Did a Sikh officer actually Slap Mahatma Gandhi? Here is the Truth

Key Points:

A post widely circulating on social media platforms claims that a Sikh person allegedly slapped Mahatma Gandhi. The post, circulating on Facebook pages Yashvara Music and Meri Billi Menu Meow, among other social media pages (Instagram, X, online Sikh Forums…) talk about a rumoured and fabricated incident revolving around Mahatma Gandhi and Captain Jagat Singh, a ground officer of the Indian Air Force. 

“When a Sardarji…. Slapped Gandhi..”, reads the post, describing an alleged incident where Mahatma Gandhi (in one of his public speeches) described Guru Gobind Singh ji (10th Guru of the Sikhs) as a misguided patriot, for taking up arms to fight injustice. The reason in the post is given out to be Mahatma Gandhi’s strict adherence to ahimsa (non-violence) as the path towards India’s freedom. 

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The story goes further that this offended Captain Jagat Singh (also called Bhai Tejinder Singh in other posts), who was attending the speech and decided to give a befitting reply to Mahatma Gandhi. The incident is dated to the 1940s, placed at Birla Mandir in Delhi, as claimed in various posts. Following Mahatma Gandhi’s remarks, Jagat Singh approached him and slapped him.

The story further goes on that the incident supposedly caused embarrassment to authorities, leading to no formal charges. Instead, Captain Jagat Singh was quietly discharged from the Air Force. Later in life, he is said to have taught kirtan (Sikh devotional singing) in Chandigarh before eventually leaving India.

However, this incident doesn’t find any mention in official history books and records. It is only prevalent across social media platforms, and certain online sikh forums. There is no concrete evidence, such as newspaper reports from the time, official records, or Gandhi ji’s own extensive writings/collections, confirming it happened. 

Mahatma Gandhi's Writings In Harijan And Young India

On the contrary, many of Mahatma Gandhi’s writings in his Young India and Harijan journals highlight that Gandhi ji held deep respect and admiration for Sikhism. He has said that he regarded Guru Nanak and the Sikh Gurus as great spiritual reformers, and embraced Sikhi’s values of truth, fearlessness, equality, honest labour and remembrance of God. He also praised Sikhs for their sacrifice in the Indian freedom movement, and mentioned that Sikhism and Hinduism share civilisational roots of India’s faiths. 

In the Harijan issue published on July 5, 1942, available in The Collected Works of Mahatma Gandhi, Gandhi ji writes: “As to what I am supposed to have said about Guru Govind Singh, I can only repeat what I have said about, the charge that I have no recollection whatsoever of having made the remark attributed to me. Whoever brings the charge should at least refer me to the passage in question in my writings. I have searched in vain. What is however more to the point is to know what I think about Guru Govind Singh. I have the highest regard for him.”

Gandhi ji further wrote that Guru Gobind Singh ji never departed from the teachings of the preceding Gurus on nonviolence, rather he adapted to the circumstances around him, leading to the birth of Khalsa. He further writes: “The common belief as I have understood it among the Sikhs is that Guru Govind Singh accepted resort to the sword in well-defined circumstances as quite valid. Be that as it may, there never was the slightest disrespect on my part for the great Guru or the Sikh Panth. Indeed among the bhajans sung at the Ashram prayers there are several of Guru Nanak's.”

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This highlights the power of social media in spreading misinformation and disinformation. It just so happens that it is left upon the common person’s intellect to verify the news and counter fake news. Media Literacy is therefore extremely important as fake news is like a wildlife spark that can turn into a forest fire if left unchecked, leading to devastating damages.

Media literacy, in this context, refers to the ability of individuals to critically evaluate information, distinguish between verified facts and fabricated narratives, and identify the credibility of sources before accepting or sharing claims. Unverified social media posts and forum narratives cannot substitute documented evidence such as contemporaneous newspaper reports, official records, or original writings. 

As this case demonstrates, unchecked misinformation can distort historical understanding and inflame communal sensitivities. Strengthening media literacy is not merely a defensive tool against fake news, but a necessary civic skill to preserve truth, accountability, and informed public discourse.

(GP)

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