Some untold pages of history
Dedicated to the 150th commemoration day of Shaheed Fateh Singh Ji Bhat.
Within 10 years of the end of Sikh rule, the British had taken complete control of the Punjab and were beginning to influence the lives of the Punjabis through their political structures and policies. The chief's of Mahraja Ranjit Singh ji were subjugated by the British government by giving them large estates, land ownerships or they just went quite to their homes, saddened by the royal family's internal feuds.
The British government, in line with its "divide and rule" policy, by law approved the opening of abattoirs in the city of Amritsar to promote consumption of beef meat , which was strongly resented by the Hindu and Sikh population of the city while the majority of the Muslim community took full advantage of this cheap meat. Although the number of Sikhs in the city of Amritsar were less than ten per cent and the use of beef was not directly related to their religion, they were still not happy the way beef meat was also sold in predominantly Hindu areas, many Muslims also sided with Hindus and Sikhs on this issue to keep the community harmony and peace. No special attention was paid to the petitions made to the government, no concrete action was taken. The Hindu, Sikh high elites remained silent for fear of their properties being confiscated. The government further announced that it would allow some more butcher shops to open in the city, even one near Sri Darbar Sahib.
The Sikhs were already concerned about the unique divine sanctity and charm of Sri Darbar Sahib, as crows and eagles scraped animal bones from the trees around the Golden Temple due to the widespread consumption of meat in the area and were being thrown in the parkarma. When a Sikh, Bhai Deva Singh, brought this to the notice of the management of the Golden Temple, he was arrested and handed over to the police, and the government imprisoned him for three years. This is because the British government had indirectly taken over the management of Sri Darbar Sahib through its 1859 edict "Dastur ul Amal". The manager of Sri Darbar Sahib had to be loyal to the government, even the salaries of all the staff, including the ragi granthis, came from the DC office. If anyone protested, he would be fired.
In all the above circumstances, there was no religious or political party in the Punjab, so everyone had some hope of finding a solution to the issue from "Kuka sikhs" as Baba Ram Singh ji himself had served Maharaja Ranjit Singh army and was the leader of the Kuka movement. The Kuke Sikhs (who used to recite Gurbani aloud and therefore were called Kukas) were also staunch vegetarians and prayed for the protection of the poor in their daily prayers. They planned to attack the abattoir to challenge the government.
Fateh Singh Ji Bhat resident of Katra Kanaya Amritsar had his shop in front of Ram Bagh Courts. Some Kukas used to come to his shop often and he came under their influence as Fateh Singh Ji Bhat, was upset with the happenings in Amritsar city and especially the neglect shown by the British government towards Sri Darbar Sahib so he joined the kuka scheme. He also enlisted the help of his brother-in-law Hira Singh Ji to carry out this plan. Official documents at the time suggest that Hira Singh played a key role in the incident. He also tried to mislead the police after his arrest.
On 15 June 1871, Fateh Singh, along with the rest of the Kuka, Behla Singh Ji, Lahina Singh Ji, Hakam Singh Ji Patwari and others, challenged the British government, attacked the abattoir, killed its attendants and let the cows free. The incident caused chaos in the government for several months and led to several arrests. When Baba Ram Singh Ji got the news of this incident at Bhaini Sahib, he advised these Sikhs and said that innocent people would be hanged by the government and they would be remembered for this sacrifice no one will know the real truth. You should save the innocent by handing yourselves over to the government, they followed the advice and handed them selves to the police.
On the 15 September 1871, after taking a bath at Sri Darbar Sahib as per their last wish, the fodder were taken to Rambagh, to be hanged from a "Bohr tree" and the rest were sentenced to exile. The exact punishment of Hira Singh ji could not be ascertained.
Every year the Namdhari Sangat remembers these martyrs but today even after 150 years we have no information about Shaheed Fateh Singh Ji and Hira Singh ji or their family background. Apart from S. Jaswinder Singh Ji Namdhari, no concrete steps have been taken by any Namdhari Sangat to trace the whereabouts of these two Sikhs they have found family trees of other three "Shaheeds".
The Bhat Sikh community had also so far forgotten the sacrifices of these two Sikhs, the main reason for which is the controversy in the history of Sikhs and the Namdhari Sangat over the issue of Guruship of Jagat Jyot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji.
Shaheed Fateh Singh Ji Bhat was certainly influenced by his Kuke comrades, but like the rest of his Bhat Sikh community, he was completely devoted to the supremacy of Jagat Jyot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji and Sri Akal Takhat Sahib Ji, which is why to this day, no member of the Bhat Sikh community is associated with the Namdhari ideology.
"Gurdwara Bhat Sikh Council UK", in association with all Guru Nanak Naam Leva Sangats, pays homage to all the martyrs who have always received martyrs to uphold the divine sanctity of Sri Darbar Sahib Ji.
On 15th September 2021 at Gurdwara Sri Manji Sahib Diwan Hall, Sri Darbar Sahib ji where “Bhat Milap Divas” is being celebrated there is a prayer and tribute for the 150th martyrdom commemoration day of this humble character in Sikh history Shaheed Fateh Singh Ji Bhat, who has been forgotten so far in history.
Jasbir Singh Bhakar Peterborough UK Contact royaljb101@gmail.com
