Gujranwala Under the British Raj: The Politics of Control and Dissent

Abstract

The current chapter will discuss how Gujranwala during the era of the British Raj was a district that was characterized by this intertwined process of order and political awakening in the form of dissents. As soon as the Punjab was annexed in 1849, the rule of the British was consolidated in structuring a military-dominated bureaucracy and provinces and an effective district administration. In Gujranwala, there was widespread dependence of colonial rule on local loyal elements like Sikh chiefs and major landlords who were conferred honorific titles and also judicial and administrative powers. This helped in consolidating the rule of the British in Gujranwala in reliance on local notables who could control rural society and raise finances and manpower. Politics in Punjab had remained restricted for many years due to British reservations regarding Punjabi politics and their preference for a centralized administration. However, the beginning of the twentieth century introduced a slow process of constitutional advancement that enabled representation and restricted representation at the district level. Gujranwala also emerged as an important center for politics as a result of its proximity to Lahore, religious mix, and being a major source of recruitment for the war efforts of World War I. The dissents rose considerably following the First World War, especially in the campaign for opposition to repressive legislation and emergency powers.