Within Budha Dal oral tradition exist the facts
with regards to the creation of the S.G.P.C.
Akalis. Akali Nihang veterans such as 96
Crore Akali Nihang Baba Santa Singh,
Nihang Baba Mehr Singh of Sach Khand
Hazoor Sahib, and Akali Nihang Baba
Bali Singh of Goindwal, all in their
late 80s often recall the events of the early
1900s. These facts are not spoken of within
S.G.P.C.-sanctioned historical texts or literature.
96 Crore Singh Sahib Akali Nihang Baba Santa
Singh
The present head of the Budha Dal and the Akal
Takht (seated left)
The S.G.P.C. Akali movement gathered momentum
initially with the incident of Nanakana
Sahib that took place on 19th February
1920. An Udasi Mahant named Narain Das
was brought to court on the charge of murder
of 130 Sikhs. During the trail, the question
arose as to who are the true historical custodians
of Sikh temples. The elderly Nihang Baba Mehr
Singh takes up the story:
‘Nainoo (Narain Das)
stood in the dock the judge began to read
verdict. Akalis are the masters of this
place [Nankana Sahib] - these words that
Udasi himself said. They [the British] asked
who are these Akalis? Other than
Shiromani Panth Akali Nihang Singhs there
are no other Akalis [said Narain Das].…..They
[the S.G.P.C. Akalis leaders such as Baba
Khark Singh] fell at the feet of Budha Dal
Jathedar [Baba Teja Singh] saying: “We have lost [the
case against Mahants] only the Panth can
save us, you are the only Akalis”.
The Baba was merciful, a ‘Brahm Giani’
(he who knows the Almighty). Baba
Teja Singh was Budha Dal’s Jathedar
at that time. When they grabbed
his feet. They, Teja Singh Samundri, Teja
Singh Puchar, and with them was Khark Singh.
That Khark Singh who is known as Baba of
Sialkot. They fell at the feet. The Baba
[Teja Singh] overnight in the villages had
cauldrons of colour prepared and had blue
turbans and saffron and yellow coloured
‘Cholas’ (traditional Nihang
clothing) prepared and bound a ‘Kamarkasa’
(sash bound around waist to hold weapons
a essential part of Nihang dress). Then
in who’s hand sword came sword in
who’s hand came spear, lance, axe,
whatever weapon [people got hold of]. “Let
all Singhs make court cases all the Gurdwaras
are ours” [declared Akali Nihang Baba
Teja Singh] …… When the decision
came to be made in court [with regards to
Nankana Sahib] Baba Teja Singh stood up
and said: “These [Sikh temples and
their keys] are ours”. The English
officer accepting them as of ours [of Akali
Nihangs] read out whilst looking at Baba
to see if he would say anything. Then the
English officer put the keys [of Nanakana
Sahib] on the table. On the table he put
them so as the true Akalis could take them.
Those keys were picked up first
by Baba Teja Singh, the Jathedar of Budha
Dal. Then the Baba Jathedar of Budha Dal
gave those keys to to Khark Singh and said:
“You take care of these keys from
us. Long as you remain faithful to the ‘Panth’
(Akali Nihang Singh Khalsa), the Panth shall
be with you. When you go against the Panth
Khalsa it will sort you out itself.’
Akali Nihang Baba Mehr Singh, transcript
of interview on 18-03-2001
Nanakana Sahib
Birthplace of Akali Guru Nanak Dev Ji and site
of the massacre
that took place in 1920 between Mahant Narain
Das and the S.G.P.C.
As the ‘Gurdwara Sudhar Lehr’
kicked off, the Akali Nihangs of the Budha Dal
and Tarna Dal were in the vanguard. However,
the Budha Dal became aware that the S.G.P.C.
Akalis had a different agenda. The Budha Dal
was primarily concerned with removing corrupt
Mahants from Sikh temples. However, the S.G.P.C.
Akalis had a long term agenda, which was to
replace Sanatan Sikhism with Tat Khalsa Singh
Sabhia ideology, and change the entire infrastructure
of Sikh Gurdwaras to suit their needs.
Khark Singh
The first President of the S.G.P.C. (1868-1963)
