The Prime Minister of India is set to inaugurate the newly renovated Jallianwala Bagh complex and museum, a memorial dedicated to those who lost their lives in the tragic massacre of 13th April, 1919 in Amritsar, Punjab.
The Significance of the Jallianwala Bagh Complex
The Jallianwala Bagh complex is a significant symbol of India’s struggle for independence. It commemorates the tragic events of 13th April 1919, often referred to as the Massacre of Amritsar. This was a day marked by the ruthless approach of the British troops under General Dyer who fired upon an unarmed gathering, resulting in a substantial loss of innocent lives.
The Backdrop of the Massacre
The massacre was not an isolated incident but a manifestation of a series of repressive measures enforced by the British government in India during World War I (1914–18). These were designed to suppress subversive activities. The infamous Rowlatt Act, also known as the Black Act, passed on 10th March, 1919 allowed the government to imprison or confine, without a trial, any person suspected of seditious activities. This led to widespread discontent across the nation.
The Fatal Day: 13th April, 1919
On this day, at least 10,000 men, women and children gathered in Jallianwala Bagh to protest the arrest of Dr. Saifuddin Kitchlew and Dr. Satyapal who had been leading peaceful protests against the Rowlatt Act. In response, Brigadier-General Dyer deployed his troops and ordered them to open fire on the crowd. The only exit to the park was sealed, leading to the death of hundreds of unarmed civilians.
Repercussions of the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre
The public outrage intensified as news of the massacre spread throughout India. Martial law was enacted in Punjab, leading to public floggings and other humiliations. Notable public figures like Bengali poet and Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore renounced his knighthood, Mahatma Gandhi renounced his title of Kaiser-i-Hind, and Chettur Sankaran Nair resigned from the Viceroy’s Executive Council in protest.
The Inquiry into Incident: The Hunter Commission
On 14th October, 1919, the Disorders Inquiry Committee, later known as the Hunter Commission, was formed to investigate the massacre where Dyer was censured for his actions and asked to resign. Simultaneously, the Indian National Congress appointed its own committee that included Motilal Nehru, C.R. Das, Abbas Tyabji, M.R. Jayakar, and Gandhi.
Birth of a Nonviolent Movement
The massacre led to the first large-scale and sustained nonviolent protest (satyagraha) campaign engineered by Mahatma Gandhi. Known as the Non-Cooperation Movement (1920–22), this was a significant step towards ending British rule in India 25 years later.