INDIAN GADARI BABAS

GANDA SINGH 'GADARI BABA'


Ganda Singh (Phangureh), district Hoshiarpur (1883–18 March 1958) was one of the original freedom fighters and ghadarites. He was the son of Nikka Singhof Pandori, Hariana, Hoshiarpur

In 1907, Ganda Singh moved to North America aboard the S.S. Monteagle where he took part in various movements for national independence. There he also lived among the pioneers of the Indian revolutionary movement.

While returning back from America aboard the S.S. Korea and then the Tosa Maru ship in the year 1914, he was arrested along with veteran ghadarites Baba Sohan Singh Bhakna and Pandit Jagat Ram Haryanvi. He was first kept in Central jail, Muktsar, then taken to Lahore, and then he was thrown into Camp jail,Kainthalpur. He was freed on 26 June 1916 and then sent to his village and put under house arrest. At that time, he was supervised by Deputy Commissioner of Hoshiarpur Raja Narindernath.

Later, the Special Tribunal sentenced him to four years in prison under section 124 A and 125. This sentence started in 1919 and he was kept in Lahore jail. Then, under the Montego Chelmsford Scheme he was freed in January 1920.

He was arrested again in May 1922 and Pir Gyasuddin, a first class magistrate sentenced him to one and a quarter years in prison along with a fine of one hundred rupees under section 17 B of the Chelmsford Law Amendment Act. After that, he was sentenced to nine months imprisonment in the case of Black Turban Movement. He was sent to Dera Ghazi Khan jail . After some time he was transferred to Rohtak jail and in 1924 he was freed. While he was returning to his village after completing his sentence, he was arrested from Sham Chaurasirailway station in the Babbar Akali case. After a while, this case was dismissed and he was again arrested in the famous Anarkali bomb case. Besides Ganda Singh, involved in this case were the famous Hari Singh Jalandhari, Banta Ram Pandori Phangureh, Mistry Famanshia and Mela Ram Bagera. This case went on in the Special court of Lahore for more than four years. In this case, except for the Government/official witnesses, everybody got rigorous imprisonment sentences for 30 years each and a fine of Rupees Five hundred each. This was appealed in the high court.

Ganda Singh went on to become the chief of Hoshiarpur district congress and Civil naming authority along with the district magistrate of Hoshiarpur again sentenced him to one year imprisonment. He served this imprisonment in the Kasoor jail.

In 1932, after coming out of jail he started a school for girls' education in hisr village. At the time, there was no system in place for girls' education in the area and the common people were against girls getting educated. He then started to spend a lot of time in the care and well being of his six children. At this time a lot of political workers used to come to him for advice and he would infuse enthusiasm in them and serve them.

In 1949, for the violation of clause 144, the Hoshiarpur magistrate sentenced him and Harnam Singh Tundilat to one year imprisonment along with a fine of Rupees hundred. The fact of the matter is Baba Ganda Singh's life was a life of a true freedom fighter and he had to face much agony for taking part in the movement of national independence.

Baba Ganda Singh Phangureh died on 18 March 1958. In his remembrance, the inhabitants of the village have constructed a gate/corner on the main street to remember Baba ji by.