What were the effects of Ist and IInd Anglo Sikh Wars on Punjab?

The First Anglo-Sikh War, 1845-46:

The English were closely watching the happenings in the Punjab and cast longing eyes on the fertile plains on the other side of the Sutlej. The East India Company has swallowed too many camels to strain at this gnat.

Lord Hardinge, a soldier of great repute, succeeded Lord Ellenborough in 1844. The new Governor-General took vigorous measures to strengthen the Company’s military position. The strength of the Company’s army in the Punjab was increased to 32,000 with 68 guns and additional reserve force of 10,000 men at Meerut. Besides, 57 boats were brought from Bombay for making pontoon bridges over the Sutlej.

The commander actually gave training to his soldiers in bridge-throwing. The Sikh soldiers on the other side of the Sutlej saw all this and drew their own conclusions. The Company’s troops in Sind were well-equipped and kept in readiness for any possible march on Multan.

The Company’s contention that the preparations were of a defensive nature and calculated to meet possible eventualities of an attack from the Sikhs was clearly hypocritical, considering the chaotic state of affairs in the Punjab.

The appointment in 1843 of Major Broad foot as Company’s Agent at Ludhiana for dealing with the affairs of the Sikhs, worsened Anglo-Sikh relations an energetic and hot-headed man, Major Broad foot made the impolitic declaration that all Cis-Sutlej possessions of Lahore Darbar were under’ British protection equally with Patiala and other chief ships and liable to escheat on the death or deposition of Maharaja Dalip Singh.

The high-handed manner in which he interfered in the affairs of the priest-like Sodhis of Anandpur caused great concern at Lahore. Besides, the border incidents near Ferozepore and Multan did not leave the issues in doubt and precipitated matters. P.E. Roberts and Percival Spear lay undue stress on the explosive situation at Lahore and try to shift the responsibility for the war on the shoulders of the ruling clique and the unmanageable Khalsa army.

At the time of the Anglo Sikh conflict, selfish and traitorous persons controlled the government at Lahore and the Khalsa army Was without a General or at any rate without one supreme controlling mind.

The British moves and preparations seemed to denote to the Sikh army “a campaign, not of defence, but of aggression and it decided that if the English wanted war they would have it on their own territory.” Consequently Sikh troops crossed the Sutlej, between Hariki and Kasur on 11 December 1845 and took offensive against the English troops commanded by Sir Hugh Gough.

On 13th December Henry Hardinge, the Governor-General made his declaration of war proclaiming that the possession of Maharaja Dalip Singh on the left of the British bank of the Sutlej was confiscated and annexed to the British territories. Lai Singh, the Commander-in-Chief of Sikh troops, played the traitor and sent a message to the English, as reported by Captain Nicholson, that “he would show his good wishes by keeping back his force for two days from joining the Infantry or Regulars and had marched them today back to Assul and would tomorrow to Hariki, if I would consider him and the Bibi Sahib our friends.

“Due to the treachery of Lai Singh and Teja Singh, who gave all information regarding the trenches to the English, the battle resulted in great slaughter of the Sikh troops. An English army crossed the Sutlej, occupied Lahore and dictated peace teams in the very capital of Ranjit Singh on 9 March 1846. The treaty was concluded on the following terms:

i. The Maharaja renounced “for himself, his heirs and successors, all claims to or connection with the territories lying to the south of the river Sutlej.”

ii. The Maharaja ceded to the Company “in perpetual sovereignty all his forts, territories and rights in the Doab or country, hill and plain situate between the rivers Beas and Sutlej.”

iii. The Company demanded a war indemnity of rupees one and half crores. The Lahore Darbar being unable to pay the amount demanded agreed to transfer to the Company “in perpetual sovereignty as equivalent for one crore of rupees all hill forts, territories, rights and interests, in the hill countries which are situated between the rivers Beas and Indus, including the provinces of Kashmir and Hazarah.” The remaining 50 lakhs of rupees the Lahore Darbar agreed to pay on or before the ratification of the treaty.

iv. The Maharaja farther agreed to “disband the mutinous troops of the Lahore army taking from them arms” and limiting the regular army to 20,000 infantry and 12,000 cavalry.

v. The Maharaja agreed “never to take or retain, in his service neither any British subject nor the subject of any European or American state without the consent of the British Government.” Further free passes were to be allowed to the British troops through Lahore territories.

vi. The minor Dalip Singh was recognised as the Maharaja with Rani Jindan as Regent of the State and Lai Singh as the Wazir.

vii. Sir Henry Lawrence was named as the British Resident at Lahore. The Company was not to interfere in the internal administration of the Lahore state.

The year 1846 was fast coming to a close and time was coming for the withdrawal of British troops from Lahore. Lord Hardinge planned to control the Lahore administration for some years more in the name of the minor Maharaja. The Resident urged some influential sardars to petition the Company for the retention of their troops at Lahore during the minority of the Maharaja.

These sardars were won over by promises of rewards and threats of severe action. Consequently a new treaty was signed at Bhyrowal on 22 December] 1846, which provided for the stationing of British troops at Lahore for the protection of the Maharaja and preservation of the peace of the country. The Lahore Darbar agreed to pay Rs. 22 lakhs per annum for meeting the expenses of the British force. During the minority of Dalip Singh the actual administration was vested in the British Resident assisted by a Council of eight chiefs.

Thus, the British Resident became the virtual ruler of the Punjab with unlimited civil and military powers and the sardars were reduced to the position of executive officers. When Maharani resented the usurpation of all powers in the hands of the Resident, her turn also came.

On August 2, 1847 the Governor- General issued a proclamation which read thus “The Governor-General of India who feels the interest of a father in the education and guardianship of the young prince” thought it absolutely necessary to separate the Maharaja from the Maharani, his mother”. The Maharani was removed to Sheikhupura and her allowance arbitrarily reduced to Rs. 48,000 per annum.

Lord Hardinge was succeeded by Dalhousie as Governor-General in January 1848. At that time the strength of the British army in the north-west stood at 70,000 soldiers with 9,000 in the Lahore state. The new Governor-General was a great imperialist and an avowed annexationist. He did not believe in ‘half measures’ and was strongly of the opinion that the British Government should “not put aside or neglect such rightful opportunities of acquiring territory as May from time to time present them.”

A large British army under Lord Gough crossed the Ravi on 16 November and fought an indecisive battle at Ramnagar. Multan surrendered in January 1849 and the Sikhs suffered a defeat at Chillianwala a few weeks later. The final and decisive battle was won by the English at Gujarat and the whole of the Punjab lay prostrate at their feet. Three courses were open to Dalhousie-

(i) The reversion to status quo with a greater degree of British control under the nominal sovereignty of the Maharaja,

(ii) Annexation of Multan only and punishment of Mul Raj, and

(iii) Annexation of the whole of the Punjab. Dalhousie decided to annex the Punjab.

The Second Sikh War and the Annexation of the Punjab, 1849:

The revolt of Mul Raj, the Governor of Multan had created a serious situation. Two British officers, Vans Agnew and Lieutenant Anderson had been murdered by Multan sepoys. The Sikh Governor of Hazara had raised the banner of revolt. The Sikhs won over Dost Muhammad, the Amir of Afghanistan by the cession of Peshawar. The Punjabis rallied in large numbers under the banner of Mul Raj and the rebellion developed into a national war in the Punjab.

Lord Dalhousie decided in favour of a final war and declared “Unwarned by precedents, uninfluenced by example the Sikh nation has called for war and on my word, Sirs, they shall have it with a vengeance.” On November 16, 1848, the British army’s under Lord Gough crossed the frontier. Bloody encounters were fought at Ramnagar, Chilianwala and Gujarat. The Sikh cause collapsed.

Lord Dalhousie decided in favour of annexation arguing that “there never will be peace in the Punjab as long as its people are allowed to retain the means and the opportunity of making war. There never can be now any guarantee for the tranquility of India, until we shall have affected the entire subjugation of the Sikh people and destroyed its power as an independent nation.” By the proclamation of 29 March 1849, the Punjab was annexed. Maharaja Dalip Singh was pensioned off and the British took over the administration of the Punjab.

Politically, for the British this annexation was expedient and beneficial, as it carried the British frontiers to its natural boundaries and placed the famous passes of the North-West under the protection of the English. But Dalhousie had no legal or moral justification to annex the Punjab. Evans Bell calls it a ‘violent breach of trust’.

The British Resident, according to the Treaty of Bhyrowal, was the trustee of Maharaja Dalip Singh’s territories and if there was any disturbance or rising, it was his responsibility and not that of the Maharaja.