Question

What is the contribution of Akali Movement in freedom struggle.

Answer 1

The Akali Movement was another name for Gurdwara Reform Movement. It came into full swing from 1920 to 1925. Its aim was to bring reform in the working and management of Sikh Gurdwaras. Thus Akali Movement was a struggle for freedom and purification of the Sikh historical places of worship. It produced tremendous and far reaching effects on the social and religious life of the Sikhs and brought them into the political movement for freedom of the motherland. 

Answer 2

The contribution of Akali Movement in freedom struggle :-

The Babbar Akalis planned to kill the informers and the supporters of the government. They called it Reformation. They believed that with the end of the supporters of the English, the British Government could fail and leave India for ever. Following is the description of their activities :

✒Collection of arms : To achieve their aim, the Babbar Akalis were in dire of need of arms. They also tried to manufacture weapons. They wanted money to purchase arms and weapons. So they began to plunder the rich. They also snatched arms from them.

✒Appeal to the soldiers : The Babbars appealed to the Punjabi soldiers to take up their arms and work for the freedom movement.

✒Press Propaganda : The Babbars also brought out their newspaper named Babbar Akali Dal with a cyclostyle machine. It was resolved by the Babbars that the man who read this newspaper, would make the other five persons read it. This was the only subscription of this newspaper.

✒Killing of government supporters : The Babbars published a list of 179 persons in their newspaper whom they wanted to kill or reform. They informed such persons through the newspaper. Two or three Babbars went to the villages of such persons and killed them. They publicly took the responsibility of such killings on their shoulders. They had also encounters with the police.

✒Atrocities by the Government : The Government also resolved to kill the Babbars. Some of them were arrested and some were killed. More than a hundred Babbars were tried in the courts. On February 27, 1926, Jathedar Kishan Singh, Baba Santa Singh, Dharam Singh Hyatpura and some other Babbars were sentenced to death by hanging.

Though the Babbar Movement could not succeed in achieving it's aims yet it played an important role in the freedom movement of India.

More to know :-

•The Akalis Movement gave birth to the Babbar Akalis Movement.

•Kishan Singh Garhgajj was its founder.

•They formed their first Jatha which was called Chakkarwarti Jatha.

•The aim of the Babbar Akalis was to kill the enemies of their religion and the supporters of the English rule.