Bhagwan Singh Gyanee Returned To Punjab in 1958
Bhagwan Singh returned to his motherland in 1958 after receiving an invitation from the then Punjab Chief Minister, Partap Singh Kairon. This was no ordinary invitation. Kairon had a calculated plan: he intended to use Bhagwan Singh Gyanee as a political mouthpiece to counter the growing unrest among farmers—men and women who feared that the Chief Minister would impose a heavy tax on their lands in exchange for canal irrigation. This agitation became known as the anti‑Betterment Levy movement, the Khush Hasiyati Tax Morcha.
The morcha lasted forty‑six days and was organized under the leadership of the Communist Party of India. It was a period when Communist parties envisioned revolutionary peasant uprisings as the path to toppling bourgeois governments. Among the leaders of the agitation was Baba Sohan Singh Bhakna, founder of the Ghadar Party in Astoria, Oregon, in 1913. He was the very figure whose position Bhagwan Singh Gyanee had assumed in America after Bhakna left for India to participate in the Ghadar struggle during the First World War.
Seen in this light, Bhagwan Singh’s actions in 1958 reveal a painful contradiction. Once a representative of the Ghadar Party’s revolutionary ideals, he returned to India only to align himself with the state and assist the Chief Minister in suppressing those who had been genuine fighters for India’s independence. Rewarded with a hillside residence and political favor, he abandoned the very principles he once claimed to uphold. His role in aiding the government against the protesting farmers stands as a stark example of how far he had drifted from the spirit of Ghadar.
Consequently, Baba Sohan Singh Bhakna found it necessary to release a public press note addressing the conduct of Bhagwan Singh Gyanee. It stated the following:
Baba Sohan Singh Bhakna’s Press Note Addressing the Conduct of Bhagwan Singh Gyanee
Dear Brother Bhagwan Singh Ji, American,At the Bada Pind (Village in Punjab) Farmers’ meeting, your speech, which I read in the communist newspaper 'Nava Zamana', made me deeply upset about your wrong policy.
If what 'Nava Zamana' reported is accurate, you encouraged the government to use force against communists, claiming that 'those who only respond to beatings cannot be persuaded by words.' You said that if communists start any agitation about happiness or inflation, the government should crush them with force. What you did was really wrong.
As an American citizen, even though you've got Punjabi roots, you're still a foreigner to us. You've no right to meddle in our government or sow discord between our political parties. I'm writing this because you were once involved with the Ghadar Party. Don't tarnish the Ghadar Party's name; it's a party of patriots. We desire unity in our country and want to see it rise economically and politically. If the government makes mistakes, it's our duty to correct them. Who doesn't know how dire the food situation is right now? Apart from a few wealthy individuals, the whole nation goes to bed half-hungry.
When the public or political parties voice their disapproval or protest against the government's weak policies, who could really fault them? After all, you were once an old friend and comrade of ours, so I advise you: if you plan on staying in India for a few days, keep your head down and stay silent.
You have no right to involve yourself in our country's politics.
Baba Sohan Singh Bhakna
from District Amritsar.
ਪਿਆਰੇ ਭਾਈ ਭਗਵਾਨ ਸਿੰਘ ਜੀ ਅਮਰੀਕਨ
ਬੜਾ ਪਿੰਡ ਕਿਸਾਨ ਵਿਭਾਗ ਦੇ ਅਜਲਾਸ ਵਿਚ ਜਿਹੜੀ ਆਪ ਨੇ ਤਕਰੀਰ ਕੀਤੀ, ਉਹ ਮੈਂ ਕਮਿਊਨਿਸਟ ਅਖ਼ਬਾਰ 'ਨਵਾਂ ਜ਼ਮਾਨਾ' ਵਿਚ ਪੜ੍ਹੀ, ਜਿਸ ਨੂੰ ਪੜ੍ਹ ਕੇ ਆਪ ਦੀ ਗਲਤ ਪਾਲਸੀ 'ਤੇ ਨਹਾਇਤ ਦੁੱਖ ਹੋਇਆ, ਜੇ 'ਨਵਾਂ ਜਮਾਨਾ' ਦੀ ਇਬਾਰਤ ਠੀਕ ਹੈ ਤਾਂ ਆਪ ਨੇ ਕਮਿਊਨਿਸਟਾਂ ਉੱਤੇ ਜਿਹੜੇ ਤਸੱਦਦ ਲਈ ਹਕੂਮਤ ਨੂੰ ਉਕਸਾਇਆ ਹੈ ਤੇ ਕਿਹਾ ਹੈ ਕਿ "ਲਾਤੇਂ ਕੇ ਭੂਤ ਬਾਤ ਸੇ ਨਹੀਂ ਮਾਨਤੇ ਤੇ ਜੇ ਕਮਿਊਨਿਸਟ ਖੁਸ਼ਹੰਸੀਅਤੀ ਜਾ ਮਹਿੰਗਾਈ ਬਾਰੇ ਕੋਈ ਐਜੀਟੇਸ਼ਨ ਉਠਾਉਣ ਤਾਂ ਹਕੂਮਤ ਨੂੰ ਤਸਦਦ ਨਾਲ ਦਬਾ ਦੇਣੀ ਚਾਹੀਦੀ ਹੈ।" ਇਹ ਆਪ ਕੇ ਤੁਸੀਂ ਬਹੁਤ ਬੁਰਾ ਕੀਤਾ ਹੈ।
ਆਪ ਅਮਰੀਕੀ ਸ਼ਹਿਰੀ ਹੋਣ ਦੀ ਹੈਸੀਅਤ ਵਿਚ ਸਾਡੇ ਲਈ ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ਹੁੰਦੇ ਹੋਏ ਵੀ ਵਿਦੇਸ਼ੀ ਹੈ। ਆਪ ਨੂੰ ਕੋਈ ਹੱਕ ਨਹੀਂ ਕਿ ਕ ਸਾਡੀ ਹਕੂਮਤ ਤੇ ਸਿਆਸੀ ਪਾਰਟੀਆਂ ਵਿਚਕਾਰ ਇਤਸਾਰ ਪੈਦਾ ਕਰੋ ਤੇ ਸਾਡੇ ਦੇਸ਼ ਵਿਚ ਸਿਵਲ ਵਾਰ ਦੀ ਬੁਨਿਆਦ ਰੱਖੋ। ਇਹ ਗੱਲਾਂ ਮੈਂ ਇਸ ਲਈ ਲਿਖ ਰਿਹਾ ਹਾਂ, ਕਿਉਂਕਿ ਕਦੀ ਤੁਹਾਡਾ ਗ਼ਦਰ ਪਾਰਟੀ ਨਾਲ ਸੰਬੰਧ ਰਿਹਾ ਹੈ। ਤੁਸੀ ਗਦਰ ਪਾਰਟੀ ਨੂੰ ਬਦਨਾਮ ਨਾ ਕਰੋ, ਕਿਉਂਕਿ ਗਦਰ ਪਾਰਟੀ ਦੇਸ਼ ਭਗਤ ਪਾਰਟੀ ਹੈ। ਅਸੀਂ ਮੁਲਕ ਵਿੱਚ ਯਕਜਹਿਤੀ ਚਾਹੁੰਦੇ ਹਾਂ ਤੇ ਮੁਲਕ ਨੂੰ ਆਰਥਿਕ ਤੇ ਸਿਆਸੀ ਪੱਖੋਂ ਉੱਚਾ ਦੇਖਣਾ ਚਾਹੁੰਦੇ ਹਾਂ। ਜੇ ਸਰਕਾਰ ਗਲਤੀ ਕਰਦੀ ਹੈ ਤਾਂ ਸਾਡਾ ਫਰਜ ਹੈ ਕਿ ਅਸੀਂ ਹਕੂਮਤ ਨੂੰ ਸਹੀ ਕਰੀਏ। ਕੋਣ ਨਹੀਂ ਜਾਣਦਾ ਕਿ ਇਸ ਸਮੇਂ ਖੁਰਾਕ ਦੀ ਹਾਲਤ ਕਿੰਨੀ ਮੰਦੀ ਹੈ ? ਕੁਝ ਵਿਅਕਤੀਆਂ ਤੋਂ ਛੁੱਟ ਜਿਹੜੇ ਰੁਪਏ ਵਾਲੇ ਹਨ, ਸਾਰਾ ਦੇਸ਼ ਅੱਧੇ ਪੇਟ ਭੁੱਖਾ ਸੌਂਦਾ ਹੈ।
ਜੇ ਅਜਿਹੀ ਹਾਲਤ ਵਿੱਚ ਅਵਾਮ ਜਾਂ ਸਿਆਸੀ ਪਾਰਟੀਆਂ ਹਕੂਮਤ ਦੀ ਕਮਜ਼ੋਰ ਪਾਲਸੀ 'ਤੇ ਨੁਕਤਾਚੀਨੀ ਜਾਂ ਐਜੀਟੇਸ਼ਨ ਕਰਨ ਤਾਂ ਕੌਣ ਉਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਬੁਰਾ ਕਹਿ ਸਕਦਾ चे। ਆਖਰ, ਤੁਸੀਂ ਸਾਡੇ ਪੁਰਾਣੇ ਦੋਸਤ ਤੇ ਵਰਕਰ ਵੀ ਰਹਿ ਚੁੱਕੇ ਹੋ, ਮੈਂ ਤੁਹਾਨੂੰ ਸਲਾਹ ਦਿੰਦਾ ਹਾਂ ਕਿ ਤੁਸੀਂ ਕੁਝ ਦਿਨ ਜੇ ਹਿੰਦੁਸਤਾਨ ਵਿੱਚ ਰਹਿਣਾ ਚਾਹੁੰਦੇ ਹੋ ਖਾਮੋਸ਼ੀ ਨਾਲ ਰਹੋ। ਸਾਡੇ ਮੁਲਕ ਦੀ ਸਿਆਸਤ ਵਿੱਚ ਹਿੱਸਾ ਲੈਣ ਦਾ ਤੁਹਾਡਾ ਕੋਈ ਹੱਕ ਨਹੀਂ।
ਬਾਬਾ ਸੋਹਣ ਸਿੰਘ ਭਕਨਾ (ਜ਼ਿਲ੍ਹਾ ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤਸਰ)
Transcription
Dear Brother Bhagwan Singh Ji, American,
At the Bada Pind (Village in Punjab) Farmers’ meeting, your speech, which I read in the communist newspaper 'Nava Zamana', made me deeply upset about your wrong policy.
If what 'Nava Zamana' reported is accurate, you encouraged the government to use force against communists, claiming that 'those who only respond to beatings cannot be persuaded by words.' You said that if communists start any agitation about happiness or inflation, the government should crush them with force. What you did was really wrong.
As an American citizen, even though you've got Punjabi roots, you're still a foreigner to us. You've no right to meddle in our government or sow discord between our political parties. I'm writing this because you were once involved with the Ghadar Party. Don't tarnish the Ghadar Party's name; it's a party of patriots. We desire unity in our country and want to see it rise economically and politically. If the government makes mistakes, it's our duty to correct them. Who doesn't know how dire the food situation is right now? Apart from a few wealthy individuals, the whole nation goes to bed half-hungry.
When the public or political parties voice their disapproval or protest against the government's weak policies, who could really fault them? After all, you were once an old friend and comrade of ours, so I advise you: if you plan on staying in India for a few days, keep your head down and stay silent.
You have no right to involve yourself in our country's politics.
Baba Sohan Singh Bhakna
from District Amritsar.
References
- Chiranji Lal Kangniwal, Baba Bilga and Bilga Village's Ecos in the Parliment. Nava Jamana, Jalandhar 1990.