by making them enter into the barbed fencing.

Along with fencing, the Nabha administrator had also gathered an unruly crowd armed with sticks to attack the jatha. This was designed to show it as a clash between the jatha and the locals so that the state administrator is not held responsible for it. The soldiers from Patiala, Nabha, Jind, and Faridkot states were also deployed. A group of soldiers had also taken position in a trench at Gurdwara Tibbi Sahib, 600 metres from Gurdwara Gangsar Sahib. At some distance from Tibbi Sahib, a British force camp was set up where two cannons were positioned. The biggest cannon, however, was installed at the main gate of the Jaito Fort. A cavalry would also remain in position. These barricades remained in place for the next 14 months to keep the Sikh protesters from coming near the gurdwara.

Attempt to isolate Sikhs

The British also tried to isolate the protesting Sikhs. The British tried to project the demand of Sikhs to practise their religion as communal. Also, Sikhs were accused of attempting to create their state in Punjab. In an interview related to Jaito Da Morcha, Nehru had said, “The government is trying hard to use the policy of divide among Sikhs. It wants to pretend that Sikhs have waged a war over a religious issue and it has nothing to do with other communities. In the cases related to Sikh leaders in courts, the government has insisted that Sikhs want to establish their kingdom in Punjab. This propaganda is to isolate Sikhs from Hindus and Muslims. Sikhs don’t want such a thing (establish kingdom). They understand that a state on communal lines is impossible in India. Sikhs are also for Swaraj like other communities.”

The Congress had also passed a resolution on February 1, 1924, and appealed to Hindus, Muslims, Christians, and Parsis to support Sikhs in their agitation against the British.

SGPC Dharam Parchar Committee’s head preacher Sarabjit Singh Dhotian said, “A total of 17 jathas were sent during Jaito Da Morcha before the strong barricades were removed in July 1925. In order to justify the firing on the jatha, the British government spread false information that the jatha had attacked a civilian. A journalist of The New York Times, S Jimand, had busted this propaganda as he was an eyewitness to the firing on the jatha. The paid crowd of locals was also kept ready for staging a clash with Sikh protesters. The British government had tried to isolate the Sikhs from Hindus and Muslims’ support. The British tried to cover their back by stating in court that the Sikhs are demanding a separate state for them.”