NewZNew (Chandigarh) : Punjabi University Vice-chancellor Dr Jaspal Singh today credited veteran Akali leader Master Tara Singh with shaping the destiny of the Sikhs during partition of the country in 1947. It was the veteran Akali leader who played a decisive role but for which the boundaries of the country would have been different.
He was speaking as a chief guest at the function organized by Sikh Educational Society in Sri Guru Gobind Singh College here to release the book ‘Master Tara Singh and his Reminiscences’ athoured by eminent author Prof Prithipal Singh Kapur.
Various speakers stressed the need for re-appraisal of the vital role played by Master Tara Singh in not only in Panthic politics but also his concerns for the country as a whole in the context of the creation of Pakistan. It was felt that he ended up as a much maligned leader without his role being evaluated in the historical perspective as he was the leader who had no vested interest and whose role could well be equated with legendary Baba Banda Singh Bahadur.
Dr. Jaspal Singh said Master Tara Singh was the only leader who brought up the Panthic agenda at the national level and forced the government to include Sikhs as the third party in negotiations during the pre-partition period. At the same time, he skillfully integrated the Sikh aspirations with the freedom movement which resulted in the Sikh leaders carving out space for this vibrant community in the national domain, he added. He asserted it was the uncompromising role played by him during negotiations that that shaped the Radcliffe line.
He said even after partition, it was Master Tara Singh who came out with the agenda of Punjabi Suba but his politics never revolved around power as he was above all that. He service to Punjab and the Panth was selfless.
Eminent historian and former GNDU Vice-chancellor Dr J S Grewal described Master Tara Singh as the most important Sikh leader of his times. He was of the opinion that the present boundary of Punjab was delineated with his effective intervention.
Prof Raghuvendra Tanwar from Kurukshetra University revealed such was the status of the Sikh leader that the Muslim League equated him with Sardar Patel. He was one leader who refused to acknowledge the supremacy of the British rulers. Moreover, he went to the extent of questioning the role of Mahatma Gandhi.
Prof. Prithipal Singh Kapur talked about his relationship with Master Tara Singh and his role in the Sikh polity and expressed the view that the Sikhs would always need a political party with its own distinct policy and programme.
Kiranjot Kaur, granddaughter of Master Tara Singh and member of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, was honoured on the occasion and the first copy of the book was presented to her.
Sikh Educational Society President Mr. Gurdev Singh Brar proposed vote of thanks, while SES Secretary Col. JS Bala welcomed the dignitaries and participants.
Apart from others Ex Chief of National Minority Commission Mr. Tirlochan Singh, Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee Secretary Mr. Roop Singh, Sri Guru Granth Sahib World University Vice Chancellor Dr. Gurmohan Singh Walia, noted historian Dr. Kirpal Singh, Dr. Dharam Singh and Sikh intellectual Mr. Ajmer Singh were also present.