Glimses of History 

Consequently, they transformed themselves into Satnamis, a sect founded by Guru Ghasi Das (1756'836 ) who preached unity of God and equality of all men. This , by yet another de~Brahminized Hindu religious sect ,was essentially a social uprising challenging the authority of higher castes. 

Balak Das  son of Guru Ghasi Das was brutally murdered in 1860 for daring to don the sacred thread . Well before the end of the previous century they had mustered enough strength to overcome their traditional civil disabilities of prohibition against footwear and use of horses or palnquins. 

In 1917, they brought down the wrath of the Savarna for publically organizing a thread~wearing ceremony. The Savarnas punished the rebels by beating them up , beheading several of them and branding sacred threads on their chests and and backs with red hot iron. 

In 1925, a political drama was enacted in which the Satnamis were decorated with sacred threads in the presence of Gandhi, and immediately after this, once back inthe village, several of them were beheaded. Soon after this disater a Satnami Mahasabha was founded which demanded changes in identity, political representation and their share in educational and job opportunities. Several self~help activities too, were initiated such as hostel for students, association for maintaining social equality among themselves and for basic human rights .

Aloysius : Nationalism without a nation in India. Page 66~67.
Further reading:

1 Awadesh Kumar, Religious protest and status improvement ~ a case study of Satnamis in Chhattisgarh.
2.L.A .Bobb , Political involvement of religious movement ~The Satnamis ,in M J Mahar edition.
3. Myth ,Symbols and Community ; Satnami Panth of CG ~ Subaltern studies Vol.7.