University Institute of Legal Studies, Chandigarh

History Project

Crisis of national unity in India with special referance to Punjab

Punjabi Nationalism

Roll No.- 11/19

Submitted to: 2nd semester

Prof. Sasha Tandon Section- A

University Institute of Legal Studies

Chandigarh

Submitted
by: Manika

1
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

In preparation of my assignment, I had to take the help and guidance of some respected
people, who deserve my deepest gratitude. I would like to express my special thanks of
gratitude to the director Prof. Rattan Singh and my teacher Prof. Sasha Tandon and who gave
me the golden opportunity to do this wonderful project on the topic Education during the
colonial period, which also helped me in doing a lot of research and I came to know about so
many new things. I am really thankful to them. I would also like to thank my parents and my
batch mates who have made valuable comment suggestions on my paper which gave me an
inspiration to improve the quality of the assignment.

I would also like to expand my gratitude to all those who have directly and indirectly guided
me in writing this assignment.

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INTRODUCTION

The language punjabi is widely spoken in the world. Punjabis are spread across the various
parts of the world. This group of people have a long history of struggle which at the end
helped them attain their rights. Punjabi nationalism in other words Punjabiyat is a point of
view that states that Punjabi speaking people are themselves a nation and promotes the
cultural and traditional unity of Punjabis and the diverse ethnic people who inhabit the ethno-
linguistic region of the Punjab and near Punjab. The Father of Punjabi nationalism is Baba
Sheikh Farid.1 

Ever since Pakistan’s thunderous birth in August 1947, much has been written and said about
the topic of ethnic nationalism(s) by various scholars, freedom fighters, nationalists, patriots,
historians in the country. This has always been and will remain a thorny, sensitive and
controversial subject because elements advocating the importance of exhibiting nationalism
based on the linguistic and cultural injunctions of an ethnic community have always been
dealt with suspicion by the state of Pakistan and India individually and jointly.2

RISE OF PUNJABI NATIONALISM

Punjabi nationalism started with the onset of 18th century which lead to the act of uniting by
natural affinity, love and attraction of the various tribes, castes and the inhabitants of the the
area in question here Punjab into a broader common "Punjabi", when the "Sikh Empire with
Secular Punjabi Rule" was established under the leadership of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. Prior
to this the sense and perception of a common "Punjabi" ethno-cultural identity and
community to which all the people belonged did not exist, in spite of the fact the majority of
the various communities of the Punjab had long shared linguistic, cultural and racial
commonalities.

Actually, after capturing and conquering the Punjab by the Mahmud Ghaznavi in 1022 after
defeating the Raja Tarnochalpal, from centuries, Punjab was under continuous attack by the
foreign Muslim invaders. Before invasions of Ahmad Shah Durrani, the Mughals were the
invaders of Punjab. Punjabi tribes, castes and the inhabitants of Punjab revolted against them,
but in a personal capacity and without uniting by the natural affinity of Punjabi people.
1
 Dixit, Kanak Mani (2020-03-09). "Two Punjabs, one South Asia". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X.
Retrieved 2020-03-09.
2
https://scroll.in/article/731375/pakistani-scholars-come-to-grips-with-another-ethnic-ideology-punjabi-
nationalism

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However, Punjabi Sufi Saints were in a struggle to awaken the consciousness of the people of
Punjab. Guru Nanak condemned the theocracy of Mughal rulers and was arrested for
challenging the acts of barbarity of the Mughal emperor Babar. Shah Hussain approved Dulla
Bhatti's revolt against Akbar as; Kahay Hussain Faqeer Sain Da - Takht Na Milday Mungay.

During the late 18th century, due to lacking in unity by the natural affinity of the various
tribes, castes and the inhabitants of the Punjab into a broader common "Punjabi" identity,
after the decline of the Mughal Empire, led the Punjab region into a lack of governance. In
1747, the Durrani Empire was established by the Ahmad Shah Abdali in Afghanistan,
therefore, Punjab saw frequent invasions by the Ahmad Shah Abdali. The great Punjabi poet
Baba Waris Shah said of the barbaric and brutal situation that; "Khada Peeta Lahy Da, Baqi
Ahmad Shahy Da" ("We Have Nothing With Us Except What We Eat And Wear, All Other
Things Are For Ahmad Shah").3

In the result of spiritual grooming and moral character building of Punjabi people by the
Punjabi Saints and Punjabi poets like; Baba Farid - 12th-13th century, Damodar - 15th
century, Guru Nanak Dev -15th - 16th century, Guru Angad - 16th century, Guru Amar Das -
15th - 16th century, Guru Ram Das - 16th century, Shah Hussain - 16th century, Guru Arjun
Dev - 16th - 17th century, Bhai Gurdas - 16th - 17th century, Sultan Bahu - 16th-17th
century, Guru Tegh Bahadur - 17th century, Guru Gobind Singh - 17th century, Saleh
Muhammad Safoori - 17th century, Bulleh Shah - 17th-18th century, Waris Shah - 18th
century and due to frequent invasions by the foreign invaders, at last, by the Ahmad Shah
Abdali, stimulated the natural affinity of Punjabi people, taught the lesson to the various
tribes, castes and the inhabitants of the Punjab and forced them to unite into a broader
common "Punjabi" identity. Therefore, Punjabi nationalism started to initiate in the people of
the land of five rivers to defend their land, to protect their wealth, to save their culture and
retain their respect by ruling their land and governing the people of their nation by their own
self.

In the late 18th century, during frequent invasions of the Durrani Empire, the Sikh Misls were
in close combat with the Durrani Empire, but they began to gain territory and eventually
the Bhangi Misl captured the Lahore. When Zaman Shah invaded Punjab again in 1799,
Maharaja Ranjit Singh was able to make gains in the chaos. He defeated Zaman Shah in a
battle between Lahore and Amritsar. Lahore was a Muslim Punjabi community and Hindu
Punjabi community majority city, but the citizens of Lahore encouraged by Sada
3
https://www.thenews.com.pk/tns/detail/558941-a-case-of-punjabi-nationalism

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Kaur offered him the city and Maharaja Ranjit Singh was able to take control of it in a series
of battles with the Bhangi Misl and their allies.4

Beside the fact that, in 1800 century, religious ratio of Punjabi people in Punjab was
48% Muslim Punjabis, 43% Hindu Punjabis, 8% Sikh Punjabis and 1% others, but due to
attraction of the various tribes, castes and the inhabitants of the Punjab into a broader
common "Punjabi" identity and uniting by natural affinity of "Punjabi Nationalism", Punjab
was a secular regime, Punjabi was a secular nation and after throwing out the Muslim Mughal
invaders of Punjab from Delhi, India and Muslim Afghan invaders of Punjab from Kabul,
Afghanistan, a Sikh Punjabi, Maharaja Ranjit Singh was the ruler of Punjab, which provided
the boost to the already initiated Punjabi nationalism.

FALL OF PUNJABI NATIONALISM

Lahore was the then capital of Punjab under the rule of Maharaja Ranjit Singh and he
expanded the Sikh Empire to the Khyber Pass and also included Jammu and Kashmir in it.
He was also successful in keeping the British from expanding across the River Sutlej for
more than 40 years which is a prominent history of Punjab. After his death in 1839 the
internecine fighting between the Sikhs and several rapid forfeitures of territory by his sons,
along with the intrigues of the Dogras and two Anglo-Sikh wars, eventually led to British
control of the Lahore Darbar in 1849.

As, after Bengali nation and Hindi-Urdu Speaking UP, CP people of Gunga Jamuna culture,
Punjabi was the third biggest nation in South Asia and for the British, Punjab was a frontier
province of British India because, Punjab had boundaries with Afghanistan and China.
Therefore, to rule the South Asia, the prime factor for the British rulers was to control the
Punjab by dominating or eliminating the Punjabi nation.

British rulers were well aware of the fact that, they succeeded to capture the Punjab but they
has not concurred the Punjabi nation. Therefore, British rulers imposed martial law in Punjab
to govern Punjab and due to a fear from Punjabi nationalism; British rulers started to
eliminate the Punjabi nation into fractions by switching over the characteristics of Muslim
Punjabi, Hindu Punjabi, and Sikh Punjabi from “ Affinity of Nation to Emotions of
Religion”.5

For demolishing the nationalism and promoting the religious fundamentalism in the Punjab,
British rulers, not allowed the Punjabis to use their mother tongue as an educational and
4
https://www.quora.com/What-do-you-know-about-Punjabi-Nationalism-in-India-and-Pakistan
5
https://defence.pk/pdf/threads/the-other-punjab-punjabi-nationalism-over-the-years.422988/

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official language. Therefore, the British rulers first introduced the Urdu as an official
language in Punjab and they brought the Urdu-speaking Muslim Mullahs and Hindi-speaking
Hindu Pundits from UP, CP to Punjab for the purpose of educational teaching of Punjabi
people along with, UP, CP bureaucracy, and establishment for the purpose of Punjab
administration.

It resulted in the supremacy of UP-ites and UP-ite mindsets in policy making and decision
taking in national affairs and foreign relationship of the Punjabi nation, managed, motivated
and sponsored by the British rulers to eliminate the Muslim, Sikh, Hindu and Christian
Punjabis into different religions and languages to secure their rule over last captured land and
martial race of the subcontinent.

As a result, the Punjabi nation became a socially and politically depressed and deprived
nation due to the domination of Urdu-Hindi language, the hegemony of Gunga Jumna culture
and the supremacy of UP-ite traditions.

However, despite all the efforts of British rulers to demolish and eliminate the Punjabi nation,
due to the struggle of Punjabi nationalists during British rule in India, beside the dissimilarity
of religion, because of natural affinity on ground of similar language, culture and tradition,
Muslim Punjabi, Hindu Punjabi, Sikh Punjabi and Christian Punjabi were still a nation.
Religion was a personal subject for building the moral character and spiritual development
for the life of the hereafter. Punjabi nationalism was a subject for the worldly life affairs.
Whereas, clans moreover, communities were the institutions for social interaction and charity
work. Punjab was a secular region, the Punjabi language was a respectable language, Punjabi
culture was an honorable culture and the Punjabi nation was a wealthy nation in the British
India.

In the 19th century, due to politics of congress, dominated by the Hindi speaking, UP-ite
Hindu leaders of UP, CP, Hindu Punjabi's started to prefer the Hindi language instead of
Punjabi by declaring the Hindi as a language of Hindus and started to become clones of
Gunga Jumna culture and traditions with the loss of their own Punjabi identity. Later on,
Muslim Punjabi's did the same and started to become the clones of Gunga Jumna culture and
traditions with the loss of their own Punjabi identity, because of preferring the Urdu language
upon Punjabi by declaring the Urdu as a language of Muslims, due to the influence of the
Muslim League, dominated by the Urdu speaking, UP-ite Muslim leaders of UP, CP and
presence of UP-ite Muslims in Punjab.6
6
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BtaFxhM-qUM

6
As a consequence of preferring Hindi language by Hindu Punjabi's by declaring the Hindi as
a language of Hindus and preferring the Urdu language by the Muslim Punjabi's by declaring
the Urdu as a language of Muslims, the characteristics of assimilation to accomplish the
sociological instinct started to switch over from “ Affinity of Nation to Emotions of Religion”
and “A Great Nation of Sub-Continent Got Divided on Ground of Religion with Partition of
Punjab and Got Emerged into Muslim and Hindu States, Pakistan and India”.

Hence, it started the fall of Punjabi nation and Punjabi people started to receive the reward of
hate and regret from every honorable nation, in addition, the humiliation, loathing, and abuse
from Hindi-Urdu speaking persons too.

This was the punishment of Punjabi's for not respecting their motherland, language, culture,
and traditions, due to avoiding, ignoring and rejecting the act of unity by natural affinity and
attraction of the various tribes, castes and the inhabitants of the Punjab into a broader
common "Punjabi" identity.7

Therefore, since the partition of British India, socially and politically, the Punjabi nation is a
confused, depressed and deprived nation due to "Dilemma of Division of Punjab and Punjabi
Nation", "Trauma of Massacre of 2 Million Punjabis" and " Shock of World Largest Mass
Migration". Therefore, Punjabi's are hanging to relocate their ideology that; The dominant
factor of their identity should be their nation? The dominant factor of their identity should be
their religion? The dominant factor of their identity should be their state?

REVIVAL OF PUNJABI NATIONALISM

After the division of British India with the creation of Pakistan, the Muslim Punjabi
community of Punjabi nation and Christian Punjabi community of Punjabi nation opted
Pakistan as their state, whereas, the Hindu Punjabi community of Punjabi nation and Sikh
Punjabi community of Punjabi nation opted India as their state.

Pakistani Muslim Punjabis are the majority population of Pakistan and they have total control
on the agricultural sector, trade sector, industrial sector, educational institutions, skilled
professions, media organizations, political organizations, civil bureaucracy, the military
establishment and foreign affair institutions of Pakistan. However, since the creation of
Pakistan, Pakistani Muslim Punjabis have felt uncomfortable and upset due to the insulting
attitude and behavior with Pakistani Muslim Punjabis regarding social respect and regard of
Punjabi people by the non-Punjabi Muslims, victimization with the Punjabis

7
https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007%2F978-1-349-11556-3_2

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in Sind, Karachi, Baluchistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, hurdles in socioeconomic stability
of the Pakistani Muslim Punjabi community in Pakistan, conspiracies in the prosperity and
integrity of Punjab by the non-Punjabi Muslims of Pakistan.8

Many times, Punjabi nationalists tried to gather and unite the Pakistani Muslim Punjabis for
the struggle to achieve the goal of social respect and regard of Punjabi people, for fair
treatment with the Pakistani Muslim Punjabis in Sind, Karachi, Baluchistan and Khyber
Pakhtunkhwa, to remove the obstacles in socioeconomic stability of Pakistani Muslim
Punjabis, to counter the conspiracies in prosperity and integrity of Punjab. However, the
effort of uniting Pakistani Muslim Punjabis without stimulating awareness of their Punjabi
identity in Punjabi masses and without providing them the consciousness of their Punjabi
ideology, the effort of Punjabi nationalists always remained frail, fruitless and useless.

However, now it seems that Punjabi nationalists are succeeded in stimulating awareness of
Punjabi identity in Pakistani Muslim Punjabi masses, therefore, now Punjabi nationalists are
in the struggle to promote Punjabi language, culture, and traditions, along with, demand from
Government of Punjab to implement Punjabi as an educational and official language of
Punjab. But, it is an initial stage.

Punjabi nationalists are required to move forward and relocate the ideology of Punjabi nation
too. Because, ideology is an orientation that characterizes the thinking of a group or nation
and due to becoming clones of Urdu speaking, Gunga Jumna culture, people of UP, CP,
Pakistani Muslim Punjabis had lost their characteristic of thinking as a Punjabi and they
became addicted to acting as a Pakistani Muslim only by ignoring or withdrawing from their
natural Punjabi affinity.9

As the nation, religion, and state are realities, because their functions, intentions, principles,
purposes, reasons, rules, and utilities are different, therefore, now Punjabi nationalists are
required to provide the consciousness of Punjabi ideology too, to the Pakistani Muslim
Punjabi masses, that;10

1. They are inhabitants of the historic land of five rivers called as Punjab, their language
is Punjabi, their culture is Punjabi and they attain the Punjabi traditions, therefore,
without discrimination of race, color, creed or religion, they are Punjabi and they are

8
https://www.himalmag.com/the-idea-of-punjabiyat/
9
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Punjabi_Language_Movement
10
https://www.facebook.com/HSUSH.Official/posts/why-punjabi-nationalism-is-a-vital-need-of-
pakistanpunjabi-nationalism-is-a-solu/871197819679540/

8
 the part of Punjabi nation. That's why, as a Punjabi and being the largest population in
the 9th biggest nation and Punjabi speaking population of the world and the 3rd
biggest nation of South Asia, they are supposed to build up the respectable social,
economic and political interaction with other religious communities of the Punjabi
Nation, as well as, political stability, economic growth and social respect of their
nation in the worldly life affairs.

2. They follow the teachings of Islam, therefore, without discrimination of race, color,
creed or nation, they are Muslim and they are the part of Muslim Ummah. That's why,
as a Muslim Punjabi and being the 3rd largest ethnic community in the Muslim
Ummah, they are supposed to practice Islam for their moral character building and the
spiritual development of the life of the hereafter, moreover, respectable social,
economic and political interaction with other ethnic communities of the Muslim
Ummah.11

3. They are the citizens of Pakistan, therefore, without discrimination of race, color,
creed or nation, they are Pakistani and they are the part of the Pakistani State (A state
composed of the area of Indus Valley Civilization). That's why, as a Pakistani Muslim
Punjabi and being the largest ethnic population in Pakistan, they are supposed to take
part in the political stability, economic growth and social respect of their state
Pakistan, furthermore, respectable social, economic and political interaction with other
ethnic communities of Pakistan.12

After division of British India with creation of Pakistan, the Christian Punjabi community of
Punjabi nation also opted the Pakistan as their state, therefore, revival of Punjabi nationalism
in the biggest religious community in Punjabi nation, i.e.; Muslim Punjabi community of
Punjabi nation will directly benefit the Christian Punjabi community of Punjabi nation due to
creation of atmosphere and circumstances to accelerate the respectable social, economic and
political interaction of Punjabi Muslims with the Punjabi Christians because, both the
communities are part of same nation. For the purpose, Pakistani Christian Punjabis are
required to determine that;

11
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/17448727.2010.484139
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Punjabi_nationalism#:~:text=Punjabi%20nationalism%20or%20Punjabiyat
12

%20is,the%20Father%20of%20Punjabi%20nationalism.

9
 1. They are inhabitants of the historic land of five rivers called as Punjab, their language
is Punjabi, their culture is Punjabi and they attain the Punjabi traditions, therefore,
without discrimination of race, color, creed or religion, they are Punjabi and they are
the part of Punjabi nation. That's why, as a Punjabi and being the largest population in
the 9th biggest nation and Punjabi speaking population of the world and the 3rd
biggest nation of South Asia, they are supposed to build up the respectable social,
economic and political interaction with other religious communities of the Punjabi
Nation, as well as, political stability, economic growth and social respect of their
nation in the worldly life affairs.13
2. They follow the teachings of Lord Jesus Christ, therefore, without discrimination of
race, color, creed or nation, they are Christian and they are the part of Christian
Ummah. That's why, as a Christian Punjabi, they are supposed to practice Christianity
for their moral character building and the spiritual development of the life of the
hereafter, moreover, respectable social, economic and political interaction with other
ethnic communities of the Christian Ummah.

3. They are the citizens of Pakistan, therefore, without discrimination of race, color,
creed or nation, they are Pakistani and they are the part of the Pakistani State (A state
composed of the area of Indus Valley Civilization). That's why, as a Pakistani
Christian Punjabi and being the largest ethnic population in Pakistan, they are
supposed to take part in the political stability, economic growth and social respect of
their state Pakistan, furthermore, respectable social, economic and political interaction
with other ethnic communities of Pakistan14.

The Pakistani Muslim Punjabi community of Punjabi nation and Christian Punjabi
community of Punjabi nation are the 60% population of Pakistan and Punjabis has total
control on the agricultural sector, trade sector, industrial sector, educational institutions,
skilled professions, media organizations, political organizations, civil bureaucracy, military
establishment and foreign affair institutions of Pakistan. But, due to only 2% population of
India, the Hindu Punjabi community of Punjabi nation and Sikh Punjabi community of
Punjabi nation is not in a position to dominate the state of India. However, to participate in
the revival of Punjabi nationalism, Indian Hindu Punjabi community of Punjabi nation and

13
https://asia.nikkei.com/Opinion/Pakistan-will-regret-stirring-up-Sikh-nationalism-in-India2
14
https://www.jstor.org/stable/4373424?seq=1#metadata_info_tab_contents

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Indian Sikh Punjabi community of Punjabi nation is also required to determine their role; 1.
As a Punjabi 2. As a Hindu/Sikh Punjabi. 3. As an Indian Hindu/Sikh Punjabi.15

PUNJABI NATIONALISTS MOVEMENT

In 1947 after Partition of Punjab into Indian Punjab state and Pakistani Punjab province there
were some several movements for protection of Punjabiyat in both Punjabs.16

Punjabi nationalism in East Punjab

Punjabi Suba movement was aimed at creation of a Punjabi-majority subah ("province") in

the Punjab region of India in the 1950s. This movement resulted in Punjabi-majority state in
India on 1967. There are still cold movements to end discrimination to Punjabi language
implement it in Punjabi majority areas like Chandigarh, Haryana, Delhi, Uttar
Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and many institutes like schools-colleges in Punjab state itself
where Punjabi language is ignored. Punjabi language dialects like Bauria, Bazigari, Bhand,
Dhaha, Gojri, Lahanda, Lubana, Odi, Rai Sikhi and Sansi are also becoming extinct in
Punjab, India. There is Hindi imposition since 1950s and 1960s in state against Punjabi
language. Despite a rich heritage of Punjabi literature, Punjabi Television serial industry in
Indian Punjab has totally disappeared. In 2008 by a landmark decision, the Punjab
government and Punjab Legislative Assembly legislated the Punjab Languages (Amendment)
Act, 2008 to make the study of Punjabi compulsory up to class tenth in Government and
private schools applying equally to the schools affiliated to the Punjab School Education
Board (PSEB), Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) and Indian Certificate of
Secondary Education (ICSE) throughout Punjab and all the official work in the government
offices and semi-government institutions would be carried on in Punjabi. All official
correspondence and the official work in all Colleges and Universities in the state would also
be carried in the Punjab Language. In Punjab, there is successful youth movement to make
Punjabi language visible on sign board. and against Hindi imposition at public spaces across
the state.

Punjabi nationalism in West Punjab

In Pakistani Punjab province, Punjabi Language Movement is a linguistic movement in

aimed at reviving the Punjabi language, art, culture and literature in Pakistan. There are
15
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/34259997_Religion_and_nationalism_in_India_The_case_of_the_Pu
njab_1960-1990
16
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/14662043.2013.867689

11
several attempts going on by Punjabi society for implementation of Punjabi language as it is
completely ignored by authorities in Punjab province. Urdu is preferred medium of education
in local schools-colleges as well as Government paperwork which is threatening for survival
of Punjabi language in Punjab, Pakistan.17 In September 2015, a case was filed in Supreme
Court of Pakistan against Government of Punjab, Pakistan as it did not take any step to
implement Punjabi language in the province. Pakistani Punjabi language film industry is in
crisis as filmmakers were not producing Punjabi language films like before 1975 Punjabi
films ruled in film industry of Pakistan. Television Channels from Lahore (Punjab's capital
city) are all in Urdu instead of Punjabi. In August 2015, Pakistan Academy of Letters,
International Writer's Council (IWC) and World Punjabi Congress (WPC)
organised Khawaja Farid conference and demanded Punjabi University should be established
in Lahore and Punjabi language should be declared as the medium of instruction at the
primary level. In Lahore, every year thousands of punjabis gather on International Mother
Language Day demanding education in Punjabi and protesting against the Urdu-isation of
Punjab.18

PAN-NATIONALIST PUNJABI REUNIFICATION

Bhajan Lal proposed the idea of the Punjab Reunification under Hindi language, in which the
modern Indian states of Punjab, Haryana, and Himachal Pradesh would reunify into a single
Punjab state within India, with its borders corresponding to the former East Punjab state. It
was unacceptable to Sikhs and punjabi lovers. The idea of the reunification of these states
with the area corresponding to West Punjab has not been one that has been heavily
contemplated apart from the context of Indian reunification in general.19

CONCLUSION
Punjabi nationalism is a historic event because it happened just after the partition of the
country. Punjabiyat movement was also the remarkable event because unification of the
people on the basis of the language and the culture.

17
https://punjab.global.ucsb.edu/sites/default/files/sitefiles/journals/volume19/no2/Singh.pdf
18
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/how-did-pakistan-where-pu_b_12711010
19
http://www-lib.tufs.ac.jp/opac/en/recordID/catalog.bib/BA20878747

12
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