Achhar Singh Chhina
Encyclopedia
Comrade Achhar Singh Chhina (1899–1981) was an India
n communist politician
and independence activist. He served as a MLA in the Punjab Legislative Assembly for two terms. In 1962 he contested Member Parliament (MP) election from Taran Taran and defeated by 1990 votes .
, Tehsil Ajnala, Amritsar
, Punjab
, India
. Achhar Singh Chhina done his basic studies from Khalsa College Amritsar where he played a pivotal role along with Pratap Singh Kairon
former Chief Minister of Punjab. In 1920-1921, the students and teachers of the college registered their protest against the British rule by boycotting the visit of the Prince of Wales
to the college.
In 1921 Comrade Chhina and Pratap Singh Kairon
went to the USA for further studies. Both joined Berkeley University, California
to do Masters in Economics. The same year he joined the Gadar Party in San Francisco and got his first lesson in national politics.
and went to the Soviet Union
for further studies on socialism
. He returned to India in 1936 and was arrested at Lahore
in the same year, and was detained in Lahore Fort
for two months.
Being involved in the Fathehwall Murder Case he had to go underground to escape the clutches of the police and he escaped to Russia to help Bose.
The case was defended by Advocate Saifuddin Kitchlew along Advocate Mann where judiciary founded Comrade Achhar Singh Chhina not guilty on all counts and sentenced Joginder Singh Chhina for 20 years against this Case. "The Defence Committee fought the case till the High Court and Succeeded in getting everyone released in 1941".
In early June 1940 Subhas Chandra Bose surveyed the world war situation and came to the conclusion that Indian freedom fighters should have first hand knowledge as to what was happening abroad and should join the fight against British. After considering the various means with the Comrades of various organisations and parties he found no other alternative but to travel abroad. Initial detail plan of escape was primarily consulted and discussed with Niranjan Singh Talib, editor "Desh Darpan". Sardar Baldev Singh and the former defence minister Government of India. Talib introduced Achhar Singh Chhina name to execute the plan. The executive committee of Communist Party of Lahore decided that Achhar Singh Chhina whose Soviet name was Larkin, one of the organisers of Kirti in North West Frontier, should meet Subhas Chandra Bose in order to chalk out the detail escape plan. Achhar Singh Chhina visited Calcutta and met Netaji . Bose further explained to Achhar Singh Chhina to approach Comrade Stalin for seeking armed help for India's struggle against Independence, In order to vouch for his intentions to seek Soviet support for India's freedom movement, his speeches should be studied and not the changes in his political principles..For this purpose Achhar Singh Chhina visited the Frontier Province to make arrangements for his escape to Russia
.
In June 1940 Comrade Achhar Singh Chhina and Comrade Ram Krishan came to meet Bhagat Ram Talwar in his village in North West Frontier. Bhagat Ram Talwar was member of Forward Bloc and was engaged in secret activities of Kirti Party. They requested him to help Subhas Chandra to reach the border of Soviet Union crossing through the tribal belt of Afghanistan. Bhagat Ram Talwar agree to make arrangements for the stay of Netaji at Peshawar and from there for his escape to Kabul
. After making necessary arrangements he returned to Calcutta to bring Netaji to Peshawar
, but Bose
was arrested for taking part in Black Hole of Calcutta Movement in 1940 and consequently could not avail himself of the opportunity.
But Achhar Singh Chhina himself utilized the opportunity and went to the Soviet Union
in 1940 by crossing the Hindukush Mountains on foot through Kabul and discussed the possibility of Independence with top Soviet Leaders.In December 1940, Comrade Achhar Singh Chhina (Larkin) submitted the thesis "The National Front in India" to Comrade Stalin.
Bhagat Ram Talwar accompanied Subhas Chandra Bose to Kabul and started establishing contact with the Soviet and German embassies in Kabul. Subhas Bose lived incognito and was busy in drawing the detail plan of work. In Kabul his Russian contact did not work out well. Bhagat Ram introduced himself to the German diplomats as Rahamat Khan and also met Alberto Quaroni, the Italian representative in Kabul. Bose tried to enter the Soviet Union twice, but couldn't succeed. After six weeks stay Subhas Bose left Kabul with an Italian passport in the name of Orlando Mazzato with the Soviet transit visa. He reached Berlin via Tashkent and MOSCOW.
’ in Soviet Union] was actively involved in international politics. He worked closely with CPI to develop a directive of CPI, and carried that directive from the Soviet Union to India with the full knowledge of the British authorities. In India, it meant communists had to isolate themselves from the mainstream of national life and politics and see British rule as a friendly force since the communists' "fatherland", Soviet Russia, was an ally of Britain. A critical decision affecting the strategic and the tactical line of the party was thus taken defying national interests at the behest of a foreign power, whose orders determined the positions and actions of the CPI.
While crossing the Hindukush he was arrested by British government at Gilgit
and was brought back to Lahore
where he was locked up in Lahore Fort
Cell. After staying for 4 months in Lahore Fort, he was transferred to the Campbell pore Jail from where he was released on 1 May 1942.
- Punjab
and held this position for seven years. It was in that capacity that he organized the Harsha Chhina Moga Morcha in 1946, as a result of which he was detained in Lahore jail for three months . He also held a post of Secretary of the Punjab Communist Party
.
was an agrarian revolt in Punjab that took place in 1946-1947. The campaign was launched in June 1946 by remodelling the moghas (canal outlets) under the leadership of the Communist Party, which was later joined by all major political parties of the time, to stand against the decision of the British Government to decrease the supply of irrigation water to farmers. The campaign was headed by Comrade Achhar Singh Chhina, Sohan Singh Josh, Mohan Singh Batth, Baba Karam Singh Cheema, Jagbir Singh Chhina
, and Gurdial Singh Dhillon
. During the campaign all prominent leaders along with 950 protesting peasants were arrested by the police and detained in Lahore jail for three months. As a result of this movement, the British government agreed to provide more farming water to agriculturists as per the previous agreed terms. The participants of the Harsha Chhina Mogha Morcha were later recognized by the Indian government as freedom fighters, and were made entitled to freedom fighter pensions.
independence
he went underground but was arrested in 1950 and detained in Ambala
jail. While he was in jail, he was elected from Ajnala as a member of the Punjab Legislative Assembly
(MLA) in 1952. In 1957 he was again elected from Ajnala as a member of the Punjab Legislative Assembly (MLA) and remained its member till 1962.He was a founder of ‘Naveen Janta Public school’ which was taken over by the Punjab Government later and the name of the school was changed to “Comrade Achhar Singh Chhina Senior Secondary School”.
2. Secretary of the Punjab Communist Party
3. Member Punjab Legislative Assembly - Ajnala (1952–1957)
4. Member of the Legislative assembly - Ajnala (1957–1962)
5. Member of the Ghadar Party Martyrs Memorial (Desh Bhagat Yaadgar), Punjab
6. Member Gadhar Party San Francisco (1922)
7. Founder of Naveen Vidhya Mandir, School
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n communist politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
and independence activist. He served as a MLA in the Punjab Legislative Assembly for two terms. In 1962 he contested Member Parliament (MP) election from Taran Taran and defeated by 1990 votes .
Early life
He was born at village Harsha ChhinaHarsha Chhina
Harsha Chhina is a village in the state of Punjab, India, three kilometers from Guru Ramdas International Airport, Amritsar, on Ajnala Road. Harse is a Urdu word which means three villages . It is one of biggest villages in Ajnala and Rajasansi Constituency. It has a population of about 6,500...
, Tehsil Ajnala, Amritsar
Amritsar
Amritsar is a city in the northern part of India and is the administrative headquarters of Amritsar district in the state of Punjab, India. The 2001 Indian census reported the population of the city to be over 1,500,000, with that of the entire district numbering 3,695,077...
, Punjab
Punjab (British India)
Punjab was a province of British India, it was one of the last areas of the Indian subcontinent to fall under British rule. With the end of British rule in 1947 the province was split between West Punjab, which went to Pakistan, and East Punjab, which went to India...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. Achhar Singh Chhina done his basic studies from Khalsa College Amritsar where he played a pivotal role along with Pratap Singh Kairon
Pratap Singh Kairon
Pratap Singh Kairon was the Chief Minister of the Punjab province , and is widely acknowledged to be the architect of post-Independence Punjab Province. Moreover, he was an Indian independence movement leader...
former Chief Minister of Punjab. In 1920-1921, the students and teachers of the college registered their protest against the British rule by boycotting the visit of the Prince of Wales
Prince of Wales
Prince of Wales is a title traditionally granted to the heir apparent to the reigning monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the 15 other independent Commonwealth realms...
to the college.
In 1921 Comrade Chhina and Pratap Singh Kairon
Pratap Singh Kairon
Pratap Singh Kairon was the Chief Minister of the Punjab province , and is widely acknowledged to be the architect of post-Independence Punjab Province. Moreover, he was an Indian independence movement leader...
went to the USA for further studies. Both joined Berkeley University, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
to do Masters in Economics. The same year he joined the Gadar Party in San Francisco and got his first lesson in national politics.
Political career
In 1932 he left AmericaUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and went to the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
for further studies on socialism
Socialism
Socialism is an economic system characterized by social ownership of the means of production and cooperative management of the economy; or a political philosophy advocating such a system. "Social ownership" may refer to any one of, or a combination of, the following: cooperative enterprises,...
. He returned to India in 1936 and was arrested at Lahore
Lahore
Lahore is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and the second largest city in the country. With a rich and fabulous history dating back to over a thousand years ago, Lahore is no doubt Pakistan's cultural capital. One of the most densely populated cities in the world, Lahore remains a...
in the same year, and was detained in Lahore Fort
Lahore Fort
The Lahore Fort, locally referred to as Shahi Qila is citadel of the city of Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan. It is located in the northwestern corner of the Walled City of Lahore...
for two months.
Fatehwal Murder Case 1938-39
In 1937 British Government ordered Comrade Achhar Singh Chhina to live in his own village (curfew) for the whole year. In March 1938, on completion of his curfew period the communist party organised a conference on 13 March at Fatehwal village Amritsar, to be headed by Comrade Achhar Singh Chhina and Mohan Singh Batth "and addressed by Gopi Chand Bhargava, Sohan Singh Josh and Begum Fatima. The goondas of Mir Maqbool, the local landlord and parliamentary secretary of the Unionist ministry, disrupted the conference and destroyed the stage. Achhar Singh Chhina and his associates arrived on the scene and held the proposed meeting, despite the impending threat. After Chhina left for Amritsar, Goondas attacked the people who were dispersing. When people retaliated, two attackers were killed, after being pushed down from a roof". Police registered a criminal Case against Comrade Achhar Singh Chhina and Joginder Singh Chhina along with other 47 persons under section 302 IPC. This case was highlighted throughout country and defense appointed a committee to fight a case. The committee was headed by Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru and Dr Saifuddin Kitchlew, the Congress leader and Karam Singh Mann, both lawyers, were actively involved in the defence. Police forced Mr. Ram Lal, a police constable, to give false statement in the court that at the time of murder Mr. Chhina was the main person who attacked the victim; however, he refused to give this statement in the court.Being involved in the Fathehwall Murder Case he had to go underground to escape the clutches of the police and he escaped to Russia to help Bose.
The case was defended by Advocate Saifuddin Kitchlew along Advocate Mann where judiciary founded Comrade Achhar Singh Chhina not guilty on all counts and sentenced Joginder Singh Chhina for 20 years against this Case. "The Defence Committee fought the case till the High Court and Succeeded in getting everyone released in 1941".
Netaji and Comrade Achhar Singh Chhina (Larkin)
Subash Chandra Bose aka Netaji had first met Comrade Achhar Singh Chhina in April 1939 when he was visiting the Gaya district. At that time Chhina was hiding himself from the police as a result of the Fathewall Murder Case. Chhina sought Bose’s help and Bose advised him not to give himself up to the Police.In early June 1940 Subhas Chandra Bose surveyed the world war situation and came to the conclusion that Indian freedom fighters should have first hand knowledge as to what was happening abroad and should join the fight against British. After considering the various means with the Comrades of various organisations and parties he found no other alternative but to travel abroad. Initial detail plan of escape was primarily consulted and discussed with Niranjan Singh Talib, editor "Desh Darpan". Sardar Baldev Singh and the former defence minister Government of India. Talib introduced Achhar Singh Chhina name to execute the plan. The executive committee of Communist Party of Lahore decided that Achhar Singh Chhina whose Soviet name was Larkin, one of the organisers of Kirti in North West Frontier, should meet Subhas Chandra Bose in order to chalk out the detail escape plan. Achhar Singh Chhina visited Calcutta and met Netaji . Bose further explained to Achhar Singh Chhina to approach Comrade Stalin for seeking armed help for India's struggle against Independence, In order to vouch for his intentions to seek Soviet support for India's freedom movement, his speeches should be studied and not the changes in his political principles..For this purpose Achhar Singh Chhina visited the Frontier Province to make arrangements for his escape to Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
.
In June 1940 Comrade Achhar Singh Chhina and Comrade Ram Krishan came to meet Bhagat Ram Talwar in his village in North West Frontier. Bhagat Ram Talwar was member of Forward Bloc and was engaged in secret activities of Kirti Party. They requested him to help Subhas Chandra to reach the border of Soviet Union crossing through the tribal belt of Afghanistan. Bhagat Ram Talwar agree to make arrangements for the stay of Netaji at Peshawar and from there for his escape to Kabul
Kabul
Kabul , spelt Caubul in some classic literatures, is the capital and largest city of Afghanistan. It is also the capital of the Kabul Province, located in the eastern section of Afghanistan...
. After making necessary arrangements he returned to Calcutta to bring Netaji to Peshawar
Peshawar
Peshawar is the capital of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and the administrative center and central economic hub for the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan....
, but Bose
Bose (surname)
Bose or Basu or Boshu is an Indian family name and surname found amongst Bengali Hindus.Boses belong to the Kayastha clan, a sub-caste of Kshatriyas that originated from Kannauj, the capital of India during much of the classical period, and emerged in eastern India during the 11th century AD...
was arrested for taking part in Black Hole of Calcutta Movement in 1940 and consequently could not avail himself of the opportunity.
But Achhar Singh Chhina himself utilized the opportunity and went to the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
in 1940 by crossing the Hindukush Mountains on foot through Kabul and discussed the possibility of Independence with top Soviet Leaders.In December 1940, Comrade Achhar Singh Chhina (Larkin) submitted the thesis "The National Front in India" to Comrade Stalin.
Bhagat Ram Talwar accompanied Subhas Chandra Bose to Kabul and started establishing contact with the Soviet and German embassies in Kabul. Subhas Bose lived incognito and was busy in drawing the detail plan of work. In Kabul his Russian contact did not work out well. Bhagat Ram introduced himself to the German diplomats as Rahamat Khan and also met Alberto Quaroni, the Italian representative in Kabul. Bose tried to enter the Soviet Union twice, but couldn't succeed. After six weeks stay Subhas Bose left Kabul with an Italian passport in the name of Orlando Mazzato with the Soviet transit visa. He reached Berlin via Tashkent and MOSCOW.
Achhar Singh Chhina and International Politics
In 1942. The CPI was officially against the Quit India movement. When Hitler attacked his erstwhile ally, the Soviet Union, in 1941, the fight against Nazism overnight became a People's War for all communists. Achhar Singh Chhina [known as ‘LarkinLarkin
Larkin is an English or Irish surname, a diminutive of Laurence, and the source of a patronymic surname. It may refer to:- People with the surname Larkin :...
’ in Soviet Union] was actively involved in international politics. He worked closely with CPI to develop a directive of CPI, and carried that directive from the Soviet Union to India with the full knowledge of the British authorities. In India, it meant communists had to isolate themselves from the mainstream of national life and politics and see British rule as a friendly force since the communists' "fatherland", Soviet Russia, was an ally of Britain. A critical decision affecting the strategic and the tactical line of the party was thus taken defying national interests at the behest of a foreign power, whose orders determined the positions and actions of the CPI.
While crossing the Hindukush he was arrested by British government at Gilgit
Gilgit
Gilgit is a city in northern PakistanGilgit may refer to other terms related with the area of the city:* Gilgit River* Gilgit Valley* Gilgit District* Gilgit Agency * Gilgit Airport...
and was brought back to Lahore
Lahore
Lahore is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and the second largest city in the country. With a rich and fabulous history dating back to over a thousand years ago, Lahore is no doubt Pakistan's cultural capital. One of the most densely populated cities in the world, Lahore remains a...
where he was locked up in Lahore Fort
Lahore Fort
The Lahore Fort, locally referred to as Shahi Qila is citadel of the city of Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan. It is located in the northwestern corner of the Walled City of Lahore...
Cell. After staying for 4 months in Lahore Fort, he was transferred to the Campbell pore Jail from where he was released on 1 May 1942.
President of the Punjab Kisan Sabha
In 1942 he was elected as President of the All India Kisan SabhaAll India Kisan Sabha
All India Kisan Sabha , was the name of the peasants front of the undivided Communist Party of India , an important peasant movement formed by Swami Sahajanand Saraswati in 1936, and which later split into two organizations, by the same name.-History:...
- Punjab
Punjab (India)
Punjab ) is a state in the northwest of the Republic of India, forming part of the larger Punjab region. The state is bordered by the Indian states of Himachal Pradesh to the east, Haryana to the south and southeast and Rajasthan to the southwest as well as the Pakistani province of Punjab to the...
and held this position for seven years. It was in that capacity that he organized the Harsha Chhina Moga Morcha in 1946, as a result of which he was detained in Lahore jail for three months . He also held a post of Secretary of the Punjab Communist Party
Communist party
A political party described as a Communist party includes those that advocate the application of the social principles of communism through a communist form of government...
.
Harsha Chhina Mogha Morcha 1946-47
Harse Chhina Mogha MorchaHarse Chhina Mogha Morcha
The Harsha Chhina Mogha Morcha was an agrarian revolt in Harsha Chhina, Punjab, India, that took place 1946-1947. Harsha Chhina is a village near Amritsar. The campaign was launched in 1946, under the leadership of the Communist Party...
was an agrarian revolt in Punjab that took place in 1946-1947. The campaign was launched in June 1946 by remodelling the moghas (canal outlets) under the leadership of the Communist Party, which was later joined by all major political parties of the time, to stand against the decision of the British Government to decrease the supply of irrigation water to farmers. The campaign was headed by Comrade Achhar Singh Chhina, Sohan Singh Josh, Mohan Singh Batth, Baba Karam Singh Cheema, Jagbir Singh Chhina
Jagbir Singh Chhina
Jagbir Singh Chhina , , is a freedom fighter who worked during freedom movement with Comrade Achhar Singh Chhina, Pratap Singh Kairon, Sohan Singh Josh, Mohan Singh Batth, Gurdial Singh Dhillon and Harkishan Singh Surjeet against the British empire...
, and Gurdial Singh Dhillon
Gurdial Singh Dhillon
Dr. Gurdial Singh Dhillon was a Punjabi politician in the Indian National Congress party. He was President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union and Indian High Commissioner to Canada .-Early life:...
. During the campaign all prominent leaders along with 950 protesting peasants were arrested by the police and detained in Lahore jail for three months. As a result of this movement, the British government agreed to provide more farming water to agriculturists as per the previous agreed terms. The participants of the Harsha Chhina Mogha Morcha were later recognized by the Indian government as freedom fighters, and were made entitled to freedom fighter pensions.
After Independence
In 1948 after IndiaIndia
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
independence
Independence
Independence is a condition of a nation, country, or state in which its residents and population, or some portion thereof, exercise self-government, and usually sovereignty, over its territory....
he went underground but was arrested in 1950 and detained in Ambala
Ambala
Ambala is a city and a municipal corporation in Ambala district in the state of Haryana, India, located on the border of the states of Haryana and Punjab in India. Politically; Ambala has two sub-areas: Ambala Cantt and Ambala City, approximately 3 kilometers apart from each other...
jail. While he was in jail, he was elected from Ajnala as a member of the Punjab Legislative Assembly
Punjab Legislative Assembly
The Punjab Legislative Assembly or the Punjab Vidhan Sabha is the unicameral legislature of the state of Punjab in northern India. At present, it consists of 117 members, directly elected from 117 single-seat constituencies. The tenure of the legislative assembly is five years, unless sooner...
(MLA) in 1952. In 1957 he was again elected from Ajnala as a member of the Punjab Legislative Assembly (MLA) and remained its member till 1962.He was a founder of ‘Naveen Janta Public school’ which was taken over by the Punjab Government later and the name of the school was changed to “Comrade Achhar Singh Chhina Senior Secondary School”.
Positions held
1. President of the Kisan Sabha Punjab2. Secretary of the Punjab Communist Party
3. Member Punjab Legislative Assembly - Ajnala (1952–1957)
4. Member of the Legislative assembly - Ajnala (1957–1962)
5. Member of the Ghadar Party Martyrs Memorial (Desh Bhagat Yaadgar), Punjab
6. Member Gadhar Party San Francisco (1922)
7. Founder of Naveen Vidhya Mandir, School