Sangrur MP's terrorist jibe at Bhagat Singh drags him into another row on Jallianwala Bagh massacre

In calling Bhagat Singh a terrorist, Sangrur MP Simranjit Singh Mann dragged himself into another controversy.

After the terrorist jibe at Bhagat Singh last week, several sections dragged his family’s controversial past.

One such case was his maternal grandfather Giani Arur Singh, then British-appointed Sarbarah (in-charge) of the Golden Temple, honouring General Reginald Dyer with a “Siropa” at Akal Takht after the Jallianwala Bagh massacre in 1919.

As the criticism mounted, MP replied last Friday that his maternal grandfather honoured General Dyer to pacify his anger as the Britishers wanted to conduct aerial bombing in Amritsar.

“He did it to save the Golden Temple from bombing on the advice of then principal of Khalsa College GA Wathen,” he further claimed.

His latest statement aggravated the matter after the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Punjab claimed it was Mann’s attempt to white-wash his family's dubious past.  

AAP Punjab chief spokesperson Malwinder Singh Kang said in a statement released on Sunday that after calling legendary martyr Bhagat Singh a "terrorist", Mann has now disrespected the supreme sacrifice of hundreds of people who lost their lives in the Jallianwala Bagh massacre.

He said that Mann is justifying the act of his grandfather with dubious claims that Arur Singh did it to prevent General Dyer from attacking Sri Darbar Sahib, Amritsar.

The reality is that Arur Singh faced a revolt from Sikhs of Punjab as he was seen as a pro-British Sikh, after the ceremony at the Golden Temple.

He said that MP Mann should not attempt to white-wash his family's dubious past and should instead apologise for hurting the sentiments of the people. 'Because Punjabis know the truth and cannot be misled.'

Mann’s son hit back

While Mann could not be reached, his son, Emaan Singh Mann told NewsDrum that Mann saab had just described the state of mind of his maternal grandfather behind his action. He, in no way, had defended his action.

"Although Mann saab has nothing to do with his maternal grandfather’s action, despite this he apologised for it. Mann saab has time and again fully endorsed the heroic action of Shaheed Uddham Singh who avenged the Jallianwala Bagh massacre by killing Michael Francis O'Dwyer, (Governor of Punjab at the time of massacre)," he said.

He said General Dyer’s brutal action has been on the same level as the Indian government’s attack on Golden Temple in 1984, and the police brutality in killing hundreds of Sikh youths at that time

Emaan Singh further said AAP was making it an unnecessary issue to divert the focus from its follies. For Mann’s saab, the real issues are to save water rights of Punjab, to release the prisoned Sikhs and to ensure development of his constituency.

Historians say no merit in Mann’s latest statement 

So how do historians see Mann’s latest statement? Is there any factual sanctity to his statement?

Amandeep Bal, Professor and Head, Jallianwala Bagh Chair at Guru Nanak Dev University in Amritsar told Newsdrum that there is no merit in Mann’s statement.

Basically bomb scar apprehension in Amritsar and his maternal grandfather honouring General Dyer with Saropa were two separate incidents.   

 She said there was a massive buildup of people in several parts of Punjab in protest of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre.  Britishers planned aerial bombing to disperse the crowd. In fact, they dropped the bombs in Gujranwala, about 90 km from Amritsar, killing several people. But there was no bombing in Amritsar.

She said as far as the honour by Mann’s maternal grandfather to General Dyer is concerned, it took place several months later and appeared to have no connection with it.

“There is also no supporting document or evidence available to support Mann’s claims that Arur Singh’s action of honouring General Dyer was forced,” she said.

Bal added, “Mann saab, I remember, had already apologised for his maternal grandfather’s action. Now he appears to be defending him. Sahi Nahi Lagda (It does not look good now).

Meanwhile, Sukhdev Sohal, a former history professor at GNDU, also told Newsdrum that there is no recorded evidence to suggest that the then British empire put any such condition that they would destroy the golden temple if General Dyer was not honoured.

He said it has been well recorded in history that it became very difficult for the British Empire to handle global criticism after the Jallianwala Bagh massacre. General Dyer’s firing at a peaceful gathering there became an international issue.

Sohal said why they would have wanted to further aggravate the situation by bombing Golden Temple. Mann’s statement has no truth. Bombardment on Golden temple was just a rumour and had no evidence to suggest otherwise.