Pritam Singh Grewal

June 10, 2006 marked the 32nd death anniversary of Giani Kartar Singh, one of the prominent Sikh leaders of the 20th century.

For his transparent integrity and selfless commitment to the Panthic cause, Giani Ji is known as a fakir politician. Though he held the positions of cabinet minister, MLA, SGPC member and president, President of Shiromani Akali Dal etc, unlike the present day leaders he did not hanker after wealth or fame for himself.

Simple living and freedom from vanity were main qualities of Giani Ji’s personality. Nevertheless, he was politically smart and could see through and resolve ticklish situations quickly. This capability earned him the epithet ‘panth da dimagh’ or the brain of the Panth.

According to the Encyclopaedia of Sikhism Giani Kartar Singh was known for his political astuteness and his single-mindedness of purpose.

Kartar Singh was born in 1902 at Chak No.40 village of Lyallpur district. After local schooling he joined Khalsa College, Amritsar where he was influenced by Sikhi and nationalistic views of Prof.Teja Singh, Bawa Harkishan Singh and S.Niranjan Singh. He was in Amritsar during the imposition of Martial Law and the indiscriminate massacre of innocent people in Jallianwala Bagh in 1919. The deep impact of this tragedy and his interest in active Sikh politics stood in the way of his higher education.

He was jailed several times during Gurdwara Reform and Civil Disobedience Movements. He was elected a member of the SGPC in its first election and maintained this position till 1960. The first ever Punjab Assembly election in 1937 saw him as MLA. Giani Ji held the post of Punjab Minister for about 10 years. His selfless service to Panth is exemplified when he was selected to fill the post of a Sikh Minister vacated by S.Baldev Singh’s shifting to the central cabinet. In the greater interest of the Panth he gracefully offered this position to S. Swaran Singh.

During pre-partition negotiations, Giani Kartar Singh was next only to Master Tara Singh as representative of Sikhs. He was elected President of Shiromani Akali Dal in 1947. When the British Government decided to divide Punjab, it was through his efforts that transfer of population and property became a concomitant of the partition. His last minute efforts saved Zira and Ferozepur tehsils from going to West Punjab.

After August 1947, he personally helped in safe migration of non-Muslims from Lyallpur and Sheikhupura areas at the risk of his own life. Giani Ji also worked painstakingly for their honourable settlement in India.

He was the architect of Giani-Sachar formula under which the demarcation of Punjabi-speaking areas of East Punjab later on became the basis of Punjabi Suba.

As to his simplicity, this writer saw him relishing hot pakoras while standing in kurta kachhera before a rehri in Chaura bazaar of Ludhiana. He was a senior cabinet minister of Punjab at that time.

I along with my friend S.Harmail Singh Grewal of Kila Raipur, an admirer of Giani Ji, went to see him in Punjab MLA Hostel, Chandigarh in 1967. He was sick and lying on a simple durri spread on a cot, without any special amenities. Several leaders like Giani Zail Singh also came to visit him and for political consultations.

In the 1970s Giani Ji faced failing physical health and he was admitted in Rajindra Hospital. Patiala where he passed away on June 10, 1974. He was cremated at Tanda and the local Government College there was named Giani Kartar Singh College in his memory.

Hari Ram Gupta, a well-known historian, dedicated the fourth volume of his History of the Sikhs to Giani Kartar Singh, who “lived and died as a genuine fakir”.


Copyright ©2006 Pritam Singh Grewal. About The Author