WHY THERE WAS NO SIKH UPRISINGS ATER 1946

 

WHY THERE WAS NO SIKH ARMED UPRISING AFTER 1946

                                 Colonel Prof Dr K Prabhakar Rao Retd

After the death of Baba Prahlad singh the Jathedar of Akal Takht in 1846, Sikh power dwindled badly . Sikh empire of the illustrious Maharaja Ranjit singhji crumbled after his death within ten years due to infighting , incompetent rulers, assassination of rulers and betrayals by ministers and indiscipline in army. By this time, Anglo Sikh wars I and II destroyed the empire and it completely broke up and entire Punjab was annexed to the East India Company. Sikh princes in Punjab were very much aligned with the Britsih administration, had no national outlook and were pleasure seeking and lived in pomp and show under East India Company. Sikhs did not participate in 1857 war against East India Company and Punjab was being ruled by many princes and none of them wanted to to risk their estates by participating the war with their forces.. They decided that discretion was better than valor. Even princes of Rajasthan and Sindhias of Gwalior, Gaikwads of Baroda and Holkars of Indore stayed out of war.They helped the Englishmen in war effort and many were given big lengthy haughty titles, gun salutes, and honors after the war and were happy with these awards.

1857 war was fully fought by small kingdoms in Madhya Pradesh, Bihar , maratha forces of Nana Saheb, forces of Rani of Jhansi, Ramgad of Avanti bai and last Mughal ruler Bahadur shah zafar. There were sporadic rebellions in Karnataka at Mundargi and Nargund in todays Koppal district and nearby places, shorapur near Gulbarga under venkatappa naika in Nizams kingdom and at Hyderabad by Turrebaz khan a chieftain in army of Nizam 5..After 1857 war, administration was taken over by queen Victoria and all armed rebellions stopped. However as 20 century approached struggle for freedom started and Sikhs again rose through ghadar party uprisings and other armed bengali groups in Bengal and splinter groups in UP and armed revolutionary activities began under Master daSurya sen, Ras bihari Bose, Azad, Bismil, and many others. Awakening was complete. highlight was the forming of Indian national Army BY Netaji Subhas chandra Bose in Japan during ww ii and INA along with Japanese fought and landed on India's eastern wing and occupied territory in Manipur and surrounding areas after bitter battles but dropping of atom bomb by America on Japan turned the tables. However the Englishmen had to leave with in two years of Netajis actions and subsequent rebellions in Indian army units and naval units during trials of INA men. Gandhi MK was leading a peaceful non violent agitation for freedom at that time.