Teja Singh Samundri’s legacy takes centre stage in BJP’s pro-Sikh push in Punjab

Teja Singh Samundri, who refused to compromise on his principles and declined conditional release from British custody, died in 1926 at the age of 43 at the Lahore Central Jail. Photo: X/@SandhuTaranjitS

With the 2027 Punjab Assembly election nearing, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is trying to build a pro-Sikh image by weaving historical Sikh narratives, and Sardar Teja Singh Samundri, a key architect of the Sikh gurdwara reform movement, and a co-founder of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), has become one of the focal points of that outreach.

As the centenary of his martyrdom is being observed this year, the BJP’s top leadership, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, have frequently invoked Samundri’s legacy at public rallies. Samundri, who refused to compromise on his principles and declined conditional release from British custody, died in 1926 at the age of 43 at the Lahore Central Jail.

The Sikh icon actively participated in several agitations, including the ‘Chabian da Morcha’ (in 1921-22 for the control the keys to the treasury of the Golden Temple in Amritsar); the ‘Guru ka Bagh Morcha’ (in 1922 for the control of the Guru ka Bagh gurdwara in Ajnala); and the ‘Jaito daMorcha’ (in 1923, over the removal of Maharaja Ripudaman Singh of Nabha by the British). Samundri was arrested several times.

The naming of the Teja Singh Samundri Hall at the Golden Temple complex in Amritsar serves as a reminder of his pivotal role in shaping modern Sikhism.

The Central government’s ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’ initiative, launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, pays tribute to Samundri’s contributions. By evoking Samundri’s legacy, the BJP wants to place Sikh sacrifice within the larger story of the freedom struggle and the party’s focus on nationalism.