K. B. Singh
Encyclopedia
Kunwar Bachint Singh OBE arrived in Fiji
in 1927 as a teacher for the Arya Samaj
but his association with Vishnu Deo
led him to play an active role in aggressively promoting the Arya Samaj and finally into politics. He was elected into the Legislative Council
as a protégé of Vishnu Deo but after the election took an independent stance opposed to the wishes of the majority of the Fiji Indians. He supported nominated instead of elected representation, actively supported the war effort and even attempted to set up a farmers union opposed to a number of existing unions. The Government rewarded him for his loyalty by nominating him into the Legislative Council thrice, appointing him as a Justice of Peace and as a member of the Executive Council
.
, Punjab
, India
. He migrated to Singapore
then came to Fiji in 1927 as a teacher and taught at Viti School near Nausori
. He worked hand-in-hand with Vishnu Deo, in June 1930, to establish the Fiji Indian Labour Union to represent unemployed Punjabi
immigrants.
against the call for boycott from Vishnu Deo and other leaders, K. B. Singh was an obvious choice. He was regarded as a loyal supporter of Vishnu Deo and common roll. K.B.Singh defeated his opponent for the Southern Indian Division, capturing 79 percent of the formal votes cast. On 14 October 1932, under the guidance of Vishnu Deo, K.B. Singh put forward a motion for common roll. The Governor convinced him that that his fears were unfounded and asked him to withdraw the motion so that he could discuss it with the Secretary of State. Contrary to Vishnu Deo’s advice, he withdrew the motion. In February 1933, the Secretary of State informed the Legislative Council that it was impracticable to have common roll. K.B. Singh resigned and was re-elected with Vishnu Deo’s support (with an increased majority of 94% over the same rival). He took his seat in the Legislative Council, contrary to Vishnu Deo’s instructions and evaded the common roll issue. He was denounced in public meetings organised by Vishnu Deo and his associates but was rewarded by the Government by being made Justice of Peace. On 23 March 1934, he introduced another motion for common roll which was defeated but its consequence was that new motion could not be introduced immediately after next election.
and the remaining two filled through nomination. Following the 1937 election, he was nominated into the Legislative Council by the Governor.
asked for a Royal Commission and Vishnu Deo for a Court of Arbitration. He said that,” when elephants fight the grass is trampled”, pointing out that rivalry among Fiji Indian leaders only harmed the humble farmer.
but this was rejected by the British
Government.
. During the same year, he also attempted to establish a new union known as the Southern Division Farmers Union
. There was widespread opposition to this until Vishnu Deo took over its leadership. He remained in the Legislative Council as a nominated member until 1947.
K.B. Singh made numerous attempts to get back into the Legislative Council as an elected member, but without success. In the 1963 election, he was defeated by Andrew Deoki
for the Southern Indian seat. In the 1966 election, he was defeated by K.C.Ramrakha of the Federation Party
for the Tailevu Rewa Indian Communal seat.
Fiji
Fiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...
in 1927 as a teacher for the Arya Samaj
Arya Samaj (Fiji)
The Arya Samaj was the first religious, cultural and educational Fiji Indian organisation established in Fiji. From its inception, in 1904, it attracted the young, educated and progressive Hindus into its fold...
but his association with Vishnu Deo
Vishnu Deo
Pandit Vishnu Deo OBE was the first Fiji born and bred leader of the Fiji Indians. From 1929, when he was first elected to the Legislative Council, until his retirement in 1959, he remained the most powerful Fiji Indian political leader in Fiji...
led him to play an active role in aggressively promoting the Arya Samaj and finally into politics. He was elected into the Legislative Council
Legislative Council (Fiji)
The Fijian Legislative Council was the colonial precursor to the present-day Parliament, which came into existence when Fiji became independent on 10 October 1970.-The first Legislative Council:...
as a protégé of Vishnu Deo but after the election took an independent stance opposed to the wishes of the majority of the Fiji Indians. He supported nominated instead of elected representation, actively supported the war effort and even attempted to set up a farmers union opposed to a number of existing unions. The Government rewarded him for his loyalty by nominating him into the Legislative Council thrice, appointing him as a Justice of Peace and as a member of the Executive Council
Executive Council (Fiji)
The colonial Governors of Fiji relied on the Executive Council for advice on proposals for legislation which, after being discussed in the Executive Council meetings, came before the Legislative Council in the form of bills. In this way, the Executive Council was the chief policy-making body and...
.
Early life
Singh was born in JalandharJalandhar
Jalandhar is a city in Jalandhar District in the state of Punjab, India. It is located 144 km northwest of the state capital, Chandigarh...
, 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...
. He migrated to Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
then came to Fiji in 1927 as a teacher and taught at Viti School near Nausori
Nausori
Nausori is a town in Fiji. It had a population of 47,604 at the 2007 census, the most recent to date. This makes it the fourth most populous municipality in the country. Situated 19 kilometers out of Suva, it forms one pole of the burgeoning Suva-Nausori corridor.Nausori grew up around Fiji's...
. He worked hand-in-hand with Vishnu Deo, in June 1930, to establish the Fiji Indian Labour Union to represent unemployed Punjabi
Punjabi people
The Punjabi people , ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ), also Panjabi people, are an Indo-Aryan group from South Asia. They are the second largest of the many ethnic groups in South Asia. They originate in the Punjab region, which has been been the location of some of the oldest civilizations in the world including, the...
immigrants.
Election to Legislative Council
In 1932, when Vishnu Deo needed a candidate to oppose a rebel candidate who had nominated for a seat in the Legislative CouncilLegislative Council (Fiji)
The Fijian Legislative Council was the colonial precursor to the present-day Parliament, which came into existence when Fiji became independent on 10 October 1970.-The first Legislative Council:...
against the call for boycott from Vishnu Deo and other leaders, K. B. Singh was an obvious choice. He was regarded as a loyal supporter of Vishnu Deo and common roll. K.B.Singh defeated his opponent for the Southern Indian Division, capturing 79 percent of the formal votes cast. On 14 October 1932, under the guidance of Vishnu Deo, K.B. Singh put forward a motion for common roll. The Governor convinced him that that his fears were unfounded and asked him to withdraw the motion so that he could discuss it with the Secretary of State. Contrary to Vishnu Deo’s advice, he withdrew the motion. In February 1933, the Secretary of State informed the Legislative Council that it was impracticable to have common roll. K.B. Singh resigned and was re-elected with Vishnu Deo’s support (with an increased majority of 94% over the same rival). He took his seat in the Legislative Council, contrary to Vishnu Deo’s instructions and evaded the common roll issue. He was denounced in public meetings organised by Vishnu Deo and his associates but was rewarded by the Government by being made Justice of Peace. On 23 March 1934, he introduced another motion for common roll which was defeated but its consequence was that new motion could not be introduced immediately after next election.
Supporter of Nomination System
Fully aware that he would not be able to retain his seat in the next election, K.B. Singh accepted the Governor’s advice and moved a motion calling for members of the Legislative Council to be nominated and not elected. The motion was passed but the Colonial Office implemented a compromise, combining election and nomination. The Legislative Council was increased to 31, made up of 15 unofficial members, made up of 5 members from each ethnic group, and 16 official members. All the Fijian seats were to be nominated by the Great Council of Chiefs, but three each of the Indian and European seats were to be elected on communal franchiseCommunal constituencies (Fiji)
Communal constituencies have been the most durable feature of the Fijian electoral system. In communal constituencies, electors enrolled as ethnic Fijians, Indo-Fijians, Rotuman Islanders, or General Electors vote for a candidate of their own respective ethnic groups, in constituencies that have...
and the remaining two filled through nomination. Following the 1937 election, he was nominated into the Legislative Council by the Governor.
Supporter of Native Land Trust Board
In 1940, K.B. Singh supported the Native Land Trust Bill, which gave control of native land to the Native Land Trust Board. In the 1943 debate in the Legislative Council, on the sugar cane dispute, he condemned the rivalry among Indian leaders when B.D. LakshmanB.D. Lakshman
Brahma Dass Lakshman was an Indo-Fijian politician, union leader and businessman, who had a considerable influence on Fiji’s sugar industry.- Education and teaching career :...
asked for a Royal Commission and Vishnu Deo for a Court of Arbitration. He said that,” when elephants fight the grass is trampled”, pointing out that rivalry among Fiji Indian leaders only harmed the humble farmer.
Support for Fiji's war effort
In May 1943, K.B. Singh was commissioned as an officer to raise recruits for the Fiji Labour Corps to support the military effort. With stiff opposition from Vishnu Deo, only 300 Indians joined the military service. In 1944, he proposed the raising of a unit of Fiji Indians to serve in the Indian ArmyIndian Army
The Indian Army is the land based branch and the largest component of the Indian Armed Forces. With about 1,100,000 soldiers in active service and about 1,150,000 reserve troops, the Indian Army is the world's largest standing volunteer army...
but this was rejected by the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
Government.
Later years
In 1946 K.B.Singh was appointed to Executive CouncilExecutive Council (Fiji)
The colonial Governors of Fiji relied on the Executive Council for advice on proposals for legislation which, after being discussed in the Executive Council meetings, came before the Legislative Council in the form of bills. In this way, the Executive Council was the chief policy-making body and...
. During the same year, he also attempted to establish a new union known as the Southern Division Farmers Union
Southern Division Kisan Sangh
The Southern Division Kisan Sangh was formed in 1946 by a former member of parliament, K.B. Singh, due to personal differences with the president of the Rewa Planters Union, Ram Krishna Chaudhary. There was widespread opposition to this until Vishnu Deo took over its leadership and worked together...
. There was widespread opposition to this until Vishnu Deo took over its leadership. He remained in the Legislative Council as a nominated member until 1947.
K.B. Singh made numerous attempts to get back into the Legislative Council as an elected member, but without success. In the 1963 election, he was defeated by Andrew Deoki
Andrew Deoki
Andrew Indar Narayan Deoki was a Fiji Indian statesman who served his community as a social and religious leader, a soccer administrator, a member of the Legislative Council in colonial Fiji, a member of the Senate in independent Fiji and as the Attorney General.- Contribution to Soccer in Fiji...
for the Southern Indian seat. In the 1966 election, he was defeated by K.C.Ramrakha of the Federation Party
National Federation Party (Fiji)
The National Federation Party is a Fijian political party founded by A.D. Patel in November 1968, as a merger of the Federation Party and the National Democratic Party...
for the Tailevu Rewa Indian Communal seat.