'Azad' Punjab Scheme and its Responses

 

'Azad' Punjab Scheme and its Responses

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The Demand for a Separate Sikh State was revived in 1942 when the Pakistan Scheme was being fervently discussed on an all India level. Following the Demand for a ‘Separate Sovereign State’ for the Muslims in the North-West of India, a delegation of the ‘Akali’ leaders. consisting of Baldev Singh, Ujjal Singh, Joginder Singh and Master Tara Singh met Stafford Cripps in 1942 and complained that their (Sikh) cause had been lamentably betrayed. Cripps advised them to bargain with both the Congress and the Muslim League (ML).

In an article in 1943 entitled “Azad Punjab Scheme” Master Tara Singh emphasized “this scheme was conceived to protect the Sikhs from the communal domination of the Muslims.”

Explaining the reason for this demand, Master Tara Singh stated that the Hindu and Muslim minorities could always look upon the provinces where their co-religionists were in a majority for security and protection of their rights, but the Sikhs did not enjoy similar position for they did not have majority anywhere.  

Master Tara Singh insisted upon this form of protection (Azad Punjab) until a better and more practicable form of protection was proposed.

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