History of Sikhs Gurdwara Act 1925

The British took over Punjab in 1849, and they were aware of the power and glory of the Sikhs. The British knew the source from which the Sikhs obtained their power was the Gurdwaras. They employed mahants (priests) as managers of the major Gurdwaras. Mahants had been living lavish and luxurious lives under the wings of the British Empire and they became corrupt and considered Gurdwaras as their personal property. The Gurdwara Reform Movement was started in 1920 by the Sikhs and the Gurdwara Act was passed in 1925. With this Act, representatives of the Sikhs could control Khalsa College Amritsar and all the Gurdwaras themselves. In the Gurdwara Movement, about 30,000 people had been arrested by the British government, over 400 had been killed, and 2,000 had been injured. With this achievement, Sikhs became more united, capable, and competent to fight for independence. Shiromani Akali Dal was formed on December 14, 1920 as a task force of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, the Sikh religious body.

By the 20th century, a number of Sikh Gurdwaras in British India were under the control of the Udasi mahants (clergymen) or managers appointed by the British Government/Governors. The Udasis had come to control Sikh Shrines in the 18th century during the period of increased persecution of the Sikhs by the Mughal Empire, and during that time they forced them to yield control of Sikh Institutions to those without external identifiers. Sikhs would then focus on political power, resulting in the creation of the Sikh Empire.

The non-violent movement began in 1920, with the Jathas, led by Kartar Singh Jhabbar. The first Sikh Shrine chosen for reform was the Bebe di Ber Gurdwara in Sialkot. The control of the Gurdwara was transferred to an elected committee headed by Baba Kharak Singh. The next Gurdwaras were Harmandir Sahib (June 28, 1920), Gurdwara Panja Sahib (November 20, 1920), Gurdwara Sacha Sauda at Chuhar Kana (June 25, 1921), Gurdwara Guru Ka Bagh near Amritsar, Gurdwara Nankana Sahib (March 3, 1921), and Gurdwara Gangsar at Jaito near Nabha. Sardar Mehtab Singh resigned from the Punjab Legislative Council and played an important role in this movement as well.

The Indian National Congress declared its support for the Akali agitation for Gurdwaras. Akalis were then joined by several non-Sikhs. Pandit Jawarharlal Nehru also joined the agitation and was arrested and sent to jail. Finally, the British Government of Punjab relented and agreed to transfer the control of Gurdwaras to Akalis. The Gurdwara Act was passed by the Legislative Assembly in Punjab in 1925. Mahatma Gandhi sent a telegram to the Akali Dal stating that they had won half the battle of independence. With this, Akalis became more competent to fight for independence and significantly participated in the Non-Cooperation Movement started by Mahatma Gandhi.

Shiromani Akali Dal was formed on December 14, 1920 as a task force of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC formed on November 16, 1920), the Sikh religious body. It protected Sikh institutions, the rights of Sikhs/Punjabi and emerged as a force to fight for freedom. Sardar Kartar Singh Jhabbar was the first President of the unified Akali Dal, but it became popular under Master Tara Singh. Akali influenced the launch of 30 new Punjabi newspapers between 1920 to 1925. In the Provincial Election of 1937, Akali Dal won 10 seats and joined the coalition government headed by the Unionist leader Sikander Hyat Khan. In the provincial election of 1946, the Akali Dal won 22 seats and joined the coalition government headed by the Unionist Khizar Hyat Khan Tiwana, along with the Indian National Congress. The Muslim League was unable to capture power, despite having won the largest number of seats. The Muslim League launched a civil disobedience campaign, bringing down the Tiwana government by March 1947. The rest of the period until Indian independence was filled by Governor’s rule.

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