ÿþ<HTML><HEAD><TITLE>MORCH&#256 CH&#256B&#298&#256&#7748</TITLE> <style type="text/css"> .BODY { background-color: #EAF1F7; background-image: url('images/gtbh.jpg'); background-repeat: no-repeat; background-attachment: fixed; background-position: center; color: #0066CC;} .C1{text-align: justify;color: #0066CC;FONT-size: SMALL;FONT-family: Tahoma;} .BIB{text-align: center;color: #000099;FONT-size: SMALL;FONT-family: Tahoma;} .CONT{text-align: right;color: #FF0000;FONT-size: SMALL;FONT-family: Tahoma;} </style><META NAME="keywords" CONTENT="MORCH,CHB*D"> <META http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8"></HEAD> <BODY class="BODY" oncontextmenu="return false" ondragstart="return false" onselectstart="return false"> <FONT ALIGN="JUSTIFY" FACE="Tahoma"> <p class="C1">&#65279MORCH&#256 CH&#256B&#298&#256&#7748, campaign for the recovery of the keys of the Golden Temple treasury, marks a dramatic episode in the Sikhs' agitation in the early 1920's for reforming the management of their places of worship. The Golden Temple at Amritsar, which had a government-nominated <i>sarbr&#257h</i> or controller to manage it since 1849, carne under Ak&#257l&#299 control in October 1920. The Shiroma&#7751&#299 Gurdw&#257r&#257 Parbandhak Committee nominated the old <i>sarbr&#257h</i>, Sundar Si&#7749gh R&#257mga&#7771h&#299&#257, member of the Committee appointed to administer the affairs of the Golden Temple. The <i>sarbr&#257h</i> functioned under the directions of the Committee, but, since he still retained possession of the keys of the <i>tosh&#257<u>kh</u>&#257n&#257</i> or treasury of the Golden Temple, the Ak&#257l&#299 reformers felt that official control, however nominal, still remained. On 20 October 1921, Shiroma&#7751&#299 Committee resolved to ask Sundar Si&#7749gh to hand over the keys to its president, but before the decision was implemented, news reached the deputy commissioner of Amritsar who forestalled the Ak&#257l&#299s. On 7 November 1921, Amar N&#257th, extra assistant commissioner, raided the house of Sundar Si&#7749gh R&#257mga&#7771h&#299&#257 with a police party and took away the keys. On 11 November, the government appointed Captain Bah&#257dur Si&#7749gh to replace Sundar Si&#7749gh. The Shiroma&#7751&#299 Gurdw&#257r&#257 Parbandhak Committee refused to recognize the new <i>sarbr&#257h</i>. On 12 November 1921 a protest meeting was convened in B&#257<u>gh</u> Ak&#257l&#299&#257&#7749 at Amritsar which was addressed by B&#257b&#257 Kha&#7771ak Si&#7749gh and other Ak&#257l&#299 leaders. Ak&#257l&#299 meetings took place at Gujr&#257&#7749w&#257l&#257, Gujjar <u>Kh</u>&#257n and other places. Captain Bah&#257dur Si&#7749gh resigned, but government remained adamant . D&#257n Si&#7749gh of Vachho&#257 and Jaswant Si&#7749gh of Jhab&#257l, two prominent Ak&#257l&#299s, were arrested at a <i>d&#299v&#257n</i> at Ajn&#257l&#257 on 26 November 1921. The Shiroma&#7751&#299 Gurdw&#257r&#257 Parbandhak Committee, then in session at the Ak&#257l Ta<u>kh</u>t at Amritsar, adjourned its meeting and soon over 50 of its members reached Ajn&#257l&#257 to continue the <i>d&#299v&#257n</i>. The district authority declared the <i>d&#299v&#257n</i> to be an "illegal assembly" and arrested all the prominent Ak&#257l&#299s, including B&#257b&#257 Kha&#7771ak Si&#7749gh, Sard&#257r Bah&#257dur Meht&#257b Si&#7749gh and. Master Sundar Si&#7749gh Lyallpur&#299. The Shiroma&#7751&#299 Gurdw&#257r&#257 Parbandhak Committee on 27 November condemned the official action and called upon Sikhs to observe 4 December as a protest day. Sikhs were further asked not to join any function in honour of the Prince of Wales, who was likely to visit India early in 1922. Arrests continued to be made and Master T&#257r&#257 Si&#7749gh and Amar Si&#7749gh Jhab&#257l were among those held. Failing to control Sikh protest and foreseeing how it might affect Sikh soldiers and the peasantry, the government announced on 3 January 1922 its decision to return the keys to the executive of the Shiroma&#7751&#299 Committee so that Poh <i>sud&#299</i> 7/5 January 1922 could be celebrated as the birth anniversary of Gur&#363 Gobind Si&#7749gh, but the Committee refused to accept them until Sikhs arrested during the movement were released unconditionally. On 11 January 1922, Sir John Maynard, the Home Member announced in the Punjab Legislative Council the release of all Sikhs under detention. Still the Ak&#257lis refused to go and fetch the keys from the deputy commissioner. A government official was eventually sent to deliver the keys wrapped in a piece of red silk to B&#257b&#257 Kha&#7771ak Si&#7749gh, president of the Shiroma&#7751&#299 Gurdw&#257r&#257 Parbandhak Committee, at a <i>d&#299v&#257n</i> (19 January 1922) at Ak&#257l Ta<u>kh</u>t. The Ak&#257l&#299s' victory was hailed throughout the country. In the words of Mah&#257tm&#257 G&#257ndh&#299, "First decisive battle for India's freedom" had been won.</p> </font> <p class="BIB"> BIBLIOGRAPHY<p class="C1"><ol class="C1"><li class="C1"> Ganda Singh, ed., <i> Some Confidential Papers of the Akali Movement </i>. Amritsar, 1965<BR> <li class="C1"> Mohinder Singh, <i> The Akali Movement</i>. Delhi, 1983<BR> <li class="C1"> Teja Singh, <i> Gurdwara Reform and the Sikh Awakening </i>. Jalandhar, 1922<BR> <li class="C1"><i> The Civil and Military Gazette </i> (Lahore). December 1921<BR> <li class="C1"> Josh, Sohan Si&#7749gh, <i> Ak&#257l&#299 Morchi&#257&#7749 d&#257 Itih&#257s </i>. Delhi, 1972<BR> <li class="C1"> Prat&#257p Si&#7749gh, Gi&#257n&#299, <i> Gurdw&#257r&#257 Sudh&#257r arth&#257t Ak&#257l&#299 Lahir </i>. Amritsar, 1975<BR> <li class="C1"> Ashok, Shamsher Si&#7749gh, <i>Shiroma&#7751&#299 Gurdw&#257r&#257 Prabandhak Committee d&#257 Pañj&#257h Sal&#257 Itih&#257s</i>. Amritsar, 1982<BR> </ol><p class="CONT">Mohinder Si&#7749gh<br></p><BR> </font><img src="counter.aspx" width="1px" height="1px" alt=""></HTML></BODY>