The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) is observing the 23rd of February as Pagri Sambhal Diwas, commemorating the memory of Ajit Singh who initiated the Pagri Sambhaal Movement in 1907. The farmer unions participating in the ongoing protests in Delhi are asserting that the recently passed farm laws will compel them to surrender their land to corporates.
Pagri Sambhal Movement: A Historic Perspective
The Pagri Sambhal Movement was a successful agricultural revolt that compelled the British government to rescind three laws pertaining to agriculture back in 1907 namely the Punjab Land Alienation Act 1900, the Punjab Land Colonisation Act 1906 and the Doab Bari Act 1907. These laws threatened to demote farmers to contractors of land and provided the British government with the authority to seize the allocated land if a farmer even disturbed a tree in his field without permission.
The Stirring Slogan and Protests
The slogan of the movement, ‘Pagdi Sambhal Jatta’, was inspired by a song by Banke Lal, the editor of the Jang Sayal newspaper. The protests were intense with protestors wreaking havoc on government buildings, post offices, banks, causing damage to telephone poles, and disabling telephone wires.
The Architect Behind the Movement
Ajit Singh, Bhagat Singh’s uncle, was the driving force behind this agitation. Singh aimed to channelize people’s anger against the farm laws to overthrow the colonial government. Bhagat Singh’s father Kishan Singh and uncle Ajit Singh, along with their revolutionary friend Ghasita Ram, founded the Bharat Mata Society to turn this discontent into a rebellion against the British government.
Sardar Ajit Singh: A Life Dedicated to Freedom Struggle
Born on 23rd February, 1881, Sardar Ajit Singh was an Indian revolutionary and dissident during the colonial era. His work and ideology have greatly inspired Indian revolutionaries, including his nephew Bhagat Singh. He openly defied the colonial government and was among the early protesters in Punjab. In partnership with his brother Kishan Singh, he worked extensively in famine-hit regions like Barar (Madhya Pradesh) and Ahmedabad, as well as in flood and earthquake-affected areas of Srinagar and Kangla in 1905.
Propagandist and Revolutionary: Sardar Ajit Singh
Ajit Singh founded the Bharat Mata Book Agency, which was known for its publications against the British government. He also established a network of solidarity with people fighting for India’s liberation across Europe and launched the Indian Revolutionary Association (Bharatiya Krantikari Sangh).
Exile, Escape, and Death: The Final Years of Sardar Ajit Singh
In May 1907, Sardar Ajit Singh, along with Lala Lajpat Rai, was sent into exile to Mandalay in Burma. However, they were released in October the same year due to immense public pressure. In 1909, Singh escaped to Iran and lived there in self-imposed exile for 38 years. He returned to India in March 1947 and died on 15th August 1947, the day India gained independence, at Dalhousie in Punjab.
The Symbolism of Pagri
During the medieval period, only noblemen were permitted to wear a turban. However, during the Sikh revolution in the 17th century, Guru Gobind Singh declared it as a symbol of defiance, allowing the common man to assert his self-esteem. Hence, the ‘Pagri’ or turban stands for the dignity of the common man. In 1907, ‘Pagri Sambhal Jatta’ was a call to not let the Pagri fall, both literally and figuratively.
