Pagri Sambal Jatta

Why in news?

• As part of the ongoing farmers’ protest, the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) is celebrating February 23 as ‘Pagri Sambhal Diwas’, where it has asked supporters across the globe to wear a green pagri/dupatta and post their pictures on social media, with the hashtag ‘Go green for farmers’.

About Pagri Sambal Jatta:

• Pagri Sambhaal Jatta was a successful farm agitation that forced the British government to repeal three laws related to agriculture back in 1907.
• Bhagat Singh’s uncle Ajit Singh was the force behind this agitation, and he wanted to channel people’s anger over the farm laws to topple the colonial government.
• The three farm-related acts at the centre of the storm in 1907 were the Punjab Land Alienation Act 1900, the Punjab Land Colonisation Act 1906 and the Doab Bari Act.
• These acts would reduce farmers from owners to contractors of land, and gave the British government the right to take back the allotted land if the farmer even touched a tree in his field without permission.
• Amid resentment against the laws, Bhagat Singh’s father Kishan Singh and uncle Ajit Singh, with their revolutionary friend Ghasita Ram, formed Bharat Mata Society, aiming to mobilise this unrest into a revolt against the British government.
• Working hard to prepare the ground for the agitation against the three laws, they organised meetings in Lahore, addressed mostly by Kishan Singh and Ghasita Ram.
• Activists were sent especially to Lyallpur district to explain the three laws and their fallout to the public.

How the agitation got its name

• Ajit Singh persuaded Congress leader Lala Lajpat Rai to come on the stage during a rally in Lyallpur in March 3, 1907 to protest against the laws.
• Initially, Lala ji was not willing to join the agitation due to his assumptions that the movement was not limited to the farm agitation, which was true to an extent, as Ajit Singh did want to use it to revolt against the British.
• “Lala was first hesitant in addressing the meeting but people shouted that they were anxious to listen to him. Seeing the public enthusiasm, he made one of his finest speeches, full of eloquence and spirit,” Ajit Singh wrote in his biography.
• Immediately afterwards, Banke Dayal, Editor of Jhang Sayal, read the historic song ‘Pagrhi sambhaal oh Jatta’, which became the anthem of the agitation.
• The agitation couldn’t remain non-violent. Ajit Singh was booked for sedition after his speech at a public meeting in Rawalpindi on April 21, 1921.
• Violence erupted soon afterwards and there were riots in Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, Lahore, etc.
• British government repealed the three controversial laws in May 1907.

PRELIMS QUESTION

Consider the following statements regarding Pagri Sambal Jatta movement:
1.It was led by Bal Gangadhara Tilak.
2.It was related to anti-farmer laws passed by British government.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a)1 only
(b)2 only
(c)Both 1 and 2
(d)Neither 1 nor 2

Answer to Prelims Question