chapter-2 political movements

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In the meantime, in 1914, the episode of Kamagatamaru occurred. This incident took a brutal turn when the ship carrying 376 persons on board reached the Budge-Budge Harbour near Calcutta, on September 26, 1914. Under the leadership of Baba Gurdit Singh, in the conflict that ensued with the police there 18 passengers were killed and 25 wounded. The others were also given several types of punishments. The incident caused out rage among the Ghadrites in many countries. They gave a call to the Punjabis settled in U.S.A., Canada and South-East Asia to return quickly to India to liberate her from the alien yoke. The Budge-Budge Harbour shooting incident encouraged the distressed Indians to believe that it was necessary to make a revolution during the war. The first group of Ghadrites left San Francisco in August 1914 on board the ship 'Korea'. On their way, the Ghadrites established contacts with Indian troops at Hongkong, Penang and Singapur. Another ship 'Tosamaru' carrying about 300 Ghadrites landed in India on October 29, 1914. The government arrested all of them and imprisoned them into the jails of Montgomery and Multan. On 21 October at Vancouver, Willian C. Hopskin, Chief assistant to the Immigration Inspector was shot by Meva Singh. In Punjab, from October 1914 to September 1915 the Ghadraties had made their presence felt. In all the Central Punjab, Police were murdered, loyal citizens, especially Sikhs known to be loyal and assisting the authorities were shot down or killed by bombs, gang robberies, sometimes with murder, of wealthy Hindus were carried out to raise funds for the cause; several instalments were prepared for making bombs at various places; bombs and material for bombs received from the revolutionarie's depots. 48 48 Navtej Singh, op. cit., pp.16, 17.
The night of February 21, 1915 was fixed as the time for the Indian soldiers to revolt. But the government came to know about the plan through its agent and made arrests including those of Nidam Singh, Rur Singh, Nand Singh and Kartar Singh Sarabha. Among the 18 arrested, were 12 Ghadrites who were immediately hanged. The movement received a serious setback with these arrests. In fact poor organisation, a death of arms, a failure to keep secrets, British vigilance, Police atrocities, role of traitors and the poor response of the people, all contributed to the Ghadr movement's subsequent disappearance from the Punjab by 1915. Yet it succeeded in establishing that the hegemony of the British government could be challenged. It also made the British rely more and more on the use of force for the administration of the 'Problem Province'. 49 The courage with which Kartar Singh Sarabha courted death became legendary : I will get life imprisonment or capital punishment. But I will prefer the latter so that after rebirth, I may again be prepared for the struggle for India's freedom. I will die again and again till India become free. This is my last wish. 50 It may be noted here that though the Ghadr Party movement was crushed by the British administration but the Ghadr Party remained active till 1950 when it was formally closed. Prior to that the party kept its activities in diverse forms; sometimes in collaboration with like-minded revolutionary parties or groups along with formally adopting its name in 1928 as Ghadr Party. Further that the Ghadr Party movement took the cause of the India's freedom at the international level and that majority of 49 Ibid., p.17. [ 50 Quoted in Ibid, p.17.
Page 1 and 2: CHAPTER-2 POLITICAL MOVEMENTS The n
Page 3: Field of work - Hindustan In the ea
Page 7 and 8: Further at Stockton on February 15,
Page 9 and 10: Ram, Nidhan Singh 'Chugha' were act
Page 11 and 12: purposed name of 'Sant' Randhir Sin
Page 13 and 14: due to paucity of funds it could no
Page 15 and 16: of Sikh history with emphasis on Gu
Page 17 and 18: family along with the role of Nabi
Page 19 and 20: of India by the British, the Indian
Page 21 and 22: during this situation was strongly
Page 23 and 24: national and international arena ar
Page 25 and 26: Again the Ghadr literature focused
Page 27 and 28: Further mention had been made of th
Page 29 and 30: another armed revolutionary struggl
Page 31 and 32: sword. The Babber Akalis continued
Page 33 and 34: Teja Singh 'Bhuchhar' and after han
Page 35 and 36: historical international events. Th
Page 37 and 38: Khalsa. 146 In the foregoing strugg
Page 39 and 40: given prominance in the Babber lite
Page 41 and 42: There is mention of the battle of M
Page 43 and 44: humiliations of women were compared
Page 45 and 46: created indigenous courts and start
Page 47 and 48: students participation was over-whe
Page 49 and 50: generate mass mobilization as well
Page 51 and 52: and stories of freedom struggles of
Page 53 and 54: British. 199 Further the Sabha's li
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Punjab such as Non-cooperation move
Page 57 and 58:
Max and V.I. Lenin alongwith adopti
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