Ever since this resolution was passed, the Sikhs have made a common cause and have fought the country’s battle for freedom side by side with the Congress. Unfortunately, when the British Mission came and formulated their proposals, i.e., the Statement of May 16, although they admitted the Sikhs to be one of the three main communities in India, they completely failed to provide any protection or safeguards for the Sikhs. In the case of the Mussalmans, the Mission pointed out that there was a real apprehension of their culture, and political and social life becoming submerged in a unitary India, in which the Hindus would be a dominant element. They however entirely failed to realise the same plight of the Sikhs in the Punjab which is the Holy Land and the Homeland of the Sikhs under a Muslim majority. It was the height of injustice on the part of the Cabinet Delegation not to have provided similar safeguards for the Sikhs in the Punjab and the ‘B’ Section, as they had provided for the Muslims in the Union. Sir Stafford Cripps, while speaking in the House of Commons the other day, remarked that they could not give similar rights to the Sikhs in the Punjab and the ‘B’ Section as they had given to the Musalmans in the Union, as a similar right would have had to be given to other minorities. May I ask whether the Mission took into consideration the other minorities when they provided safeguards for the Mussalmans in the Union Centre? They did not consider the Sikhs although they were admitted to be one of the main communities of India. On the other hand, I feel that the Sikhs have a stronger claim for having similar safeguards in the Punjab than the Mussalmans have in the Union Centre. I also feel and believe that any safeguards given to the Sikhs in Section’ B’ and in the Punjab will be a guarantee for the protection of the rights of other minorities in that area. As nothing was done by the Mission, a wave of indignation went throughout the entire Sikh community and their indignation rose to the highest pitch. A resolution was passed by the Sikhs at a special meeting held at Amritsar- their holy centre, that the Constituent Assembly should be boycotted and the Sikhs did boycott the Assembly. The Congress, however, accepted the proposals of the Cabinet Mission, and eminent leaders of the Congress appealed to the Sikhs to accept the proposals also. Sardar Patel particularly pleaded the cause of the Sikhs at the All-India Congress Committee session in Bombay and our sincere thinks are due to him. In the House of Lords on the 18th July last, while speaking on a debate, the Secretary of State made significant reference to the Sikhs in the following words:
“It is, however, essential that fullest consideration should be given to their claims for they are a distinct and important community, but on population basis adopted they lose their weightage. This situation will, to some extent, we hope, be remedied by their full representation in the Advisory Committee on Minorities set up under paragraph 20 of the Statement of May 16.”