Shiromani Akali Dal.—It was formed on December 14, 1920, for the proper control and management of the gurdwaras which were earlier treated by the mahants as their private property and suffered from all sorts of abuses. Subsequently, this religious body also assumed a political role, as a representative body of the Sikh, and played a vital role in the free dom struggle in collaboration with the Indian National congress.
The Akali Dal—a religio-policital body—commanded considerable influence in the district in the First General Elections (1952). In the Second General Elections (1957), the party entered into an election alliance with the Congress and did not contest any seat independently. In the Third General Elections (1962), the party improved its position in the district. In the Fourth General Elections (1967), the party considerably lessened the influence of the Congress—the rulling party.
In 1961, the Akali Dal was split up into two groups : Akali Dal (Master Tara Singh Group) and Akali Dal (Sant Fateh Singh Group). In course of time, the latter emerged as more powerful. After the mid-term poll in 1969, both the groups got reconciled and entered into an alliance for running the Government.
In the First General Elections (1952), the Akali Dal got 17 per cent votes out of the total valid votes for the Lok Sabha and 20.6 per cent votes out of the total polled votes for the Vidhan Sabha. In the Third General Elections (1962), the party got 17.2 per cent votes out of the total valid votes polled for the Vidhan Sabha. In the Fourth General Elections (1967), the party got 25.2 per cent (Sant Group) and 5.9 per cent (Master Group) votes out of the total valid votes polled for the Lok Sabha, and 25.3 per cent (Sant Group) and 0.1 per cent (Master Group) votes out of the total valid votes polled for the Vidhan Sabha. In the 1969 mid-term poll, the Akali Dal got 28.1 per cent votes out of the total valid votes polled for the Vidhan Sabha.
Jan Sangh.—It was formed in the district in 1951. It is an all-India party and stands for the maintenance of Indian traditions, polity. After the organization of the former Punjab Stte in 1966, the Sangh started taking independent stand on matters exclusively of State interest which its central unit would not condemn. The party enjoys influence in the Amritsar city. It has 53 branches in the urban areas and 48 in the rural areas. The membership of the party has gone up to 18,000. The party hs formed the Harijan Sangh for the betterment of Harijans, and the Kisan Sangh for the betterment of farmers.
In the First General Elections (1952), the party did not capture any seat. Only 2.2 per cent votes out of the total valid votes polled were secured by the party for the Vidhan Sabha. In the Second General Elections (1957), 2 Assembly seats were captured by it. The party got 18.18 per cent votes out of the total votes polled for the Lok Sabha and 11.6 per cent votes out of the total valid votes polled for the vidhan Sabha. In the Third General Elections (1962), the party won 2 Assembly seats. The party got 10.7 per cent votes out of the total valid votes polled for the Lok Sabha and 8.5 per cent votes out of the total valid votes polled for the Vidhan Sabha. In the Fourth General Elections (1967), one Lok Sabha seat and 3 Assembly seats were won by the party. It got 15.5 per cent votes of the total votes polled for the Lok Sabha and 11.5 per cent votes polled for the Vidhan Sabha. In the mid-term poll in 1969, the party got 9.1 per cent votes out of the total votes polled for the Vidhan Sabha.
Swatantra Party.—Born as a right-wing reaction to the socialism of the Congress Party, the Swatantra Party, which was actually founded by some stalwarts of the Congress, believes that social justice and welfare can be attained not by compulsion but by the Gandhian doctrine of trusteeship. Asa conservative political party, the Swatantra party favours the restriction of Stateism and the restoration of guarantee specified in the original Constitution regarding the freedom of trade, employment, property and just compensation for property, if acquired for public purposes.
At the all-India level, the party was formally inaugurated at a preparatory convention in Bombay in 1959 and its first convention was held in March, 1960.
The party contested the Third General Elections for the Vidhan Sabha seats and could not capture any. It got 3.2 per cent votes out of the total votes polled in the district. In the Fourth General Elections, the party contested only one Lok Sabha seat and got 4.6 per cent votes out of the total votes polled. In the mid-term poll in 1969, the party got a negligible percentage (only 86 votes) out of the total valid votes polled.
Republician Party.—This party is a reorganized form of the Scheduled Castes Federation. It s distinguishing feature is that unlike the parent political organization, it enrols non-Scheduled Castes also as its members. The party did not contest any Parliamentary/Assembly seat in any of the General Elections.
Communist Party of India.—It is an all-India Party established in the district in 1934 and stands for the State-controlled socialism. The party concentrates its activities among the workers and peasants, organizing them in their own unions in accordance with the party pattern. In 1962, at the time of the Chinese aggression, the party was divided into two groups, i.e. Communist Party of India and the Communist Party of India (Marxist). The latter does not recognize the Chinese attacks as an acto fo aggression, whereas the former group condemened the invasion outright . The Communist Party of India has a District Council, 13 Block Area Committees and 96 branches in the district, covering 400 villages.
In the First General Elections 1952), the party captured two Assembly seats. In the Second General Elections (1957) again, the party got two Assembly seats. In the Third General Elections (1962), the party got one Assembly seat. In the Fourth General Elections (1967), the party bagged two seats, one by the Communist Party of India and the other by the Communist Party of India (Marxist). In the First General Elections (1952), the party got 11.2 per cent of the total votes polled for the Lok Sabha and 15.1 per cent of the total votes polled for he Vidhan Sabha. In the Second General Elections (1957), the party got 29.30 per cent of the total valid votes polled for the Lok Sabha and 19.4 per cent of the total valid votes polled for the Vidhan Sabha. In the Third General Eelctions (1962), the party got 25 per cent of the total valid votes polled for the Lok Sabha and 10.1 per cent of the total valid votes polled for the Vidhan Sabha. In the Fourth General Elections (1967), the party got 3.3 per cent of the total valid votes polled for the Lok Sabha and 11 per cent of the total valid votes polled for the Vidhan Sabha. In the mid-term poll, the Communist Party of India got 6 per cent and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) 7 per cent of the total valid votes polled for the Vidhan Sabha.
Socialist/Praja Socialist Party.—The Socialists formed a separate wing of the Indian natinal Congress before the partition (1947). At that time, it was imperative for every member of the Congress Socialist group to enrol himself as a formal member of the Congress. The Socialist section separated from the main body of the Congress in 1948 and was organized in the district as a separate party in that very year. In 1954, the Socialist Party merged into the Kisan Mazdoor Praja party, with the new nomenclature of Praja Socialist Party. It was split up into two group—Praja Socialist and Socialist. In 1955, both the wings were merged into a larger party with the new name of Samyukt Socialist Party. Immediately afterwards, it was again split up into the Praja Socialist Party and the Socialist Party. The Praja Socialist Party has four branches in the district. It pleads the rights of the employees of the municipal committees, labour, Public-Health Services, Harijans, displaced persons, etc.
The party could not capture any seat either in the Lok Sabha or in the Vidhan Sabha in any of the General Elections. However, in the mid-term poll in 1968, one seat ws captured by the Praja Socialist party from the Amritsar city. In the First General Elections (1952), the party got 2.1 per cent of the total votes polled for the Vidhan Sabha. In the Second General Elections (1957), it got 1.5 per cent of the total valid votes polled for the Vidhan Sabha. In the Third General Elections (1962), it secured 2 per cent of the total valid votes polled for the Vidhan Sabha. In the Fourth General Elections (1967), the party got 2.8 per cent of the total valid votes polled. In the mid-term poll in 1969, the party got 3.1 per cent of the total valid votes polled for the Vidhan Sabha.
Besides the above-mentioned parties, the Ram Rajya Parishad, the Hindu Maha Sabha and the Forward Bloc have also been contesting elections for the Lok Sabha and the Vidhan Sabha seats. The number of votes polled by these parties was, however, negligible. No reference to their ideology and manifesto is, therefore, called for.
(c ) Newspapers and Periodicals
Newspapers and Periodicals Published in the District and Their Importance
The first periodical to start publication in the district was Khalsa Samachar in Punjabi in 1899. It was followed by Sanatan Dharam Parcharak in Urdhu in 1901. Thereafter were started Niguniara and Khalsa Advocate in Punjabi in 1903, followed by Dukh Niwaran in Punjabi in 1906. The most widely read Punjabi periodicals are Preet Lari, started in 1933, and Bal Sandesh, started in 1943. Both of these are published by a renowned Punjabi writer from Prit Nagar (Tahsil Ajnala). The other periodicals which started publication before the independence are Radiant Health in English in 1930, Bajrang in Urdu in 1935, Kanwal in Punjabi in 1940 and Sant Sipahi in Punjabi in 1945.
The important Punjabi periodicals, etc. started after the independence (1947) are : Sikh (daily) in 1948, Mahatma in 1950, Kavita in 1952, Balak in 1953, Gurmat in 1955, Gian Amrit in 1956, Nirmal Udesh in 1960, and Bharti Naari and Biba Rana both in 1962. The important Hindi periodicals started after 1947 are : Amar Kahaniyan in 1950, Bal Phulwari in 1959 and Advocate in 1963. An English quarterly, India Through Art, started publication in 1963.
The particulars in respect of newspapers and periodicals published in the district, as on April, 1968, are given below :
Serial Name of newspaper/ Place of Year when Circulation Language
No. periodical publication started
1 2 3 4 5 6
DAILIES
1. Sikh Amritsar 1948 1,500 Punjabi
2. Doctor Do 1960 2,500 English and Punajabi
3. Business Light Amrtsar 1959 204 Hindi
4. Indo-Afgar Trade Do 1965 — Do
5. Sindhi Aghotri Do 1957 — Do
WEEKLIES
6. Khalsa Samachar Amritsar 1899 2,211 Punjabi
7. Khalsa Advocate Do 1903 — Do
8. Mahatma Do 1950 — Do
9. Mera Punjab Do 1959 — Do
10. Nirmal Udesh Do 1960 400 Do
11. Pasmanand Jiwan Tarn Taran 1965 — Do
12. Punjab Patthar Do 1958 — Do
13. Punjab Mail Amritsar 1964 1,900 Do
14. Qaumi Jiwan Tarn Taran 1962 — Do
15. Qaumi Swatantar Baba Bakala 1962 1,000 Do
16. Ramgarhia Bir Amritsar 1963 755 Do
17. Sacha Sewak Do 1959 — Do
18. Sadhu Sandesh Do 1963 600 Do
19. Aal Tasvir Do 1965 — Do
20. Awami Leader Do 1965 — Do
21. Awami Tahrik Do 1960 250 Do
22. Bekhof Tarn Taran 1965 — Do
23. Desh Bhagat Amritsar 1965 253 Do
24. Itfaq Do 1962 — Do
Serial Name of newspaper/ Place of Year when Circulation Language
No. periodical publication started
1 2 3 4 5 6
25. Jag Beeti Do 1963 — Do
26. Sakandal Tarn Taran 1959 — Do
27. Sangathan Amritsar 1965 — Do
28. Satara-I-Hind Do 1963 — Do
29. Shakti Do 1948 200 Do
30. Tamancha Do 1961 — Urdu and Punjabi
31. Chitra Mala Do 1957 500 English, Hindi, Urdu and Punjabi
32. Sindi Aghotri Do 1953 — Sindhi
FORTNIGHTILIES
33. Punjab Market Amritsar 1959 5,600 English
34. Advocate Do 1963 — Hindi
35. Rang Lok Do 1965 — Do
36. Ghan Chakkar Do 1964/ — Punjabi
1965
37. Bajrang Do 1935 — Urdu
38. Sanatan Dharam Do 1901 1,546 Do
Parcharak
39. Shaheed-i-Watan Do 1963 — Hindi and
English
40. Panchayat Sansar Do 1963 — Urdu, Hindi and Punjabi
MONTHLIES
41. Radiant Health Amritsar 1930 — English
42. Science Review Do 1960 300 Do
43. Bahadur Jasoos Do 1964 — Hindi
44. Bal Phulwari Do 1959 1,376 Do
Serial Name of newspaper/ Place of Year when Circulation Language
No. periodical publication started
1 2 3 4 5 6
45. Jasoosi Mahol Do 1963 1,411 Do
46. Kailash Jyoti Do 1965 — Do
47. Market Way Do 1963 990 Do
48. Amar Kahaniyan Do 1950 8,800 Do
49. Amrit Wela Do 1963 — Do
50. Anmol Rattan Tarn Taran 1951 — Punjabi
51. Balak Amritsar 1953 1,650 Do
52. Bl Sandesh Do 1943 4,076 Do
53. Bharti Naari Do 1962 — Do
54. Biba Rana Do 1962 — Do
55. Daler Jasoos Do 1962 — Do
56. Dukh Niwaran Tarn Taran 1906 5,416 Do
57. Film Kala Amritsar 1955 5,360 Do
58. Filmi Bahar Do 1958 2,000 Do
59. Filmi Sansar Amritsar 1958 2,000 Do
60 Gian Amrit Do 1956 1,228 Do
61. Gurbani Science Do 1957 — Do
62. Gurmat Do 1955 2,000 Do
63. Gurmat Parkas Do 1957 2,000 Do
64. Himmat Samachar Do 1965 — Do
65. Jasoosi Duniya Do 1963 2,000 Do
66. Jasoosi Panja Do 1963 — Do
67. Kanwal Do 1940 1,998 Do
68. Kavita Do 1,952 3,337 Do
69. Komal Sansar Do 1953 600 Do
70. Mastana Do 1928 3,700 Do
71. Nirguniara Do 1928 3,700 Do
72. Phul Jhari Do 1960 2,000 Do
Serial Name of newspaper/ Place of Year when Circulation Language
No. periodical publication started
1 2 3 4 5 6
73. Preet Lari Prit
Nagar (District 1933 13,118 Do
Amritsar)
74. Sacha Premi Amritsar 1965 — Do
75. Sangat Samachar Do 1965 — Do
76. Sant Sipahi Do 1945 2,100 Do
77. Vedic Rattan Do 1964 353 Do
78. Vaidya Visharad Do 1952 800 Do
79. Anmol Rattan Tarn Taran 1954 — Urdu
80. Atam Katha Amritsar 1958 1,950 Do
81. Hiteshi Do 1953 — Do
82. Jasoosi Mahol Do 1963 1,008 Punjabi
83. Khukhrain Sandesh Do 1961 2,000 Do
84. Munnawar Do 1963 500 Do
85 Nigarish Do 1959 1,430 Urdu
86. Panch Bhoomi Do 1960 — Do
87. Postman Do 1951 99 Do
88. Rajpur Sandesh Do 1951 — Do
89. Textile Do 1960 — Do
90. Qanun Do 1953 1,932 Urdu and Punjabi
BIMONTHLIES
91. Amritsar Productivity Amritsar 1963 — English
Council Newsletter
QUARTERLIES
92. India Through Art Amritsar 1963 500 Do
93. Parkash Deep Do 1961 — English and Urdu
(Press Ind India, 1966, Part II, and 1967 II; and the District Public Relations Officer, Amritsar)
Newspapers and Periodicals Published
Outside but in Fairly Large Circulation in the Amritsar District
The following newspapers and periodicals, published outside the district, are in fairly large circulation in the district :
Serial Name of newspaper/ Place of Language Periodicity No. periodical publication
NEWSPAPERS
1. Tribune Chandigarh English Daily
2. Indian Express New Delhi Do Do
3. Times of India Do Do Do
4. Hidi Milap Jullundur City Hindi Do
5. Vir Pratap Do Do Do
6. Punjab Kesri Do Do Do
7. Ajit Do Punjabi Do
8. Akali Patrika Do Do Do
9. Nawan Zamana Do Do Do
10. Jathedar Do Do Do
11. Hind Samachar Do Urdu Do
12. Milap Do Do Do
13. Pratap Do Do Do
14. Pradeep Do Do Do
PERIODICALS
1. Illustrated Weekly of India Bombay English Weekly
2. Filmfare Do Do Fortnightly
3. Femina Do Do Do
4. Dharmyug Do Hindi Weekly
5. Sarita New Delhi Do Fortnightly
6. Sushma Do Do Monthly
7. Tasvir Jullundar city Punjabi Do
8. Drishti Do Do Do
9. Biswin Sadi Delhi Urdu Do
10. Sharma Do Do Do
(d) Voluntary Social Service Organizations
Organized social service at the State or community level in its present form is a modern development. Social welfare, according to the age-old traditions, was generally understood to be a form of charity shown by wealthy philanthropists in the shape of the construction of serais, the sinking of wells, the opening of dispensaries, etc. Against the above background, the scope of all present-day social-welfare activities remained extremely limited in the past. To a considerable extent, the joint-family system and the caste-system obviated the need for regular social-welfare organizations. The head of the joint-family was expected to look after all the members of the family. The caste-system also catered for the welfare of the members of different groups. Above all, every village by itself was a compact unit which was governed by its own panchayat. Under the old rural autonomy, little scope or necessity was left for the whole-time social-welfare organizations. Further, the life in the olden days was simple and human needs were not many. The local panchayats looked after the interests of the poor and needy as part of their moral duty. For instance, in the villages, the panchayats never allowed a money-lender to charge interest exceeding the principal or to attach the land of the cultivator in default of the payment of loan and thus deprive him of his means of subsistence. Panchayats used to persuade the money-lenders to remit the principal or not to charge the interest from widows and orphans who bread-winners had died while under debt. Such favourable conditions prevailed up to the advent of the British rule. The establishment of the centralized administration and the enforcement of law considerably reduced the social cohesion and left the people without any agency for social welfare. Moreover, the law under the British strengthened the hands of the money-lenders who could go to any extent without paying any heed to the moral pressure brought to bear on them by the panchayats. In the urban areas, as well, the chaudhris or mir mohalladars lost their influence of mediation and the law encouraged litigation, thereby rendering the poor more helpless.
The role played by the philanthropists and sardars in the district in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries is highly commendable. Five Sikh Gurus (the Second to the Sixth) had already left behind laudable traditions of charity and community kitchens (langar). This wholesome tradition also influenced the people in general. They built serais and sunk well. Thr rulers, particularly Maharaja Ranjit Singh, donated lakhs of rupees to the poor on different occasions of religious importance. Several akharas of the mahants were established where free kitchens were run and pilgrims or travellers could stay for a few days. Amritsar, with its religious traditions and prosperous commercial community, was renowned for its charitable community institutions. As compared with other district in the State, Amritsar had the maximum number of such institutions in the nineteenth century. Even to this day, this district can boast of more welfare institutions than any other district.
The present form of voluntary organizations came into existence after the advent of the British. The branches of international organizations, e.g. the Red Cross Society and the Rotary Club, were started in the city during the present century. On similar lines, the Institute for the Blind, the Chief Khalsa Diwan Orphanage, the Pingalwara, the Sewa Samiti, etc were started by religious bodies or voluntary organizations through contributions. The Bharat Sewak Samaj is a voluntary social service organization under the Congress patronage. The Government also gives grants to these organizations. The Christian missionaries are running a leprosy centre near Tarn Taran. Some of the notable voluntary social services organizations in the district are briefly described below :
(i)
The Indian Red Cross Socity (Disrict
Branch), Amritsar
The Amritsar District Red Cross Branch and its allied institutions, i.e. St John Ambulance Association and Hospital Welfare Section, were constituted in 1948 after the partition. The branch runs ten trained Dal Centres in the rural areas of the district for the welfare of the female population. The branch also runs an Urban Family-Planning Centre in Dhab Wasti Ram, Amritsar.
St John Ambulance Association.—This Branch receives Rs 10,000 from the parent body, i.e. the Red Cross Society, for holding First-Aid and Home-Nursing Classes and for the equipment of the Ambulance Nursing Division.
The Branch has 85 Ambulance Nursing and Cadet Divisions. They render service by establishing First-Aid Posts in the district and also outside the district, i.e. at Anandpur Sahib, Kurukshetra and Hardwar. This branch maintains an ambulance van and plies on public calls at nominal rates. The branch also runs 95 well-furnished First-Aid Posts, out of which 65 are in the urban and 30 in the rural areas.
Hospital Welfare Section.—it has 150 lady members, out of which 16 are called conveners. They visit hospitals twice a week. Relief article are distributed in the hospitals through these conveners. They also render social service by knitting woollen garments for distribution among the poor.
The blood groups of the members are also taken. They are available for donating blood in the event of an emergency.
General Activities for the Welfare of the Poor.—The Red Cross Society spends a good amount on free distribution of medicines, through lady conveners of the Hospitals Welfare Section, in hospitals/wards, e.g. the T.B. Free Hospital, and the Ram Lal Eye and E.N.T. Hospital, at Amritsar.
Woollen and cotton clothes, approximately worth Rs 5,000, are distributed by the society annually among the poor. Relief articles, old and new, received from the headquarters of the Indian Red Cross Society, are also distributed at the time of a national calamity. Besides, sewing-machines, artificial limbs, steel jackets, and calipers are distributed among the poor.
The society are gives grant-in-aid to the Bhartiya Grameen Mahila Samity, Amritsar Branch; the Indian Council for Child Welfare, District Branch, Amritsar; the Saket Coucil of Orthopaedically Handicapped Children, Chandimandir; and the District Education Officer, Amritsar, for the Indira Holiday Camp.
Miscellaneous Work.—The society distributes transistors for the jawans of the Border Security Force pickets on demand.
Up to 1968, the society had 3 life members, 5 life associates, 26 annual members and 4,058 annual associates.
The expenditure incurred by the society is met from public contributions and a grant from the Government.