Punjab's Involvement For Freedom of India

During India’s freedom struggle, starting with the First War of Independence, colonially called Indian Mutiny of 1857, Punjab’s zealous contribution matched that of any other State of the country. Kuka or Namdhari movement of Baba Ram Singh, a dedicated follower of Guru Nanak and Guru Gobind Singh, defied the unjust British Rule politically and sought to sweep the cant of superstitions, inequality of women, casteism, animal slaughter for the palate, drinking, injustice to the down-trodden, off the back of the Punjabi Society. The movement for the first time, highlighted the need for swadeshi as also for non-violence; it sacrificed 66 kukas, in 1872, who were brutally blasted by canon, placing them literally at the gun-mouth one by one. In 1913, Lala Hardyal, Sohan Singh Bhakna, Vaisakha Singh and Jwala Singh formed the Ghaddar Party in USA, with headquarters at San Francisco and branches in Japan, China, Fiji and Malaya. Gurdit Singh it was who sponsored the Japanese ship Kama Gata Maru which was illegally disallowed to touch its destination, Canada, provoking a rebellious procession which was fired upon, killing 23 persons.