Master Tara Singh (1885 - 1967)

panjaban · #1 (**permalink**) 24-Jun-2004, 22:28 PM

Master Tara Singh was born in a Punjabi Hindu Malhotra family of Rawalpindi. It is indeed remarkable that from humble origins he arose to the top of Sikh leadership, culminating with the creation of Punjabi State in Independent India. He initiated into Khalsa when he was ten or twelve years old. A fierce sewadar and helpful to all Sikhs he was among those cream of crop who strive to become a perfect Soldiers of their community. Tara Singh Malhotra is remembered for two things, one steering Sikhs towards opting for India in 1947 and other to campaign for the state of Punjab in Independent India.

His first duty to serve Khalsa on the political arena came when he was invited to Round Table conference at Shimla after the end of the Second World War by the Governor-General, Lord Wavell, to ease the political situation in the country, the Sikhs were given representation along with other communities. Pleading on their behalf, Master Tara Singh who was among the twenty-one Indian leaders invited, argued that the creation of Pakistan would be more injurious to his community than to any other community. He told governor general that Sikhs are scattered all over the Punjab and are not in majority in any district. He vigorously campaigned against the demand of Pakistan by Muslim League and made many enemies.

He along with other Sikh leaders met with the leader of Muslim League Mohammad Ali Jinnah at the house of Hardit Singh Malik. Here is a quote from the book "Heritage of the Sikhs by Harbans Singh" "Mr Jinnah, who outwardly maintained an attitude of sullen and studious disregard towards the Sikhs, tried to cajole them privately. He knew in his heart of hearts that Sikh opposition to Pakistan was one real obstacle in his way and made several secret overtures to the leaders of the community. He chided them for being too subservient to Congress influence and held out all kinds of allurements, including the formation of an autonomous Sikh area within Pakistan. Some British of ficers also conveyed similar offers to Sikh leaders "to enable them to have political feet of their own on which they may walk into the current of world history." Plans were made to have Master Tara Singh and Jinnah talk together. A meeting took place in Delhi on April 2, 1946, at the house of Sir Teja Singh Malik, a retired chief engineer who had also been minister in the princely states of Jaipur and Patiala. Besides Master Tara Singh and Jinnah, Maharaja Yadavinder Singh of Patiala, his prime minister, Sardar Hardit Singh Malik who was the host's brother, and Giani Kartar Singh joined the meeting. Malik Hardit Singh was assigned to presenting the Sikh viewpoint as the principal spokesman. Jinnah's one overriding concern was to have the Sikhs rescind theiropposition to Pakistan and lend his demand their support instead. He was prodigal of assurances, and told the Sikh leaders that the Sikhs would have a position of honour in the new State. But he refrained from elaborating. Malik Hardit Singh tried to extract from him a more specific enunciation and raised some concrete issues. He said that in Pakistan there would presumably be a parliament, a cabinet, armed services, and so on. He wished Jinnah to say what exactly would be the Sikhs' position in these and other instruments of State. Jinnah dodged by inviting the Sikhs to set forth their demands in writing and by citing the instance of Zaghlul Pasha of Egypt. Zaghlul Pasha, he said, asked the Copts, the Christian minority, to give him their charter of demands. Without having a look at what was written in document, Zaghlul Pasha signed, "I agree." " That is how I shall treat the Sikhs," said Jinnah. Hardit Singh continued his thrusts and said, "You are being very generous, Mr Jinnah, but how about your succcessors? What is the guarantee that they would implement the assurance given by you?" "My friend, in Pakistan my word will be like the word of God. No one dare go back on it," replied Jinnah. "
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/history-of-sikhism/122-master-tara-singh-1885-1967-a.html
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=122

Since these meetings were private and there was never promised anything on paper, Sikh leaders did not trusted the Promised given to them by Jinnah and were vindicated of their foresight when Pakistan's army launched an attacked against Bengali Muslims in Bangladesh with mass destruction and gross human rights violations. Considering the current pathetic state of minorities like Hindus and Christians, Sikh leaders like Tara Singh did indeed had a great foresight by not believing in the private concessions of Jinnah.

After repeated attempts of rioting, Indian leaders agreed to the partition of country . Tara Singh and many Akali leaders were furious as they were going to loose their houses and lands. On March 3 1947, Tara Singh at Lahore along with about 500 Sikhs declared from a dias "Death to Pakistan" when about 50,000+ strong muslim crowd went berserk outsie. Tara Singh and his Akali men narrowly escaped their death, the next day 4th March 1947, wide scale rioting in Lahore and adjoining areas started. As Jinnah had declared "Muslims are no believers of non-violence", each muslim tried to prooved his point by plundering, pillaging, raping and other un describeable acts.

Rioting at other places in Punjab stated as a retaliation to the killings by Muslims in Lahore and Rawalpindi. In this greatest holocaust ever, More then one million humans were murdered by Muslims, Hindus and Sikhs in Punjab. Tara Singh migrated to East Punjab and was active in Akali politics until his death in 1967 on the eve when Akali Party was going to form their first government in new state of Punjab.

Excerpts taken from these books.
Heritage of the Sikhs Sardar Harbans Singh

maskinji · #2 (**permalink**) 25-Apr-2011, 14:02 PM

This so called great leader of sikhs never questioned the intents of the hindu leaders as he did with Muslim leaders, Dont you think he had somehow already decided to go with Hindus ? He was played by the hands of Government even when he did not even recognise. Whole sikh community curses him for that. Any community would love to have a country of its own and thus religion would flourish too, as Guru Gobind Singh Sahib has said. He was scared of atrocities of Muslims, but was he not aware of Cunning Hindus, who managed to disappear Buddhism from the face of India, which happened to be its birthplace.
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=122

Same is being done by his successors, BADALS and party. Now Kaum want to know what his successors are doing. Master tara singh was a short-sighted politician and culprit to the sikhs as a whole. when British considered sikhs are third party to transfer of power, this idiot said, "Sikhs cannot rule by themselves as of now", its been quoted by many leaders as said by him on many occasions.

Ambarsaria · #3 (**permalink**) 04-May-2011, 09:46 AM

Tara Singh Malhotra is remembered for two things,

Quote:

one steering Sikhs towards opting for India in 1947
and other to campaingn for the state of Punjab in Independet India.

Panjaban ji, sorry but are these not both disasters in hindsight!

He ran to Dharamsala Hill Station (OK he was taken there under police protection) at every Punjabi Suba (State creation) Morcha and let the innocents "Pendus" (villagers) go to jail.

Wish some other choices were made back then. Punjab pre-1947, Punjab post 1947 before creation and divisions, and Punjab now so small (like Chiri da bot, "like little offspring of a sparrow"). These outcomes are not results of good and sound foundational thinking.

Sorry I am not related to good or bad ways to Master Tara Singh or their families or any other radical upbringing. Just stating what I experienced growing up then in Amritsar.

Apologies and writing to state rather than offend or criticize your post.

Sat Sri Akal

Gyani Jarnail Singh · #4 (**permalink**) 04-May-2011, 17:10 PM

Its very very easy to "see" clearly with the magnified glasses of HINDSIGHT. Almost blind or myopic perosn also can see so clearly that this should have been that..and that should have been this...Master tara Singh, Gyani kartar singh etc etc were the BEDAAG leaders of Sikhs..swept along in the flood of conniving cheating politicians of the time. Badal and cohorts are WILLING partners in CRIME..enriching themselves and their cronies IMMENSELY -looting Punjab, looting Gurdwaras, Looting Public propoerties like Khalsa College, heritage properties etc etc - its wrong and totally out to compare them to Sikh Leaders of Master Jis time. The ROT started with the Twin SANTS..fateh and Channan Singh being PARACHUTED from RAJASTHAN into AMRITSAR.

dilgeer · #5 (**permalink**) 26-Oct-2011, 17:31 PM

There are leaders whose importance of decisions people understand after they are gone. But, in case of Master Tara Singh, now we are realising that the sovereignity of Sikhs was lost in hands of Short-sightedness of couple of leaders and being corrupt of other akali leader. Master tara Singh falls in first classification. Master Tara Singh doesn't necessarily have to be corrupt to make a false decision, but all I want to say that Handing over the Fate of Sikh Kaum in India and Worldwide in hands of Master Tara Singh now comes out to be dreadful and sad chapter of our Twarikh and It will be remembered so. Some people might have respect for him, so do we, for probably some of his good tasks which many leaders would have accomplished, but I want to say here that He has not proven his capability as a leader..

Tejwant Singh · #6 (**permalink**) 28-Oct-2011, 10:26 AM

Quote:

He along with other Sikh leaders met with the leader of Muslim League Mohammad Ali Jinnah at the house of Hardit Singh Malik. Here is a quote from the book "Heritage of the Sikhs by Harbans Singh" "Mr Jinnah, who outwardly maintained an attitude of sullen and studious disregard towards the Sikhs, tried to cajole them privately. He knew in his heart of hearts that Sikh opposition to Pakistan was one real obstacle in his way and made several secret overtures to the leaders of the community. He chided them for being too subservient to Congress influence and held out all kinds of allurements, including the formation of an autonomous Sikh area within Pakistan. Some British of ficers also conveyed similar offers to Sikh leaders "to enable them to have political feet of their own on which they may walk into the current of world history." Plans were made to have Master Tara Singh and Jinnah talk together. A meeting took place in Delhi on April 2, 1946, at the house of Sir Teja Singh Malik, a retired chief engineer who had also been minister in the princely states of Jaipur and Patiala. Besides Master Tara Singh and Jinnah, Maharaja Yadavinder Singh of Patiala, his prime minister, Sardar Hardit Singh Malik who was the host's brother, and Giani Kartar Singh joined the meeting. Malik Hardit Singh was assigned to presenting the Sikh viewpoint as the principal spokesman. Jinnah's one overriding concern was to have the Sikhs rescind theiropposition to Pakistan and lend his demand their support instead. He was prodigal of assurances, and told the Sikh leaders that the Sikhs would have a position of honour in the new State. But he refrained from elaborating. Malik Hardit Singh tried to extract from him a more specific enunciation and raised some concrete issues. He said that in Pakistan there would presumably be a parliament, a cabinet, armed services, and so on. He wished Jinnah to say what exactly would be the Sikhs' position in these and other instruments of State. Jinnah dodged by inviting the Sikhs to set forth their demands in writing and by citing the instance of Zaghlul Pasha of Egypt. Zaghlul Pasha, he said, asked the Copts, the Christian minority, to give him their charter of demands. Without having a look at what was written in document, Zaghlul Pasha signed, "I agree." " That is how I shall treat the Sikhs," said Jinnah. Hardit Singh continued his thrusts and said, "You are being very generous, Mr Jinnah, but how about your succcessors? What is the guarantee that they would implement the assurance given by you?" "My friend, in Pakistan my word will be like the word of God. No one dare go back on it," replied Jinnah.

One can re-write history as one wants to. As the old saying goes that history is only written by the winners which seems to be true.

In the Sikhi spirit of full disclosure, I must say that Hardit Singh Malik and Sir Teja Singh Malik were my grand dad Dr. Balwant Singh Malik's Bhua's sons and my grand dad- Pita Ji- was also present at the above meeting. When I went back to India in 1985 after 14 years, I had the opportunity to have long chats with Pita ji and learnt a lot from him as I had left India for London at the age of 15 and did not know much about it before.

Allow me to share with you what Pita ji said happened at the meeting. Before the meeting took place, the Brits had had offered the Sikhs their own state which would include Lahore. This was offered By Lord Mountbatten to Hardit Singh Malik provided he would insist on that to Jinnah along with his fellow Sikh leaders about it. This did not go through because Master Tara Singh had cold feet. He did not want to pursue the issue but instead wanted the assurances from Jinnah that Sikhs would be treated well after the partition.

The rest is the unfortunate history.

Tejwant Singh

dilgeer · #7 (**permalink**) 28-Oct-2011, 12:51 PM

Tejwant Singh Ji,

Thanks for the insight. I would acknowledge this personal account of yours to be true, since Master Tara Singh's actions before and after Punjabi Suba movement brought on the fore what in actual he was. A Person doesn't necessarily have to be miscreant to be detrimental to the larger people. Jathedar Feruman laid his life for the cause, While Master Tara Singh Malhotra would give up his fast in a very convenient way.

Has any text been written about such detrimental acts of our so-called 'Sikh Leaders' ? Shouldn't it be brought to the public domain. Are there any such efforts in progress ? I believe its time for activism to educate people about the truth. Just present them the plain facts and let them decide.

Gyani Jarnail Singh · #8 (**permalink**) 28-Oct-2011, 17:48 PM

Malhotra was NEVER used by the Master ....he was always just Plain Master Tara singh. PERIOD.

Bhai Ranjit Singh never uses this....BUT..those who dont like him will always add GHATAURA to his name !! Ranjit Singh Ghataura !! This is common way to deride someone among sikhs..lets not do this anymore.

Gyani Jarnail Singh · #9 (**permalink**) 28-Oct-2011, 17:51 PM

In a recent case..Sardar Mann was offered DPM of INDIA...but he pulled out his 3 ft kirpan...which led to the Kirpan being banned from parliament....later as Sangroor MP he quietly entered Parliament WITHOUT his Kirpan !! Its a FACT that SIKHS always WIN the battles BUT LOSE the WARS due to LEADERS who are really DEALERS.