Revolutionary Activities in Punjab

The revolutionary movement in Punjab emerged during the early 20th century as a radical alternative to moderate political methods. Driven by agrarian distress, oppressive British land laws, and inspired by events in Bengal, Punjab became a vital hub for armed nationalism. Over time, the movement developed from regional agrarian agitation into organized international networks and socialist revolutionary organizations.

Early Phase and Agrarian Unrest (1906–1907)

The first wave of revolutionary activity in Punjab was triggered by rural dissatisfaction with colonial economic policies. The British administration introduced the Punjab Colonisation Act (Amendment) 1906, raised water rates via the Bari Doab Canal Act, and increased land revenue assessments. These measures sparked widespread protests across the Canal Colonies.

Pagri Sambhal Jatta Movement

In 1907, Sardar Ajit Singh (uncle of Bhagat Singh) launched the Pagri Sambhal Jatta movement, taking its name from a popular poem by Banke Lal, editor of the Jhang Syal newspaper. The movement mobilized peasants against unjust land legislation and forced the colonial government to repeal the oppressive laws.

Secret Societies and Literature

• Anjuman-i-Mohisban-i-Watan (Bharat Mata Society): Founded in Lahore by Sardar Ajit Singh and Sufi Amba Prasad. The group focused on spreading anti-colonial propaganda, organizing peasant protests, and encouraging non-payment of taxes.
• Revolutionary Publications: Ajit Singh published the journal Bharat Mata. Other journals like Jhang Syal and Deshabhimani circulated nationalist ideas across the province.
• Government Crackdown: Alarmed by the rising unrest, the British administration banned public gatherings in May 1907 and deported Lala Lajpat Rai and Sardar Ajit Singh to Mandalay, Burma, under Regulation III of 1818.

The Ghadar Movement and Pan-Asian Networks (1913–1915)

Following the suppression of local protests, the center of gravity shifted to Punjabi emigrants in North America. Disillusioned by racial discrimination and anti-immigrant policies like the Continuous Journey Regulation in Canada, Punjabi laborers and intellectuals organized an international struggle.

Formation of the Ghadar Party

Founded on July 15, 1913, in Astoria, Oregon, as the Pacific Coast Hindustan Association, the organization soon became known as the Ghadar Party. Its primary headquarters was established at Yugantar Ashram in San Francisco.

• Key Founders: Sohan Singh Bhakna (President), Lala Hardayal (General Secretary), Pandit Kanshi Ram (Treasurer), Kartar Singh Sarabha, and Bhai Parmanand.
• Official Organ: The weekly newspaper The Ghadar was published in Urdu, Gurmukhi, Gujarati, and Hindi. The publication included the poetry collection Ghadar di Gunj.

Komagata Maru Incident (1914)

In March 1914, Baba Gurdit Singh chartered the Japanese vessel S.S. Komagata Maru to carry 376 Indian passengers (mostly Punjabi Sikhs and Muslims) to Vancouver. Canadian authorities denied entry and forced the ship to return after a two-month standoff. Upon reaching Budge Budge near Calcutta in September 1914, British police fired on the passengers, killing 22 individuals. This incident triggered a return wave of Ghadar revolutionaries to India to start an armed insurrection.

The 1915 Ghadar Mutiny

With the outbreak of World War I, Ghadarites coordinated with German authorities under the Zimmermann Plan (Hindu-German Conspiracy) to stage an armed uprising inside the British Indian Army.

• Armed Strategy: Rash Behari Bose and Vishnu Ganesh Pingle arrived in Punjab to lead the internal revolt, setting February 21, 1915, as the date for a synchronized mutiny across garrisons in Lahore, Ferozepur, and Rawalpindi.
• Betrayal and Failure: Police informer Kirpal Singh leaked the plans, leading to mass arrests before the uprising could start.
• First Lahore Conspiracy Case (1915): Over 290 revolutionaries were tried. Forty-two were executed, including 19-year-old Kartar Singh Sarabha and V. G. Pingle, while dozens were sentenced to transportation for life to the Cellular Jail.

Post-War Militancy and Ideological Evolution (1920s–1930s)

The post-World War I era saw a transition from religious-nationalist ideas to secular socialist ideologies among Punjab’s revolutionaries.

Babbar Akali Movement

Formed in 1921 as a radical offshoot of the Akali movement, the Babbar Akalis operated primarily in the Jalandhar and Hoshiarpur Doab regions. Led by Kishan Singh Gargaj and Master Mota Singh, the group targeted British officials, police informers, and loyalist landlords through armed attacks. By 1926, major leaders were captured and executed after a series of military encounters.

Naujawan Bharat Sabha (1926)

Founded in March 1926 by Bhagat Singh, Chhabil Das, and Yashpal, the Naujawan Bharat Sabha aimed to organize youth, workers, and peasants against colonial rule. The organization openly rejected communalism and advocated for a socio-economic revolution.

Hindustan Socialist Republican Association (HSRA)

In September 1928, revolutionary leaders from Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, and Bihar met at Feroz Shah Kotla in Delhi to reorganize the Hindustan Republican Association into the HSRA.

International Operations and the Kirti Kisan Party

Parallel to the urban underground operations of the HSRA, left-wing agrarian networks emerged in Punjab during the late 1920s.

Kirti Kisan Party (1928)

Established in Amritsar by Bhai Santokh Singh and Sohan Singh Josh, the party published the Punjabi journal Kirti. Backed by returned Ghadarites and peasant activists, it aimed to organize rural agricultural workers and industrial laborers along socialist lines.

Caxton Hall Assassination (1940)

On March 13, 1940, Udham Singh shot Michael O’Dwyer at Caxton Hall in London. O’Dwyer was the Lieutenant Governor of Punjab during the 1919 Jallianwala Bagh Massacre. Udham Singh was arrested on the spot, tried, and hanged at Pentonville Prison on July 31, 1940.

Essential Facts

• Sardar Ajit Singh lived in exile for 38 years across Europe and South America before returning to India in 1947. He passed away on August 15, 1947, the day India gained independence.
• The Ghadar Party flag, introduced in 1913, featured a tricolor of saffron, white, and green with crossed rifles in the center.
• Kartar Singh Sarabha, executed at age 19, served as a primary ideological role model for Bhagat Singh.
• The phrase “Inquilab Zindabad” (Long Live the Revolution), originally coined by Maulana Hasrat Mohani, was popularized across India by Bhagat Singh and his comrades during their trials.
• The execution site of Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, and Sukhdev at Hussainiwala near Ferozepur currently houses the National Martyrs Memorial.