History of Jallianwala Bagh, get more details
Wednesday, 23rd June 2021
Jallianwala Bagh History
Since the outbreak of World War I, dissatisfaction and civil unrest have grown across the country, particularly in the states of West Bengal and Punjab. The devastating effects of the war, such as inflation, high taxes, and a large number of dead and injured soldiers, played a significant role in uniting the country against British rule.
In 1919, the Rowlatt Committee was formed in response to the escalating civil turmoil. The Rowlatt Act was a piece of legislation that allowed certain political cases to be tried without a jury and allowed suspects to be detained without being tried. This is when Mahatma Gandhi first became known as a revolutionary. Protests erupted around the country in response to the Act. The turmoil worsened, particularly in Punjab.
Demonstrations were conducted outside the home of the Deputy Commissioner of Amritsar to seek the release of two prominent Indian Independence Movement activists, Satya Pal and Saifuddin Kitchlew. Violent protests culminated in the burning of the Town Hall and the Railway Station, as well as the disruption of telegraph and communication systems. Many people died as a result of it, including a few European political leaders and civilians.
All of these efforts resulted in a few days of stillness in Amritsar, while other sections of Punjab were affected. As a result, the British government decided to declare martial law throughout most of Punjab. Civil rights were restricted, including the prohibition of public gatherings and the gathering of a large group of individuals.
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The Jallianwala Bagh Massacre occurred in 1919.
Thousands of people gathered in Jallianwala Bagh in Amritsar, Punjab, on April 13, 1919. For Sikhs, this day symbolises the start of the New Year, and it is also known as Baisakhi festival in Punjab. On this auspicious day, people travel days to reach Punjab to celebrate Baisakhi with their families and loved ones. This was the cause for the gathering in Jallianwala Bagh.
Colonel Reginald Dyer had announced a curfew throughout Amritsar and a prohibition on all processions on Baisakhi morning, including prohibiting a group of four or more persons from meeting openly. Dyer received classified information about a meeting taking place near Jallianwala Bagh that could lead to disturbances and protests about 12:40 p.m. Thousands of people, including Harmandir Sahib worshippers, had congregated around the Jallianwala Bagh by mid-day. Walls up to ten feet high surrounded Jallianwala Bagh on all sides. It has a number of tiny entrances, the most of which are locked. Devotees, traders, farmers, and merchants travelled to Amritsar to take part in the festival and watch the Baisakhi horse and cattle fair. Because of the large number of people present and the upcoming covert meeting at 4:30 p.m., General Dyer arrived with armed troops.
Armed troops were also stationed at the main entrance. The men were escorted by armoured vehicles allegedly carrying machine guns and explosives. On Dyer's orders, brutal firing was carried out on the misinformed audience. At the time of the shooting, there were around 25,000 people there. Some attempted to flee, while others chose to jump into the Jallianwala Bagh grounds' isolation well. The troops were told to start shooting from the most heavily populated area in order to injure as many people as possible. Extreme mass killing followed from this horrible act of brutality. The fire lasted about 10 minutes and was only stopped when the ammunition supply was nearly depleted. Due to the enforced curfew, the scattered bodies could not even be transported. Colonel Dyer is said to have fired not just to disperse the gathering, but also to punish the Indians for defying his instructions. Colonel Dyer's actions were believed to be correct and sanctioned by the British Lieutenant Governor of Punjab, according to a telegram issued by him. In addition, the British Lieutenant requested that the Viceroy impose martial law in Punjab.
The News Talkie Bureau
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