The Marathas largely ignored the local Jatts and Sikhs of Punjab and now Haryana. They considered the Sikhs local upstarts and of little consequence. This was very unfortunate. The local Hindu Jatts and Sikhs kept aloof and watched the Marathas loose a battle they could have easily won. The same Sikhs later attacked the Afghan army and rescued Maratha women who were being taken as slaves to Afghanistan. Had the Marathas decided to include the local population of Jatts and Sikhs the course of history would have been different. This was the third battle of Panipat in 1761. In March 1776, the Sikhs defeated the forces of the Mughal emperor Shah Alam II near Muzzafanagar and captured the Red Fort of Delhi.
-- Gurpreet Singh
-- Gurpreet Singh
