chapter-2 political movements

egan their activities from Shanghai. In Manila Guru Datt Kumar, Hafiz
Abdula and Chanan Singh were the founder of the branch. 55
With the outbreak of World War 1, the issues of the Ghadr
newspapers of July 28, and August 4, brought out special issues on the
War. With the help of the Ghadr newspaper and through meetings
appeals were made to the Indians in America, Canada and Far East to
return to India for raising the revolt. In America Barkatullah, Bhagwan
Singh and Ram Chander Peshawaria inspired Indians through meetings.
On return to India the Ghadr activists in the ship organised community
kitchen (Langer) without any consideration for religion and cast, daily
meetings were organised in which revolutionary lecturers were openly
given and poems were read from Ghadr di Gunj. 56
The Gurdwara at Hong Kong became a meeting place of the
Ghadraties returning from different countries. Here the Party held many
public meetings in which rebellion was openly preached. 57
Before initiating rebellion in Punjab, a group of Ghadraties under
the leadership of Gujjar Singh Bhakna made propaganda tours in villages
and indigenous army regiments. At Amritsar one Nanak Singh's
residence was the meeting place of Ghadraties. On the Diwali day, a
group of 20 Ghadraties under the leadership of Dr. Mathura Singh from
Shanghai reached Amritsar. In the meeting held at the residence of
Nanak Singh at Amritsar, the Ghadraties who attended the meeting were
included Gujjar Singh, Dr. Mathura Singh, Piara Singh 'Langeri' and
Harnam Singh 'Sialkoti'. Similarly at Nankana Sahib Fair Diwan was
held and meetings at some other places to were organised propogate
Ghadr ideology in the rural areas. Kartar Singh 'Sarabha', 'Pandat' Jagat
55 Jagjit Singh, op. cit., pp.189-191.
56 Ibid., pp. 218-219.
57 Ibid., p. 213.