ÿþ<HTML><HEAD><TITLE>T&#256R&#256 SI&#7748GH--NEHR&#362 PACT</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="TR,SIDGH,NEHRj,PACT"> <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">&#65279T&#256R&#256 SI&#7748GH--NEHR&#362 PACT refers to an understanding arrived at in 1959 between Master T&#257r&#257 Si&#7749gh, the Ak&#257l&#299 leader; and Pa&#7751&#7693it Jaw&#257harl&#257l Nehr&#363, Prime Minister of India, in order to remove certain misgivings of the Sikhs with regard to government interference in their religious affairs. Looming in the background was the political demand of the Sikhs for the formation of Punjabi S&#363b&#257 or a Punjabi-speaking state. After the failure of the Sachchar Formula and the half-hearted implementation of the Regional Scheme, the Shiroma&#7751&#299 Ak&#257l&#299 Dal under the leadership of Master T&#257r&#257 Si&#7749gh had revived the Punjabi S&#363b&#257 agitation in 1958. During the first Punjabi S&#363b&#257 conference held at Amritsar on 12 October 1958, Sant Fateh Si&#7749gh, a holy man who had only lately entered politics and had by that time come into prominence as the Senior Vice-President of the Shiroma&#7751&#299 Ak&#257l&#299 Dal, announced the plan for the attainment of Punjabi S&#363b&#257. Addressing the conference, he declared that their demand was only for a state wherein they should be able to develop the Punjabi language and culture and protect their religious faith. He complained that the Government by the inordinate delay in the implementation of the Regional Formula had taken the life out of it, and thus completely disillusioned the Sikhs. Master T&#257r&#257 Si&#7749gh, too, earlier while renouncing the Regional Scheme on 14 June 1958, had declared, "I have never wanted a Sikh State... I do not want to usurp the rights of another community. But I do want freedom for the Sikhs."</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The ruling party in the Punjab, through Gi&#257n&#299 Kart&#257r Si&#7749gh an ex-Ak&#257l&#299 still having considerable influence in Ak&#257l&#299 circles, outmanoeuvred Master T&#257r&#257 Si&#7749gh in the annual elections to the SGPC (Shiroma&#7751&#299 Gurdw&#257r&#257 Parbandhak Committee) executive on 16 November 1958. The latter was defeated as presidential candidate by 77 votes to 74. The victor was a young man, Prem Si&#7749gh L&#257lpur&#257, barely in his thirties. Following their advantage of victory, the government and the Congressite group in the SGPC proposed to amend the Sikh Gurdw&#257r&#257s Act to provide for the SGPC 47 additional members representing the erstwhile PEPSU (Pa&#7789i&#257l&#257 and East Punjab States Union) region chosen by a limited electoral college. The prompt passing of the amending bill into an Act in early January 1959 exposed the Government's intention to pack the SGPC with reliable persons of its own choice in order to keep Master T&#257r&#257 Si&#7749gh out forever. The step had a serious impact on the Sikh masses. There had been a clear understanding during the settlement of 1956 that while the Shiroma&#7751&#299 Ak&#257l&#299 Dal would merge with the Congress politically, it would retain its existence to promote and protect the community's social, cultural, educational, religious and economic interests. The recent action of the government and their Ak&#257l&#299 allies was taken by the Sikhs in general as a clear interference in their religious affairs. Master T&#257r&#257 Singh, addressing a mammoth gathering at Cha&#7751&#7693&#299ga&#7771h, on the occasion of the Second Punjab&#299 S&#363b&#257 conference, the first of its kind in the state capital, declared that he was contemplating launching of a mass movement on a vast scale. As a first step, a silent procession was to be taken out in Delhi on 15 March 1959, as a protest against government interference in Gurdw&#257r&#257 administration. He announced that the procession would be purely religious, without any political slogans, and that he would himself lead the march. The Punjab government arrested Master T&#257r&#257 Si&#7749gh as he was about to leave for Delhi on 14 March 1959. The procession, however, was taken out as scheduled with a portrait of Master T&#257r&#257 Si&#7749gh displayed on a truck at the head. This had some impact on the government and he was released on 21 March 1959. The Prime Minister however rejected his suggestion for arbitration. The Working Committee of the Shiroma&#7751&#299 Ak&#257l&#299 Dal then suggested, on 27 March 1959, arbitration by Jayaprak&#257sh Nar&#257ya&#7751, R&#257jagop&#257l&#257ch&#257r&#299 or &#256ch&#257rya Vinob&#257 Bh&#257ve but this proposal, too, was rejected by the Prime Minister on 5 April 1959. Master T&#257r&#257 Si&#7749gh announced that he would go on a fast unto death on 16 April 1959. It was then that Prime Minister, Jaw&#257harl&#257l Nehr&#363 invited Master T&#257r&#257 Si&#7749gh to tea on 11 April 1959. The meeting resulted in what came to be known as T&#257r&#257 Si&#7749gh-Nehr&#363 Pact. The text read :</p> <blockquote class="C1"><p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;It is common ground amongst all concerned that there should be no governmental interference in religious affairs; Nevertheless, complaints have arisen of such interference in regard to Gurdw&#257r&#257 management and amendment made in the Gurdw&#257r&#257 Act.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Some machinery should be devised to ensure the implementation of the policy of non-interference in the Gurdwara management and to consider any complaints of such interference. It is suggested that a Committee should be constituted for the purpose. This Committee should consist of two persons nominated by the Punjab Government and two persons nominated by Master Tara Singh, President of Shiroman&#299 Akali Dal.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;This Committee will consider any allegations of interference and will suggest remedial action wherever possible. Where there is disagreement among the members of the Committee, the matter may be referred to the Governor of Punjab.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Any amendment in the Gurdwara Act should be undertaken after obtaining the approval of the General Committee of the SGPC. The general elections of the SGPC should be held as early as possible.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;If any difficulty arises in the implementation of the above proposal, Mr. Nehr&#363 will be glad to help.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</blockquote></p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The Pact vindicated Master T&#257r&#257 Si&#7749gh's stand on the matter of government interference in the religious affairs of the Sikhs. But the Committee set up under its provisions could not arrive at any understanding or conclusion, because of divergence of views in the two blocks, nor could they arrive at any decision what matter should be referred to the governor. The pact, however, laid down an unequivocal commitment by the government at the highest level on the basic issue that no amendment in the Sikh Gurdw&#257r&#257s Act shall be undertaken without the approval of the general body of the SGPC.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Incidentally, the control of the SGPC was retrieved by the Shiroma&#7751&#299 Ak&#257l&#299 Dal as a result of the 1960 elections when it won 136 seats against only 4 in favour of S&#257dh Sa&#7749gat Board, a society set up with the overt help of the state government.</p> </font> <p class="BIB"> BIBLIOGRAPHY<p class="C1"><ol class="C1"><li class="C1"> Sarhadi, Ajit Si&#7749gh, <i>Punjabi S&#363b&#257</i>. Delhi, 1970<BR> <li class="C1"> Gurmit Singh, <i>History of Sikh Struggles</i>. Delhi, 1989-92<BR> <li class="C1"> Gopal Singh, <i>A History of the Sikh People (1469-1978) </i>. Delhi, 1979<BR> <li class="C1"> Harbans Singh, <i>The Heritage of the Sikhs</i>. Delhi, 1994<BR> <li class="C1"> Harjinder Singh Dilgeer, <i>Shiroma&#7751&#299 Ak&#257l&#299 Dal</i>. Chandigarh, 1980<BR> </ol><p class="CONT">Aj&#299t Si&#7749gh Sarhad&#299<br></p><BR> </font><img src="counter.aspx" width="1px" height="1px" alt=""></HTML></BODY>