Central Sikh League was a political party of the

Sikh Sikhs (singular Sikh: or ; , ) are an ethnoreligious group who adhere to Sikhism, a religion that originated in the late 15th century in the Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent, based on the revelation of Guru Nanak. The term ''Si ...

s. It was founded in

Amritsar Amritsar, also known as Ambarsar, is the second-List of cities in Punjab, India by population, largest city in the India, Indian state of Punjab, India, Punjab, after Ludhiana. Located in the Majha region, it is a major cultural, transportatio ...

on 19 December 1919. The First Leader/President was Sardar Bahadur Sardar Gajjan Singh.

History

The main objectives and aims of the league were the attainment of Indian independence and the promotion of

Khalsa Panth The term ''Khalsa'' refers to both a community that follows Sikhism as its religion,Khalsa: Sikhism< ...

. The league sought representation of the Sikh community in the Punjab Legislative Council, removal of restriction on carrying of

Kirpan The kirpan (; pronunciation: Help:IPA/Punjabi, ɪɾpaːn is a blade that Khalsa Sikhs are required to wear as part of their religious uniform, as prescribed by the Rehat, Sikh Code of Conduct. Traditionally, the kirpan was a full-sized '' ...

one of the religious symbols, and reforms of Sikh places of worship. In 1920, the League passed a resolution to support the

Non-Cooperation Movement Non-cooperation movement may refer to: * Non-cooperation movement (1919–1922), during the Indian independence movement, led by Mahatma Gandhi against British rule * Non-cooperation movement (1971), a movement in East Pakistan * Non-cooperatio ...

started by

Mahatma Gandhi Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (2October 186930January 1948) was an Indian lawyer, anti-colonial nationalism, anti-colonial nationalist, and political ethics, political ethicist who employed nonviolent resistance to lead the successful Indian ...

. Central Sikh League also encouraged volunteers to carry on fight for

Swaraj Swarāj (, IAST: , ) can mean generally self-governance or "self-rule". The term was used synonymously with "home-rule" by Maharishi Dayanand Saraswati and later on by Mahatma Gandhi, but the word usually refers to Gandhi's concept of Indian ...

. The League supported the

Gurdwara Reform Movement The Akali movement (IPA: ; known in Punjabi as the Akali Morcha), also called the Gurdwara Reform Movement, was a campaign to bring reform in the gurdwaras (the Sikh places of worship) in India during the early 1920s. The movement led to the intro ...

and appointed an inquiry committee into the

Nankana massacre The Nankana massacre (also known as Saka Nankana Sahib) occurred on the premises of Gurdwara Janam Asthan, Nankana Sahib on 20 February 1921, at that time a part of the Punjab Province of British India, but today in modern-day Pakistan. Betwee ...

of 20 February 1921. League also protested when the keys of Darbar Sahib were taken by the British Government and again when Maharaja Ripudaman Singh of

Nabha State Nabha State, with its capital at Nabha, was one of the Phulkian princely states of Punjab (British India), Punjab during the British Raj in India. This state was ruled by the Sidhu clan belonging to the Sikhs, Sikh religion. History Orig ...

by British Government.Nohar Singh, Giani, Azadi Dian Lahiran. Amritsar, 1960.

References

{{Reflist 1919 establishments in India Sikh political parties Political parties established in 1919 Political parties disestablished in 1933 Defunct political parties in India