HARBHAGAT SINGH NARANGWAL

Giani Harbhagat Singh (28.2.1901 – 30.4.1994), son of Bhai Inder Singh, was born at Narangwal (district Ludhiana). In 1927, he became a teacher at Malwa High School, Ludhiana. In 1939, he was arrested for giving a speech again the British government. In 1942-45, the Sikhs held Kuka Kufar Tor conferences to condemn blasphemous acts of the Mandarins, who had begun claiming continuation of succession of living Guru-ship in Sikhism; and had committed sacrilege of Guru Granth Sahib by Party Path [reading hymns by separating all pages of Guru Granth Sahib]. Giani Harbhagat Singh was one of the major leaders of this movement. In 1942 and 1943, he was the stage secretary of these conferences. In 1952, he was elected to the S.G.P.C. He participated in the Punjabi Suba Zindabad agitation (1955) and remained in jail for several months. In 1979, he became an associate of the Dal Khalsa. In 1979, when Dal Khalsa and the Sikh Students Federation decided to contest the S.G.P.C. election, on a united front, he was appointed Chairman of Parliamentary Board. Later, he was selected as Much Punch (member of Presidium) of the Dal Khalsa. On May 1, 1982, the Dal Khalsa was declared an unlawful organisation. He resigned Dal Khalsa and joined the Akali Dal. During the Dharam Iud Mocha (1982-83), he courted arrest. He was arrested again in 1988. In April 1994 he fell ill and was admitted to the P.G.I. where he died.

(Dr Harjinder Singh Dilgeer)