Amarjit S. Buttar
Abdali crushed the Marathas as an all India power in the historic battle of Panipat, fought on Jan. 14, 1761, but when the victorious invader was returning to Afghanistan, the Sikh Chiefs again assembled at the Golden Temple and resolved to take all possible measures to rescue the Hindu and Martha young women being carried away as war booty by the Afghans. In pursuance of this resolution, the Sikhs made a determined attack on the rear of the foreign at the Goindwal ferry of river Beas and rescued over two thousand young women from the clutches of Abdali and made arrangements to return them to their original homes. (James Browne. History of the Origin and Progress of the Sikhs, London, 1778 P.11 22).
It was on April 10, 1763, when the Sikhs, as usual, had assembled at the Golden Temple in their biannual concourse” some Brahmins of Kasur came and complained against the Afghan inhabitants of their city, especially against the Grandee, Uttman Khan, who had forcibly carried away the wife of one of them and converted her to Islam. Hari singh Bhangi volunteered to help the aggrieved Brahmins, and being supported by Charat Singh, after making a the political resolution, gurmata led an expedition against Kasur. Uttman Khan, with five hundred of his men, was killed, and the Brahmin lady was restored to her husband.
The above extracts are being published form the booklet “The Golden Temple Its Theo Political Status” by Kapur Singh MA (Cantaba) former Member of Parliament for the benefit of the readers of Sikh News to enlighten the community about the atrocities being committed by the same Hindu community like the massacre of Sikh women at the Golden Temple and in Delhi and other towns of India in June and Nov. 1984. How sad!
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