Jallianwala Bagh Massacre: 105 Years On, a Dark Day Remembered

Jaswant Singh Chail, 21, was found guilty of treason at the Old Bailey in 2023 after attempting to kill the late Queen Elizabeth II on Christmas Day, 2021, with a crossbow. In more than 40 years, it was Britain’s first treason conviction. Sikh-born Chail stated to the police he was taking revenge for how South Asians were treated, referencing the 1919 Amritsar massacre where British soldiers opened fire on protesters demanding independence.

“He [Chail] considered that the killing of the figurehead of the British Empire would be a suitable act in retribution,” prosecutor Alison Morgan KC was quoted by Sky News.

PM Narendra Modi Pays Tribute

Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid a heartfelt tribute to all the brave martyrs of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre. He also shared a video on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter.

What Is The Amritsar Massacre?

In the notorious Jallianwala Bagh Massacre (also known as the Amritsar Massacre), which occurred on April 13, 1919, General Dyer gave the order for his soldiers to fire on an unarmed group of men, women and children who were stranded in an old walled garden during a Sikh New Year. The atrocity claimed the lives of at least 379 individuals and left over 1,500 injured.

What Led to the Massacre?

In late 1918, as the First World War was coming to an end, the infamous Rowlatt Act was approved by the Imperial Legislative Council. A strong sense of anger was sparked across the nation the instant the two Rowlatt bills became public. It was up to Gandhi to seize the general discontent and initiate a nationwide movement against the Rowlatt Act.

Gandhi, his close colleagues, and many others took the satyagraha pledge in Ahmedabad on February 24, 1919. They promised to disobey specific regulations, to be determined by a ‘committee,’ until the proposed Rowlatt law was scrapped.

It soon became apparent that breaking specific rules on an individual basis would not be sufficient, and on April 6, a call was made for a nationwide strike and shop closures (known as a hartal) throughout India.

Over vast swaths of territory, the demand for widespread hartal was received with unmatched success. Gandhi attempted to travel to Amritsar, but the British government led him back to Bombay (now Mumbai).

Additionally, the final two significant leaders of the Punjabi satyagraha were forcibly deported. There was an instant public outcry in Amritsar following the incident.

The military opened fire on a gathering of demonstrators attempting to cross the railway bridge, killing around 20 people and wounding many others. On the evening of April 10, when the crowd dispersed, five Europeans lost their lives.

The slaughter of Europeans in Amritsar prompted the province’s Lieutenant Governor, Sir Michael O’Dwyer, to surrender the city to the army, led by Brigadier General Dyer. Dyer started apprehending suspects right away and shut off the water and power supplies to the people as a form of punishment.

A ‘procession’ and any kind of assembly were likewise forbidden by him. It is unclear if this ban was properly announced in public. About 20,000 people had assembled at the site on April 13.

General Dyer showed up with an armed contingent and gave his men the command to fire without any prior warning. The gunfire continued until 1,650 bullets were fired. The firing stopped only when the gunpowder had run out.

General Dyer’s Testimony

Former Solicitor-General of Scotland and Senator of the College of Justice in Scotland, Lord William Hunter, chaired an investigation commission established in 1919. The Hunter Commission became the colloquial name for the panel.

The commission called Dyer to appear before it on November 19 of that year. The exchanges between the commission and Dyer are detailed in Nigel Collet’s 2006 book The Butcher of Amritsar: General Reginald Dyer.

Dyer acknowledged that he had not given a warning before the shooting, but he felt compelled to keep shooting until the crowd had dispersed.

Dyer informed the panel that the individuals in attendance were insurgents attempting to cut off supplies and isolate his men. He continued by saying that he might have been able to separate the crowd without using force, but then they might have returned and laughed, making him look “fool.”

When asked why he hadn’t given the injured any medical assistance, Dyer said that the circumstances of the military prevented him from doing so. He went on to explain his decision not to assist the injured by stating, “It was not my job. Hospitals were open and they could have gone there.”

The Commission questioned Dyer over the potential deployment of machine guns. A commission member questioned him, saying that if there had been enough room for the armoured vehicles to enter, would he have fired the machine guns?

According to Dyer, “I think probably, yes.” The commission member went on to ask in that case, the casualties would have been much higher. To which Dyer said. “Yes.”

During the interview, Dyer also emphasised that he gave the order to begin fire because he wanted to make a mark on “the rest of Punjab.” Dyer stated, “They had come out to fight if they defied me, and I was going to give them a lesson.” A member of the Commission then asked him if he intended to frighten people with his action. He replied saying, “Call it what you like. I was going to punish them.”

Messages to Mourn the Lives Lost

1. “With 1650 bullets, the nation was eternally wounded.”
2. “Our soil is drenched and covered with the blood of those who were killed at the Jallianwala Bagh.”
3. “Their bloodstains continue to scream, their helplessness remains haunting and their sacrifice is remembered. Honour be to the Jallianwala Bagh martyrs.”
4. “Jallianwala Bagh is a story of sacrifices. Many stories eventually die, but Jallianwala Bagh has been a symbol of agony throughout history.”
5. “A sincere tribute to all of the noble martyrs of Jallianwala Bagh who gave their lives for the country’s independence.”

Quotes to Mourn the Lives Lost

1. “Swaraj is my birthright and I shall have it.” – Bal Gangadhar Tilak
2. “Freedom is never dear at any price. It is the breath of life. What would a man not pay for living?” – Mahatma Gandhi
3. “Sarfaroshi ki tamanna ab hamare dil mai hai, dekhna hai zor kitna baazu-e-qaatil mai hai” – Bismil Azeemabadi
4. “Inquilab Zindabad” – Bhagat Singh
5. “Tum Muje Khoon Do, Mai Tumhe Azadi Dunga” – Subhash Chandra Bose.