Source: TP
Subject: History
Context: India marks the 107th anniversary of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, paying homage to the hundreds of unarmed civilians killed by British forces in 1919.
About The Jallianwala Bagh Massacre:
What it is?
- The Jallianwala Bagh massacre, also known as the Amritsar Massacre, was a brutal slaughter of unarmed Indian civilians by British troops under the command of Brigadier-General Reginald Dyer.
- It remains one of the darkest chapters of British colonial rule in India and served as a turning point that shifted the national sentiment from seeking reform to demanding complete independence (Swaraj).
Background of the Massacre:
- The Rowlatt Act (1919): The British passed the Black Act, which allowed the government to imprison any person suspected of sedition without a trial for up to two years. This sparked widespread Rowlatt Satyagraha led by Mahatma Gandhi.
- Arrest of Leaders: Two popular pro-independence leaders, Dr. Saifuddin Kitchlew and Dr. Satyapal, were arrested in Amritsar, leading to violent protests and a critical security situation in Punjab.
- Martial Law: General Dyer was called in to restore order. He issued a proclamation banning all public meetings and gatherings, but it was not widely disseminated and was issued only in English.
The Day of the Massacre:
- Baisakhi Gathering: April 13 was the festival of Baisakhi. Thousands of people—including men, women, and children—gathered at Jallianwala Bagh. Some were there to peacefully protest the arrests, while many rural visitors were simply there to celebrate the festival.
- No Warning: General Dyer entered the garden with 50 soldiers and two armored cars. Without issuing any warning for the crowd to disperse, he blocked the only narrow exit.
- The Firing: He ordered his troops to fire until their ammunition was exhausted. Over 1,600 rounds were fired into the trapped crowd for about 10 minutes.
- Casualties: While official British figures stated 379 were killed, Indian estimates suggested over 1,000 deaths. Many jumped into the Martyr’s Well inside the park to escape the bullets and drowned.
Post-Massacre Events:
- Reign of Terror: Following the massacre, Dyer imposed humiliating crawling orders, public floggings, and the cutting of water and electricity to Indian families in Punjab.
- Hunter Commission: The British government appointed the Hunter Commission to investigate. While it censured Dyer, he was not prosecuted and was even hailed as a Saviour of the Punjab by some imperial loyalists in Britain.
- Renunciation of Honors: In protest, Rabindranath Tagore renounced his Knighthood, and Mahatma Gandhi returned his Kaiser-i-Hind gold medal.
Implications and Legacy:
- The brutality of the event convinced Gandhi that the British government was satanic. It led directly to the launch of the Non-Cooperation Movement.
- The massacre bridged the gap between different social classes and religions, uniting Indians against a common oppressor.
- Figures like Udham Singh (who later assassinated Michael O’Dwyer) and Bhagat Singh were deeply influenced by the tragedy, leading to an upsurge in revolutionary activities.
