A history of punjab politics from 1937 to 1947

1. THE PUNJAB
POLITICSA H I S T O R Y F R O M 1 9 3 7 T O 1 9 9 7
S U B M I T T E D B Y - Y A D W I N D E R S I N G H
D E P A R T M E N T O F S O C I O L O G Y A N D S O C I A L A N T H R O P O L O G Y

2. INTRO
• Punjab Political History is divided into 4 time periods
• Pre independence
• 1947 to 1980
• 1980 to 1997(Crisis Period)
• After 2000(contemporary)

3. PRE-INDEPENDENCE
• 1919-23 - Punjab politics was confused and political affiliations were not clearly
demarcated.
• Punjabi’s in general were Anti-British and took active part in movements of Khilafat,
Non-cooperation and Gurudwara reforms.
• 1920- Akali Party established. It was for the interest of the Sikhs
• Unionist Part was raised in 1923 on agriculturalist ideology created by Punjab
government.
• Behind part were energies of two men- Fazal-I-Hussain and Chottu Ram.
• Unionist Party was established by the landholders. They were pro-British, anti-
congress.
• Punjab congress membership mainly came from the urban Hindus and the Sikh
peasantry influenced by the Gaddar and Kriti Kisan Movements.
• 1923-1947- Unionist, Muslim league, INC and Akali played a prominent role in Politics.

4. CONTINUED…
• The elections of 1937 resulted in the majority of the Unionist Party.
• The Muslim League could secure only 2 seats.
• Due to this Jinnah got concerned and invited Sir Sikander Hayat Khan to Lucknow, to
attend the session of the league in Oct. 1937 and hence the Sikander-Jinnah pact was
signed which converted the Muslim members of the Unionist Party into members of
Muslim league.
• Though Sir Sikander had joined the Muslims league, he had fundamental differences
with Jinnah.
• He resigned from Muslim league working committee in 1942, some months before his
death.
• Jinnah was adamant on installing a league ministry in Punjab
• In March 1944, Jinnah asked Sir Khizar Hayat Khan, to persuade all Muslim members of
the assembly to owe allegiance to the Muslim League.
• At Shimla Conference Sir Khizar strongly opposed Jinnah’s claim for the league to
nominate all Muslim member for inclusion in the viceroy’s executive council. Hence the

5. CONTINUED…
• Muslim league secured 73 seats of the Punjab Legislative Assembly out of
85 seats contested.
• Unionist Party won only 19 seats.
• Although Muslim league emerged as largest single party in Punjab it was
not in majority to form government by themselves.
• Hence they relied on the governor to come to their rescue under sec 93 of
the Government Of India Act 1935.
• But governor refused when Sir Khizar Hayat Khan formed a ministry with
the support of congress and the Akali Party.
• Election of 1946 had clearly indicated that the Muslims of Punjab were
solidly behind the Muslim league and its demand of Pakistan.

6. CONTINUED…
• By the end of 1946, Khizar’s ministry could not handle the situation.
• On Jan 24, it passed the orders banning private armies including the Hindu Rashtrya
Sawaym Sewak Sangh, the Akalis and the Muslim National Guards but the Muslim
League National Guards took up a refractory attitude.
• The Muslims defied orders banning meetings and processions.
• Communal bitterness increased and the Hindus and the Sikhs became restive.
• Master Tara Singh called upon the Sikhs to prepare themselves against the grave
danger that threatened them to organize an Akali Fauj.
• In Feb 1947, the British govt announced its decision to transfer power to Indian.
• On 3rd march 1947 Khizar tendered his resignation. As the league again failed to form
the ministry ,the governor took over the administration of the province under sec93 of
GOI act 1935.
• The ghastly events of march 1947 and the league’s efforts to wreck the govt at the
center convinced the congress leaders that there was no way out of except the
partition of India.

7. PATIALA AND EAST PUNJAB STATES UNION (PEPSU)
• The Patiala and East Punjab States Union (PEPSU) was a state of India uniting eight princely
states between 1948 and 1956.
• It was formed on 5 May 1948 by merging together of eight East Punjab princely states of
Patiala, Jind, Nabha, Kapurthala, Faridkot, Kalsia, Malerkotla and Nalagarh.
• It was formally inaugurated on 15 July 1948 by Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Deputy Prime
Minister of India.
• The government of the Union started functioning on 20 August 1948 when Maharaja
Yadavinder Singh of Patiala took over as Rajpramukh or governor. Maharaja Jagatjit Singh
of Kapurthala was made Uparajpramukh or Deputy Governor
• Gian Singh Rarewala was sworn in as first chief minister on 13 January 1949.
• State Reorganisation Commission which was established in December,29 1953 submitted its
report in 1956 and recommended the merger of PEPSU in Punjab.
• 1 November 1956 PEPSU merged with the state of Punjab

8. POST-INDEPENDENCE POLITICS
• After independence Gopi Chand Bhargava became first Chief Minister of Punjab
• Soon he was removed from office as vote of no confidence was passed against him by
Bhim Sen Sachar and his followers
• March 1949 Bhim Sen Sachar became new Chief Minister of Punjab
• After seven months had to resign due to differences with Sardar Patel.
• Gopi Chand Bhargava was again elected as chief minister
• PCC president Karion an Bhim Sen Sachar started panning to remove Gopi Chand from
power.
• They were successful after the death of Sardar Patel who a supporter of Gopi Chand.
• Punjab remained under president rule till first general elections of 1952.
• In 1952 elections congress secured clear majority.
• Bheimsen Sachar again became chief minister of state.
• He served as Chief Minister for 4 years and resigned in 1956 due to party pressure.

9. CONTINUED…
• In 1956 Partap Singh Kairon became new Chief minister.
• He was strong leader and provided stable and efficient leadership to state.
• He won two back to back elections.
• 21 June 1964 resigned due to corruption charges levelled against him.
• During his chief ministership Akali stated Punjabi Suba Movement, which he handled
with great firmness.

10. CONTINUED…
• Master Tara Singh proclaimed that religious formula had failed, that linguistic Punjabi Suba
was the only solution and that the only way to achieve this was another MORCHA.
• He before his arrest by Kairon government appointed Sant Fateh Singh his successor.
• The Sikh Jathas assembled inside golden temple, prayed and marched out shouting Punjabi
Suba slogans and were promptly arrested.
• The main aim of the Morcha that it was for Punjabi speaking state.
• In this Morcha about 47000 persons were arrested. It was the biggest ever mass
mobilization, with largest ever arrest in any struggle launched in Punjab.
• To secure a speedy national division, Sant Fateh Singh declared his determination to fast
and to go in for self-immolation if the Punjabi Suba was not created.
• Before the final date fixed by the Sant, the militarist rulers of Pakistan launched their
massive attack against India.

11. CONTINUED…
• With the achievement of the cease fire on the Indo-Pakistan border, the central government announced the
formation of a parliamentary committee under the chairmanship of the Lok Sabha speaker to discuss the
demand for Punjabi suba.
• On 23 April 1966, 3 member Punjab Boundary Commission (Chairman Justice Jyantilal Chotelal Shah,
members: S. Dutt and M.M. Philips) was set up to recommended.
• The adjustment of existing boundary of Hindi and Punjabi regions of present state of Punjab to secure
linguistic homogeneity.

12. CONTINUED…
• 6 July 1964 Ram Krishan was appointed new Chief Minister of Punjab
• He was not a worthy successor of Karion.
• He was not properly able to handle Punjabi Suba Movement effectively and Punjab was partitioned
under his rule.
• Position of congress party also declined under his rule as many leader left the party and joined Akali
Dal.
• The state of Punjab was formally reorganized by the Indian government on November 1, 1966,
resulting in the new state of Punjab with a Sikh majority.
• Giani Gurmukh Singh Mussafir was elected as the Chief Minister of the state of Punjab on November 1,
1966.
• During 1967 elections was although was largest party but was not in majority to form government.
• Other parties joined and formed Untied Collation Ministry.
• Gurnam Singh became new CM of Punjab.
• Due to conflicting interests and opposite ideologies ministry was not stable, and congress was able to
defeat ministry by passing vote of no confidence.
• In late 1967 Lachman Singh Gill Became new Chief minister By support of congress government.
• This ministry also failed leading to mid term elections in 1969

13. CONTINUED…
• In 1969 elections Akali Dal emerged as largest party and formed government in
collation with Jan Sangh.
• Gurnam Singh again formed the ministry.
• But due to differences within party he was soon removed.
• Parkash Singh Badal became new Chief Minister, he patched much of party differences
and provided a fairly sable government.
• 13 June 1971 Badal resigned , as 16 MLA’s withdrew their support.
• President rule was imposed until next general elections.
• March 1972 elections congress won and Giani Zail Singh became new Chief Minister.
• The state of Punjab was placed under presidential rule on April 30, 1977.
• In 1977 Akali Dal Formed government in collation with Jan Sangh and CPI(M).
• Parkash Singh Badal again became Chief Minister, till 1980 as assembly was desolved.

14. CRISIS PERIOD
• Darbara Singh of the INC formed a government as Chief Minister on June 6, 1980.
• Lala Jagat Narrain, a Hindu journalist and publisher, was assassinated in the city of
Ludhiana in the state of Punjab on September 9, 1981.
• Hindus and Sikhs clashed in the city of Amritsar on April 27, 1982.
• On May 1, 1982, the Indian government broke off negotiations with Akali Dal, a Sikh
youth group, and banned Dal Khalsa, National Council of Khalistan (NCK), and several
other Sikh organizations.
• Giani Zail Singh, former Chief Minister of the state of Punjab, was elected president of
India by the parliament on July 15, 1982.
• On August 4, 1982, Akali Dal launched a civil disobedience campaign, resulting in the
arrests of some 36,000 individuals in the following two months.
• Sikh militants led by Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale launched an insurgency in the
state of Punjab beginning in September 1982.
• Sikhs militants attacked the Indian parliament on October 11, 1982, resulting in the
deaths of four individuals.

15. CONTINUED…
• Balbir Singh Sandhu, leader of the NCK, announced the beginning of the Sikh rebellion
against the government on April 28, 1983.
• Some 219 individuals were killed in a Sikh terrorist incident in Dilwan on October 6,
1983.
• The Indian government declared a state-of-emergency and presidential rule in the
state of Punjab on October 10, 1983.
• Government troops attacked and overran the Golden Temple on June 3-10, 1984.
• Some 433 Sikh militants, including Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, and 83
government troops were killed in Operation Bluestar.
• Some 492 civilians were also killed in Operation Bluestar.
• Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was assassinated by two Sikh security observers in New
Delhi on October 31, 1984, and some 3,000 Sikhs were killed in violence in Delhi and
other cities following the assassination.
• Some 100,000 Sikhs fled as refugees from Delhi to the state of Punjab.

16. CONTINUED…
• The Indian government and moderate Sikhs led by Sant Harchand Singh Longowal
signed an 11-point peace agreement on July 24, 1985, but Sant Harchand Singh
Longowal was assassinated by Sikh extremists on August 20, 1985.
• Elections were held in the state of Punjab on September 25, 1985, and the Shiromani
Akali Dal won
• Surjit Singh Barnala of the Shiromani Akali Dal formed a government as Chief Minister
on September 29, 1985.
• The Indian government lifted the state-of-emergency and presidential rule in the state
of Punjab on September 29, 1985.
• Sikh militants killed 20 laborers in Mallian in Jalandhar District on March 29, 1986. Sikh
militants killed six government policemen on April 6, 1986. Khalistan Liberation Force
(KLF) militants killed 22 bus passengers in Khudda on November 30, 1986.
• Chief Minister Surjit Singh Barnala of the state of Punjab was removed from office by
the Indian government on May 11, 1987, and the state of Punjab was placed under
presidential rule by the Indian government on June 11, 1987.

17. CONTINUED…
• Government troops launched a military offensive (Operation Black Thunder) against
Sikh Militants in Amritsar in May 1988, resulting in the deaths of some 40 rebels.
• The Indian government deployed 120,000 government troops in the state of Punjab in
November 1991.
• Some 5,000 individuals, including 3,300 civilians, were killed in violence in the state of
Punjab in 1991.
• Elections were held in the state of Punjab on February 19, 1992, and the Indian
National Congress (INC) won 87 out of 117 seats in the Legislative Assembly.
• The Shiromani Akali Dal boycotted the elections.
• Presidential rule was ended in the state of Punjab, and Beant Singh of the Indian
National Congress (INC) formed a government as Chief Minister on February 25, 1992.
• Some 25,000 individuals were killed, and some 100,000 individuals were displaced
during the crisis.

18. CONTINUED…
• Chief Minister Beant Singh was assassinated by a Sikh militant in Chandigarh, and
Harcharan Singh Brar of the Indian National Congress (INC) formed a government as
Chief Minister on August 31, 1995.
• Rajinder Kaur Bhattal of the Indian National Congress (INC) formed a government as
Chief Minister on January 21, 1996.
• Upon taking office, Rajinder Kaur Bhattal became the first female chief minister of
Punjab and overall the 8th female chief minister in India.
• Elections were held in the state of Punjab in February 1997, and the Shiromani Akali
Dal won 75 out of 117 seats in the Legislative Assembly. The Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP)
won 18 seats in the Legislative Assembly. Parkash Singh Badal of the Shiromani Akali
Dal formed a government as Chief Minister on February 12, 1997.
• He became the first chief minister, since Kairon's resignation in 1964, to serve a full
term.

19. KEY FEATURES OF PUNJAB POLITICS
• Main features of Punjab state politics are as follow-
• Religion – Religion has always played important role in Punjab politics. Demands have
been rising from time to time for a separate Sikh state.
• Language – It has also exercised its huge influence on Punjab Politics. A separate state
was created. Issues about compulsory language in school and official language.
• Dominant Caste – Although caste politics had never ben much successful in state,
dominan caste that is Jat Sikh community played key role in politics.
• Agriculture – As majority of state’s population is engaged in agriculture related
activities, it has also asserted its fair share of influence in Punjab politics. SYL, Green
Revolution, Farmer Suicide.

20. CONCLUSION
This is the same Punjab which accepted the two extreme opposite religious ideologies
the Panthak and the Sangh which are still ruling the State.
Paradoxically, this is the only Punjab which embraced two diametrically opposite militant
movements- Naxalite and Khalistani movements in the same time period. One of which
was based on religious sentiments and other had nothing to do with religion.
In fact, both movements were originated from agrarian crisis that had begun with green
revolution and more or less an outcome of identity crisis.
It shows that how the Punjabis are enthusiastic and hyper-reflexive towards any new
rhetoric of emotional extreme.
Interestingly, they also throw out the same extremism very soon when/if they feel
cheated, deceived or betrayed.
Hence, it was only Punjab which resonated with the highly idealistic and high-flown
narrative of Arvind Kejriwal to whom entire country had rejected in Lok Sabha election,

21. AKALI DAL
• Akali Dal was formed on 14 December 1920 as a task force of the Shiromani Gurudwara
Prabandhak Committee, the Sikh religious body. The Akali Dal considers itself the principal
representative of Sikhs.
• Sardar Sarmukh Singh Chubbal was the first president of a unified proper Akali Dal, but it
became popular under Master Tara Singh.
• In the provincial election of 1937, the Akali Dal won 10 seats. The Khalsa Nationalists won
11 seats and joined the coalition government headed by the Unionist leader Sikander Hyat
Khan. The Akalis sat in opposition and made occasional forays into reaching an
understanding with the Muslim League, which never reached fruition.
• In the provincial election of 1946, the Akali Dal won 22 seats and joined the coalition
government headed by the Unionist Khizar Hayat Khan Tiwana, along with the Indian
National Congress.
Independent India
• In the 1950s, the party launched the Punjabi Suba Movement, demanding a state with
majority of Punjabi speaking people, out of undivided East Punjab under the leadership of
Sant Fateh Singh.
• In 1966, the present Punjab was formed. Akali Dal came to power in the new Punjab, but
early governments didn't live long due to internal conflicts and power struggles within the
party.

22. REFERENCES
• Grewal, J.S.(1998) Punjab in Prosperity and Violence. New Delhi: K.K. Publishers.
• Bajwa, H.S.(1979) Fifty Years of Punjab Politics (1920–1970). Chandigarh: Modem
Publishers.
• Gandhi,R.(2013) Punjab A History from Aurangzeb to Mountbatten. New Delhi: Aleph
Book Company.
• Sharma,S.(1995) State Politics of India. New Delhi: Mittal Publications.