The crisis in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK) has reached a boiling point. As civilian unrest enters its fourth consecutive week, prominent opposition voices are now openly condemning the Pakistani state, comparing the recent security crackdown to a "massacre."


PoK Protests: Pak opposition leader compares the civilian killings to massacre

The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) in its latest edition of Class 8 social science textbook has slammed the British government for holding out on an apology for the Jallianwala Bagh massacre 1919. These updates are part of the new National Education Policy (NEP) and the National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCFSE) 2023.<h2>Why hasn't the UK apologised for this 'deeply shameful event in British history'?</h2>The newly updated textbook 'Exploring Society: India and Beyond Part 2' in a chapter titled 'India's Long Road to Independence,' covers the freedom fight - from the 1857 revolt, up to the 1947 partition of India-Pakistan. It also mentions the Partition of Bengal.Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/ncert-flags-judicial-corruption-and-over-53-million-pending-cases-in-new-class-8-social-science-book-1771912233327">NCERT flags judicial corruption, over 53 million pending cases in Class 8 book</a>Describing the massacre which claimed over 1,000 lives as &nbsp;a "deeply shameful event in British history" the book which adds new perspective to India's fight for freedom, notes that despite multiple requests the British have not apologised for the atrocity. The previous edition of the book did not mention any requests for an apology.<h2>The devastating death toll of Jallianwala Bagh massacre</h2>On April 13, 1919, Brigadier-General Reginald Dyer ordered his troops to fire at thousands of people who had gathered to protest against the Rowlatt Act at the annual Baisakhi fair. It is estimated that firing inside the crowded, enclosed area continued straight for 10 minutes, especially targeting the exits.Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/-the-only-way-forward-ncert-revises-class-8-textbook-says-gandhi-opposed-but-congress-accepted-1947-partition-all-about-new-changes-here-1771908643180">NCERT revises Class 8 book, says Cong accepted Partition as 'only way forward'</a>According to a British government inquiry, 379 people were killed, while approximately 1,200 were wounded in the brutal carnage. However, these figures have long been considered a significant underestimation. Reports, including one by a committee headed by Madan Mohan Malviya, estimated the death toll to be over 1,000–1,500. While in 2019, Britain expressed deep "regret" for the bloodbath, the nation is yet to formally tender an apology.&nbsp;

NCERT’s revised Class 8 textbook calls the 1919 Jallianwala Bagh massacre a “deeply shameful” chapter and notes Britain has still not formally apologised, despite past requests. All you need to know.

The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) in its latest edition of Class 8 social science textbook has slammed the British government for holding out on an apology for the Jallianwala Bagh massacre 1919. These updates are part of the new National Education Policy (NEP) and the National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCFSE) 2023. Why hasn't the UK apologised for this 'deeply shameful event in British history'? The newly updated textbook 'Exploring Society: India and Beyond Part 2' in a chapter titled 'India's Long Road to Independence,' covers the freedom fight - from the 1857 revolt, up to the 1947 partition of India-Pakistan. It also mentions the Partition of Bengal. Also read | NCERT flags judicial corruption, over 53 million pending cases in Class 8 book Describing the massacre which claimed over 1,000 lives as a "deeply shameful event in British history" the book which adds new perspective to India's fight for freedom, notes that despite multiple requests the British have not apologised for the atrocity. The previous edition of the book did not mention any requests for an apology. The devastating death toll of Jallianwala Bagh massacre On April 13, 1919, Brigadier-General Reginald Dyer ordered his troops to fire at thousands of people who had gathered to protest against the Rowlatt Act at the annual Baisakhi fair. It is estimated that firing inside the crowded, enclosed area continued straight for 10 minutes, especially targeting the exits. Also read | NCERT revises Class 8 book, says Cong accepted Partition as 'only way forward' According to a British government inquiry, 379 people were killed, while approximately 1,200 were wounded in the brutal carnage. However, these figures have long been considered a significant underestimation. Reports, including one by a committee headed by Madan Mohan Malviya, estimated the death toll to be over 1,000–1,500. While in 2019, Britain expressed deep "regret" for the bloodbath, the nation is yet to formally tender an apology.

NCERT’s revised Class 8 textbook calls the 1919 Jallianwala Bagh massacre a “deeply shameful” chapter and notes Britain has still not formally apologised, despite past requests. All you need to know.

NCERT revised Class 8 book slams Britain’s lack of apology for ‘deeply shameful’ Jallianwala Bagh massacre

ANI: UK Conservative MP for Harrow East, Bob Blackman, on late Thursday, said that he demanded that the UK government tenders an apology to India on the anniversary of the grim Jallianwala Bagh Massacre.
Speaking in the UK Parliament, Blackman highlighted the events of April 13, 1919, and said that thousands of innocent civilians were killed and injured in the shooting at Jallianwala Bagh. "Today, I raised the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre. I asked the Govt to formally give an apology to the people of India ahead of the atrocities anniversary," he said.
In a video attached to the post, Blackman was seen saying that on April 13, 1919, General Dyer ordered the British troops to fire at innocent civilians who were gathered at the Jallianwala Bagh peacefully. "Now, on the 13th of April, 1919, families gathered very peacefully in the Jallianwala Bagh to enjoy the sun, enjoy a day out with their families. General Dyer, on behalf of the British Army, marched his troops in and ordered his troops to fire on those innocent people until they ran out of ammunition. At the end of that massacre, 1,500 people were dead and 1,200 injured," he said. Blackman said that in 2019, then-Prime Minister Theresa May recognised this massacre, but it did not elicit a statement from her.
Also Read |<a class="gh-archive-page-post-title-link" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-praises-modi-as-very-smart-while-complaining-about-indias-brutal-tariffs-says-tarrif-talks-between-us-would-work-out-very-well-8903634" aria-label="Trump praises Modi as 'very smart,' says tariff talks between us would 'work out very well'">Trump praises Modi as 'very smart,' says tariff talks between us would 'work out very well'</a>
"Eventually, General Dyer was disgraced for that stain on the British Empire. In 2019, then-Prime Minister, Theresa May, recognised this was a stain on British colonial rule in India. But could we have a statement in government time? The anniversary of this will be on the 13th of April this year when we're in recess. So could we have a statement from the government admitting to what went wrong and formally giving an apology to the people of India," he said.
Another MP in the Parliament expressed gratitude to Blackman for raising the issue, referring to the massacre as one of the most notorious and shameful episodes in the history of British colonialism.
"Can I thank him for raising this important matter of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, which, as he says, is one of the most notorious and shameful episodes in the history of British colonialism, particularly in India. But I think probably wider than that," she said.
Also Read |<a class="gh-archive-page-post-title-link" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/directly-repeating-without-quotations-canadian-pm-mark-carney-gets-accused-of-oxford-thesis-plagiarism-amid-elections-8903642" aria-label="'Directly repeating without quotations': Canadian PM Mark Carney gets accused of Oxford thesis plagiarism amid elections">'Directly repeating without quotations': Canadian PM Mark Carney gets accused of Oxford thesis plagiarism amid elections</a>
She said that she will make sure that the foreign office ministers will bring a statement in advance of the anniversary. "I will absolutely make sure that the foreign office ministers have heard his question today and I will suggest that perhaps they bring forward a statement in advance of the anniversary," she said.
The Jallianwala Bagh memorial in Punjab commemorates the 2,000 Indians who were killed or wounded, shot indiscriminately by the British under the command of Gen Michael O' Dyer on April 13, 1919, while participating in a peaceful public meeting. This was one of the major incidents of India's freedom struggle.
The story of this appalling massacre is told in the Martyr's Gallery at the site. A section of wall with bullet marks still visible is preserved along with the memorial well, in which some people jumped to escape. "The impossible men of India shall rise and liberate their mother land", declared Mahatma Gandhi after the Jallianwala massacre. "This disproportionate severity of punishment inflicted upon the unfortunate people and method of carrying it out is without parallel in the history of civilized government", wrote Rabindranath Tagore, the noble laureate, while returning knighthood.
Disclaimer: This story has been published from ANI feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

World | Speaking in the UK Parliament, Blackman highlighted the events of April 13, 1919, and said that thousands of innocent civilians were killed and injured in the shooting at Jallianwala Bagh.

ANI: UK Conservative MP for Harrow East, Bob Blackman, on late Thursday, said that he demanded that the UK government tenders an apology to India on the anniversary of the grim Jallianwala Bagh Massacre. Speaking in the UK Parliament, Blackman highlighted the events of April 13, 1919, and said that thousands of innocent civilians were killed and injured in the shooting at Jallianwala Bagh. "Today, I raised the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre. I asked the Govt to formally give an apology to the people of India ahead of the atrocities anniversary," he said. In a video attached to the post, Blackman was seen saying that on April 13, 1919, General Dyer ordered the British troops to fire at innocent civilians who were gathered at the Jallianwala Bagh peacefully. "Now, on the 13th of April, 1919, families gathered very peacefully in the Jallianwala Bagh to enjoy the sun, enjoy a day out with their families. General Dyer, on behalf of the British Army, marched his troops in and ordered his troops to fire on those innocent people until they ran out of ammunition. At the end of that massacre, 1,500 people were dead and 1,200 injured," he said. Blackman said that in 2019, then-Prime Minister Theresa May recognised this massacre, but it did not elicit a statement from her. Also Read |Trump praises Modi as 'very smart,' says tariff talks between us would 'work out very well' "Eventually, General Dyer was disgraced for that stain on the British Empire. In 2019, then-Prime Minister, Theresa May, recognised this was a stain on British colonial rule in India. But could we have a statement in government time? The anniversary of this will be on the 13th of April this year when we're in recess. So could we have a statement from the government admitting to what went wrong and formally giving an apology to the people of India," he said. Another MP in the Parliament expressed gratitude to Blackman for raising the issue, referring to the massacre as one of the most notorious and shameful episodes in the history of British colonialism. "Can I thank him for raising this important matter of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, which, as he says, is one of the most notorious and shameful episodes in the history of British colonialism, particularly in India. But I think probably wider than that," she said. Also Read |'Directly repeating without quotations': Canadian PM Mark Carney gets accused of Oxford thesis plagiarism amid elections She said that she will make sure that the foreign office ministers will bring a statement in advance of the anniversary. "I will absolutely make sure that the foreign office ministers have heard his question today and I will suggest that perhaps they bring forward a statement in advance of the anniversary," she said. The Jallianwala Bagh memorial in Punjab commemorates the 2,000 Indians who were killed or wounded, shot indiscriminately by the British under the command of Gen Michael O' Dyer on April 13, 1919, while participating in a peaceful public meeting. This was one of the major incidents of India's freedom struggle. The story of this appalling massacre is told in the Martyr's Gallery at the site. A section of wall with bullet marks still visible is preserved along with the memorial well, in which some people jumped to escape. "The impossible men of India shall rise and liberate their mother land", declared Mahatma Gandhi after the Jallianwala massacre. "This disproportionate severity of punishment inflicted upon the unfortunate people and method of carrying it out is without parallel in the history of civilized government", wrote Rabindranath Tagore, the noble laureate, while returning knighthood. Disclaimer: This story has been published from ANI feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

UK MP urges government to issue formal apology for Jallianwala Bagh massacre

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, by his own account, is a 'proud British Hindu'. Sunak has expressly embraced his Indian and Hindu heritage. At the same time, Sunak's moment of reckoning as a person of darker skin tone residing and working in 10, Downing Street – a former powerhouse of colonialism – has been widely celebrated by the people of former British colonies, in the United Kingdom and elsewhere.&nbsp;

The UK Prime Minister also holds a unique cross-sectional attribute as British person of colour of 'double-migrant' heritage, whose ancestors came to Britain from imperial India via Africa.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The exhibition and celebration of one's heritage, such as lighting diyas on Diwali or visiting temples, is an obvious attribute of cultural rootedness. But an absolute absence of addressal of some tough questions on the same heritage, such as 'Who caused the Jallianwala Bagh massacre?', reflects a perilous state of imperial ignorance in Sunak’s leadership.

That it were the British who committed the Jallianwala Bagh massacre from inception to nadir is a fact rather than a contested assertion. That an official count of dead, widely held false, from that bloodied Amritsar ground showed 379 Indians killed, is a fact at the face of brutish smugness of the Raj.

ALSO WATCH&nbsp;|&nbsp;Britain refuses to apologise for Jallianwala Bagh massacre

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/britain-refuses-to-apologise-for-jallianwala-bagh-massacre-209996/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

As my colleague Prisha details <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/explained-what-happened-to-general-dyer-the-butcher-of-jallianwala-bagh-581900">here</a>, General Reginald Dyer, the British Army officer who ordered the massacre, had 'made up [his] mind that [he] would shoot all men to death if they were going to continue the meeting at Jallianwala Bagh', located a short walk away from holiest Sikh shrine of Golden Temple in Amritsar in North India.

If Sunak, as a person of colour in the Downing Street himself, cannot issue a clear and unequivocal apology for a British imperial crime as staggeringly monumental as the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, the case for British 'historical amnesia' remains a proven one.&nbsp;

<h2>Why apologise now, since so much time has passed?</h2>

On a&nbsp;hot noon of 13th April, the Lee-Enfield rifles of General Dyer’s troops penetrated the Indian psyche to the point that even 104 years later, the colonial wounds from that tragedy have not become scars, which often&nbsp;fade away with passage of time. Sunak, with an apologetic atonement, can attempt to initiate the making of India’s Jalllianwala Bagh wound, an imperial scar of history.

Every day, over 150,000 people visit the Golden Temple shrine, passing through the site of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre. An apology would not undo the generational trauma hundreds of thousands Indians encounter in Amritsar every day. But it will definitely have a cleansing effect on the collective Indian psyche which continues to face colonial horrors of the past in the remnants of British loot, signs of subjugation, racism and killings scattered all over the country every day.&nbsp;

It would constitute a step towards atonement against a nation's colonial crimes. The Jallianwala Bagh massacre symbolises two centuries of horrors Indians faced under British rule. A British Prime Minister of colour showing moral courage to deliver an unequivocal apology for the same would go a long way for over a billion people still overcoming generational trauma of colonialism.&nbsp;

(Disclaimer: The views of the writer do not represent the views of WION or ZMCL. Nor does WION or ZMCL endorse the views of the writer.)

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, by his own account, is a 'proud British Hindu'. Sunak has expressly embraced his Indian and Hindu heritage. At the same time, Sunak's moment of reckoning as a person of darker skin tone residing and working in 10, Downing Street – a former powerhouse of colonialism – has been widely celebrated by the people of former British colonies, in the United Kingdom and elsewhere.

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, by his own account, is a 'proud British Hindu'. Sunak has expressly embraced his Indian and Hindu heritage. At the same time, Sunak's moment of reckoning as a person of darker skin tone residing and working in 10, Downing Street – a former powerhouse of colonialism – has been widely celebrated by the people of former British colonies, in the United Kingdom and elsewhere. The UK Prime Minister also holds a unique cross-sectional attribute as British person of colour of 'double-migrant' heritage, whose ancestors came to Britain from imperial India via Africa. The exhibition and celebration of one's heritage, such as lighting diyas on Diwali or visiting temples, is an obvious attribute of cultural rootedness. But an absolute absence of addressal of some tough questions on the same heritage, such as 'Who caused the Jallianwala Bagh massacre?', reflects a perilous state of imperial ignorance in Sunak’s leadership. That it were the British who committed the Jallianwala Bagh massacre from inception to nadir is a fact rather than a contested assertion. That an official count of dead, widely held false, from that bloodied Amritsar ground showed 379 Indians killed, is a fact at the face of brutish smugness of the Raj. ALSO WATCH | Britain refuses to apologise for Jallianwala Bagh massacre × As my colleague Prisha details here, General Reginald Dyer, the British Army officer who ordered the massacre, had 'made up [his] mind that [he] would shoot all men to death if they were going to continue the meeting at Jallianwala Bagh', located a short walk away from holiest Sikh shrine of Golden Temple in Amritsar in North India. If Sunak, as a person of colour in the Downing Street himself, cannot issue a clear and unequivocal apology for a British imperial crime as staggeringly monumental as the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, the case for British 'historical amnesia' remains a proven one. Why apologise now, since so much time has passed? On a hot noon of 13th April, the Lee-Enfield rifles of General Dyer’s troops penetrated the Indian psyche to the point that even 104 years later, the colonial wounds from that tragedy have not become scars, which often fade away with passage of time. Sunak, with an apologetic atonement, can attempt to initiate the making of India’s Jalllianwala Bagh wound, an imperial scar of history. Every day, over 150,000 people visit the Golden Temple shrine, passing through the site of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre. An apology would not undo the generational trauma hundreds of thousands Indians encounter in Amritsar every day. But it will definitely have a cleansing effect on the collective Indian psyche which continues to face colonial horrors of the past in the remnants of British loot, signs of subjugation, racism and killings scattered all over the country every day. It would constitute a step towards atonement against a nation's colonial crimes. The Jallianwala Bagh massacre symbolises two centuries of horrors Indians faced under British rule. A British Prime Minister of colour showing moral courage to deliver an unequivocal apology for the same would go a long way for over a billion people still overcoming generational trauma of colonialism. (Disclaimer: The views of the writer do not represent the views of WION or ZMCL. Nor does WION or ZMCL endorse the views of the writer.) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Rishi Sunak, the 'proud British', are you sorry for Jallianwala Bagh massacre?

On the morning of July 8, 1920, the British newspaper ‘Morning Post’ greeted its readers with an article titled "For General Dyer. The Man Who Saved India". The article was published days after the British authorities had removed General Reginald Dyer from his post after the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, which even today on its 104th anniversary remains etched as one of the deadliest bloodbaths in the history of India's independence struggle.

The article was published to appeal for funds to support Dyer's defence costs. In the first 12 hours, the newspaper had managed to collect £584 ($725), eventually raising the hefty sum of £26,000 ($32,308). What followed was a flood of gifts and letters in support of Dyer in the office of the newspaper. Among the many who contributed to the funds, one of the most renowned names was Nobel laureate Rudyard Kipling.&nbsp;

Supporting Dyer's horrific action, the paper said that he “did his duty, regardless of consequences”.

“On General Dyer’s judgment, and his judgment alone, the future of Punjab, and it may well be of India, was placed, and fearlessly he did his duty. His worst enemies cannot say that the result of his action was a revolution; on the contrary, revolution gaining ground on every side was crushed,” the article read.

ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/indian-origin-mathematician-c-r-rao-honoured-with-math-nobel-prize-580969">Indian-origin mathematician CR Rao honoured with math ‘Nobel Prize’</a>

<h2>The fateful evening</h2>

People in huge numbers had gathered in Jallianwala Bagh on April 13, 1919, which was also the day when people celebrated Baisakhi (the harvest festival of Punjab), for a public meeting to silently protest against the ban imposed on public assemblies. After some time, the silent meeting turned into gory bloodshed after General Dyer ordered the British troops to fire incessantly for around 10 minutes on the unarmed crowd without giving them any warning.

With only one exit and high walls, it became impossible for people to run for their lives. As the troops kept firing, dead bodies&nbsp;kept piling up. Panic-stricken people tried to cross the boundaries and some even jumped inside a well, which was present in the centre of the ground, with hopes of surviving&nbsp;the massacre. After the ceasefire, Dyer, along with his troops, marched back to the base leaving the dead and wounded on the ground. Officially 379 people were killed in the massacre, however, the count is believed to be much higher.

After the killing at Jallianwala Bagh, Punjab was placed under martial law by the government. Weeks later, a British missionary woman was assaulted after which General Dyer gave the "crawling order" on a street, making it compulsory for people to crawl on their four legs if they wished to pass by.

<h2>Hunter Commission and Dyer's fear&nbsp;</h2>

Six months after the massacre, on October 14, 1919, a committee was constituted by Secretary of State for India, Edwin Montagu to investigate the incident. The Disorders Inquiry Committee was established accordingly with former Solicitor General of Scotland Lord William Hunter as the president.

The report prepared by the committee noted the incidents that took place in Amritsar before April 13, 1919. It pointed out how Dyer entered Jallianwala Bagh, accompanied by 25 Gorkha soldiers, 40 Gorkhas armed with only khukris, 25 Baluchis armed with rifles and two armoured cars.

“Without giving the crowd any warning to disperse, which he considered unnecessary as they were in breach of his proclamation, he ordered his troops to fire and the firing continued for about ten minutes,” the report stated.

The minority report of the committee brought out the evidence given by Dyer in great detail. He testified that his mind had already been made up to order the firing when he reached the Bagh.

“I had made up my mind. I was only wondering whether I should do it or not….The situation was very, very serious. I had made up my mind that I would shoot all men to death if they were going to continue the meeting,” he said.

The most shocking was the comments made by Dyer in the investigation. Dyer had testified that he was changing the directions of firing time and again and was directing the armed soldiers to fire where the crowds were the thickest.

He had also accepted that he would have allowed armoured cars to enter and fire using machine guns inside the walled compound if the entrance was not narrow.

“They had come to fight... if they defied me I was going to give them a lesson…I was going to punish them. My idea from the military point of view was to make a wide impression,” Dyer had said.

He had also accepted that there was a possibility that the crowd would have dispersed without firing. Dyer said, “Yes, I think it quite possible that I could have dispersed them perhaps even without firing….I could disperse them for some time then they would all come back and laugh at me, and I considered I would be making myself a fool”.

WATCH | India-China Tensions: China bars two Indian journalists from returning to Beijing

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/india-china-tensions-china-bars-two-indian-journalists-from-returning-to-beijing-581176/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<h2>How did the British government react to the report?</h2>

Montagu, while accepting that Dyer used disproportionate force, opined, “Brig Gen Dyer displayed honesty of purpose and unflinching adherence to his conception of his duty that cannot for a moment be questioned”.

Disappointingly, Viceroy Lord Chelmsford called the actions of Gen Dyer as ‘bona fide’ and ‘dictated by a stern sense of duty’.

The case that should have ended in a recognition of crime against humanity was simply closed with Gen Dyer's resignation as Brigade Commander and no further employment in India.

<main>
<section>
You can&nbsp;now write for wionews.com&nbsp;and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>
</section>
</main>

On the morning of July 8, 1920, the British newspaper ‘Morning Post’ greeted its readers with an article titled "For General Dyer. The Man Who Saved India". The article was published days after the British authorities had removed General Reginald Dyer from his post after the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, which even today on its 104th anniversary remains etched as one of the deadliest bloodbaths in the history of India's independence struggle.

On the morning of July 8, 1920, the British newspaper ‘Morning Post’ greeted its readers with an article titled "For General Dyer. The Man Who Saved India". The article was published days after the British authorities had removed General Reginald Dyer from his post after the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, which even today on its 104th anniversary remains etched as one of the deadliest bloodbaths in the history of India's independence struggle. The article was published to appeal for funds to support Dyer's defence costs. In the first 12 hours, the newspaper had managed to collect £584 ($725), eventually raising the hefty sum of £26,000 ($32,308). What followed was a flood of gifts and letters in support of Dyer in the office of the newspaper. Among the many who contributed to the funds, one of the most renowned names was Nobel laureate Rudyard Kipling. Supporting Dyer's horrific action, the paper said that he “did his duty, regardless of consequences”. “On General Dyer’s judgment, and his judgment alone, the future of Punjab, and it may well be of India, was placed, and fearlessly he did his duty. His worst enemies cannot say that the result of his action was a revolution; on the contrary, revolution gaining ground on every side was crushed,” the article read. ALSO READ | Indian-origin mathematician CR Rao honoured with math ‘Nobel Prize’ The fateful evening People in huge numbers had gathered in Jallianwala Bagh on April 13, 1919, which was also the day when people celebrated Baisakhi (the harvest festival of Punjab), for a public meeting to silently protest against the ban imposed on public assemblies. After some time, the silent meeting turned into gory bloodshed after General Dyer ordered the British troops to fire incessantly for around 10 minutes on the unarmed crowd without giving them any warning. With only one exit and high walls, it became impossible for people to run for their lives. As the troops kept firing, dead bodies kept piling up. Panic-stricken people tried to cross the boundaries and some even jumped inside a well, which was present in the centre of the ground, with hopes of surviving the massacre. After the ceasefire, Dyer, along with his troops, marched back to the base leaving the dead and wounded on the ground. Officially 379 people were killed in the massacre, however, the count is believed to be much higher. After the killing at Jallianwala Bagh, Punjab was placed under martial law by the government. Weeks later, a British missionary woman was assaulted after which General Dyer gave the "crawling order" on a street, making it compulsory for people to crawl on their four legs if they wished to pass by. Hunter Commission and Dyer's fear Six months after the massacre, on October 14, 1919, a committee was constituted by Secretary of State for India, Edwin Montagu to investigate the incident. The Disorders Inquiry Committee was established accordingly with former Solicitor General of Scotland Lord William Hunter as the president. The report prepared by the committee noted the incidents that took place in Amritsar before April 13, 1919. It pointed out how Dyer entered Jallianwala Bagh, accompanied by 25 Gorkha soldiers, 40 Gorkhas armed with only khukris, 25 Baluchis armed with rifles and two armoured cars. “Without giving the crowd any warning to disperse, which he considered unnecessary as they were in breach of his proclamation, he ordered his troops to fire and the firing continued for about ten minutes,” the report stated. The minority report of the committee brought out the evidence given by Dyer in great detail. He testified that his mind had already been made up to order the firing when he reached the Bagh. “I had made up my mind. I was only wondering whether I should do it or not….The situation was very, very serious. I had made up my mind that I would shoot all men to death if they were going to continue the meeting,” he said. The most shocking was the comments made by Dyer in the investigation. Dyer had testified that he was changing the directions of firing time and again and was directing the armed soldiers to fire where the crowds were the thickest. He had also accepted that he would have allowed armoured cars to enter and fire using machine guns inside the walled compound if the entrance was not narrow. “They had come to fight... if they defied me I was going to give them a lesson…I was going to punish them. My idea from the military point of view was to make a wide impression,” Dyer had said. He had also accepted that there was a possibility that the crowd would have dispersed without firing. Dyer said, “Yes, I think it quite possible that I could have dispersed them perhaps even without firing….I could disperse them for some time then they would all come back and laugh at me, and I considered I would be making myself a fool”. WATCH | India-China Tensions: China bars two Indian journalists from returning to Beijing How did the British government react to the report? Montagu, while accepting that Dyer used disproportionate force, opined, “Brig Gen Dyer displayed honesty of purpose and unflinching adherence to his conception of his duty that cannot for a moment be questioned”. Disappointingly, Viceroy Lord Chelmsford called the actions of Gen Dyer as ‘bona fide’ and ‘dictated by a stern sense of duty’. The case that should have ended in a recognition of crime against humanity was simply closed with Gen Dyer's resignation as Brigade Commander and no further employment in India. You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Explained | What happened to General Dyer – the butcher of Jallianwala Bagh?

A 19-year-old man has been arrested for threatening to assassinate Queen Elizabeth II in revenge for the 1919 Jallianwala Bagh massacre.

The accused, identified as Jaswant Singh Chail, was detained on December 25 on the premises of the royal’s Berkshire residence, days after a video went viral on Snapchat showing a man armed with a crossbow and wearing a mask and a black hoodie.

In the video, Chail detailed plans to kill the Queen to avenge the victims of the Amritsar massacre, according to the Sun newspaper.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry for what I've done and what I will do. I will attempt to assassinate Elizabeth, Queen of the Royal Family," the masked man is seen saying in the video.

"This is revenge for those who have died in the 1919 Jallianwala Bagh massacre. It is also revenge for those who have been killed, humiliated and discriminated on because of their race. I'm an Indian Sikh, a Sikh. My name was Jaswant Singh Chail, my name is Darth Jones," he says.

The Metropolitan Police said the arrested has been detained under the UK’s Mental Health Act after a mental health assessment and remains “in the care of medical professionals”.

Meanwhile, his father Jasbir Singh Chail said his son was of unsound mind.

"Something’s gone horribly wrong with our son, and we are trying to figure out what. We’ve not had a chance to speak to him but are trying to get him the help he needs,” the 57-year-old told MailOnline.&nbsp;

“From our perspective, we are going through a difficult time. We are trying to resolve this issue and it’s not easy,” he added.

The Jallianwala Bagh massacre took place in Amritsar in 1919 where hundreds of unarmed Indians were killed in an indiscriminate firing by the British colonial troops under the orders of General Reginald Dyer.

(With inputs from agencies)

A 19-year-old man has been arrested for threatening to assassinate Queen Elizabeth II in revenge for the 1919 Jallianwala Bagh massacre. The accused, identified as Jaswant Singh Chail, was detained on December 25 on the premises of the royal’s Berkshire residence, days after a video went viral on Snapchat showing a man armed with a crossbow and wearing a mask and a black hoodie.

A 19-year-old man has been arrested for threatening to assassinate Queen Elizabeth II in revenge for the 1919 Jallianwala Bagh massacre. The accused, identified as Jaswant Singh Chail, was detained on December 25 on the premises of the royal’s Berkshire residence, days after a video went viral on Snapchat showing a man armed with a crossbow and wearing a mask and a black hoodie. In the video, Chail detailed plans to kill the Queen to avenge the victims of the Amritsar massacre, according to the Sun newspaper. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry for what I've done and what I will do. I will attempt to assassinate Elizabeth, Queen of the Royal Family," the masked man is seen saying in the video. "This is revenge for those who have died in the 1919 Jallianwala Bagh massacre. It is also revenge for those who have been killed, humiliated and discriminated on because of their race. I'm an Indian Sikh, a Sikh. My name was Jaswant Singh Chail, my name is Darth Jones," he says. The Metropolitan Police said the arrested has been detained under the UK’s Mental Health Act after a mental health assessment and remains “in the care of medical professionals”. Meanwhile, his father Jasbir Singh Chail said his son was of unsound mind. "Something’s gone horribly wrong with our son, and we are trying to figure out what. We’ve not had a chance to speak to him but are trying to get him the help he needs,” the 57-year-old told MailOnline. “From our perspective, we are going through a difficult time. We are trying to resolve this issue and it’s not easy,” he added. The Jallianwala Bagh massacre took place in Amritsar in 1919 where hundreds of unarmed Indians were killed in an indiscriminate firing by the British colonial troops under the orders of General Reginald Dyer. (With inputs from agencies)

UK: Sikh youth threatens to ‘assassinate’ Queen to avenge Jallianwala Bagh massacre, arrested

April 13 in history: Jallianwala Bagh massacre, launch of world's first satellite navigation system and more

April 13 in history: First transport satellite launched, Jallianwala Bagh massacre and more

Britain has never apologised for the 1919 Jallianwala Bagh massacre at Amritsar but the head of the Church of England prostrated himself to say sorry in a personal capacity and "in the name of Christ". British troops fired on thousands of unarmed men, women and children in Amritsar on April 13, 1919, killing 379 people according to colonial-era records. Indian figures put the total closer to 1,000. "I can't speak for the British Government as I am not an official of the British Government. But I can speak in the name of Christ," Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby said as he visited the location in northern India on Tuesday.

Jallianwala Bagh massacre: Archbishop's sorry puts UK govt to shame

Jallianwala Bagh massacre: Britain refuses to apologise as Archbishop of Canterbury says 'sorry'

Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby on Tuesday visited Jallianwala Bagh memorial and said that he was both 'ashamed and sorry' for the crime which was committed at that site in 1919. Welby also lied on the floor of the memorial after reading out a prayer to God to seek forgiveness. While paying homage at the Jallianwala Bagh memorial, Welby said, "I cannot speak for the British Government. I am not the official of the government but can speak in the name of Christ. It is a place for sin and redemption. You have remembered what they have done and their memory will live."

Archbishop: Jallianwala Bagh massacre a huge shame

The Congress government on Monday vehemently opposed the Jallianwala Bagh National Memorial (Amendment) Bill, 2019 in the Lok Sabha after it was introduced by Culture Minister Prahlad Singh Patel.

The bill seeks to remove the Congress president as a permanent member in a trust that runs the Jallianwala Bagh National Memorial to make the body "apolitical".

While moving the bill in the Parliament, Patel stated that it seeks to "delete" the mention of 'President of the Indian National Congress'&nbsp;as a trustee of the Trust.

"The bill was passed in the 16th Lok Sabha but could not be passed in the Rajya Sabha. Today, we are again moving this bill and will answer to every questioned posed to us," he said.

Meanwhile, Congress leader Shashi Tharoor urged the Centre not to take such step as it would betray the history since his party has been associated with the trust for so long.

The Bill, which amends the Jallianwala Bagh National Memorial Act, 1951, was approved by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi last year in December.

It was approved to ensure representation of the Opposition Party in the Trust and empower the government to terminate and replace a Trustee to participate in the functioning of the Trust.

The decisions aim to suitably amend the aforesaid act so as to secure representation as Trustees, "the Leader of Opposition recognized as such in the House of the People, or where there is no such Leader of Opposition, then the Leader of the single largest Opposition Party in the House".

In the existing Act, there is a provision for the representation of a single national political party.

Deletion of the party-specific member from the Trust will make it apolitical.

The proposed amendment ensures representation of the Opposition Party in the Trust and will empower the government to terminate and replace a Trustee to participate in the functioning of the Trust or for any other reason.

The Congress government on Monday vehemently opposed the Jallianwala Bagh National Memorial (Amendment) Bill, 2019 in the Lok Sabha after it was introduced by Culture Minister Prahlad Singh Patel.

The Congress government on Monday vehemently opposed the Jallianwala Bagh National Memorial (Amendment) Bill, 2019 in the Lok Sabha after it was introduced by Culture Minister Prahlad Singh Patel. The bill seeks to remove the Congress president as a permanent member in a trust that runs the Jallianwala Bagh National Memorial to make the body "apolitical". While moving the bill in the Parliament, Patel stated that it seeks to "delete" the mention of 'President of the Indian National Congress' as a trustee of the Trust. "The bill was passed in the 16th Lok Sabha but could not be passed in the Rajya Sabha. Today, we are again moving this bill and will answer to every questioned posed to us," he said. Meanwhile, Congress leader Shashi Tharoor urged the Centre not to take such step as it would betray the history since his party has been associated with the trust for so long. The Bill, which amends the Jallianwala Bagh National Memorial Act, 1951, was approved by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi last year in December. It was approved to ensure representation of the Opposition Party in the Trust and empower the government to terminate and replace a Trustee to participate in the functioning of the Trust. The decisions aim to suitably amend the aforesaid act so as to secure representation as Trustees, "the Leader of Opposition recognized as such in the House of the People, or where there is no such Leader of Opposition, then the Leader of the single largest Opposition Party in the House". In the existing Act, there is a provision for the representation of a single national political party. Deletion of the party-specific member from the Trust will make it apolitical. The proposed amendment ensures representation of the Opposition Party in the Trust and will empower the government to terminate and replace a Trustee to participate in the functioning of the Trust or for any other reason.

Jallianwala Bagh Amendment Bill introduced in Lok Sabha, Congress opposes

Britain Prime Minister Theresa May says that United Kingdom is feeling regretful for Jallianwala Bagh massacre. Watch video to know more.

Britain refuses to apologise for Jallianwala Bagh massacre

British High Commissioner to India&nbsp;Sir Dominic Asquith laid the wreath at <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/amritsar-hundreds-take-candle-march-to-commemorate-jallianwala-bagh-massacre-centenary-209984">Jallianwala Bagh memorial </a>in Punjab's Amritsar on Saturday to pay homage to hundreds of people, who were a massacre by British forces on April 13, 191.

Events of Jallianwala Bagh 100 years also reflects a "shameful act in British-India history",&nbsp;Sir Asquith said in a message he wrote in the&nbsp;visitor's book.&nbsp;

"We deeply regret what happened and the suffering caused. I am pleased that the UK and India have remained committed to developing further a thriving 21st Century partnership," Sir Asquith added in the message.

April 13 (Saturday) marks the 100th anniversary of the massacre, in which British forces led by Brigadier General Reginald Dyer opened fire on hundreds of unarmed, innocent Indians, including women and children in the enclosed area, who were protesting peacefully against the oppressive Rowlatt Act of the British government in 1919.

The massacre, on April 13, 1919, is one of the darkest chapters of India's freedom struggle against the British occupation.

Colonial-era records show about 400 people died but Indian figures put the toll at closer to 1,000.

The massacre became a symbol of colonial cruelty and for decades <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/want-apology-not-regret-from-britain-says-kin-of-those-killed-in-jallianwala-bagh-massacre-209940">Indians have demanded an apology from Britain</a>, including during Queen Elizabeth's visit to Amritsar in 1997.

On Wednesday, May told the British parliament that "the tragedy of Jallianwala Bagh in 1919 is a shameful scar on British Indian history", but she did not issue a formal apology.

In 2013, then British Prime Minister David Cameron described the killings as a "deeply shameful event" in a visitor book at the site, now marked by a 46-foot (14-metre) high flame-shaped memorial.

Security in the city - also home to Sikhism's holiest shrine the Golden Temple - has been stepped up as hundreds of visitors and groups are likely to arrive at the site, Amritsar Police Commissioner S.S. Srivastava said.

(With inputs from agencies)

British High Commissioner to India Sir Dominic Asquith laid the wreath at Jallianwala Bagh memorial in Punjab's Amritsar on Saturday to pay homage to hundreds of people, who were a massacre by British forces on April 13, 191.

British High Commissioner to India Sir Dominic Asquith laid the wreath at Jallianwala Bagh memorial in Punjab's Amritsar on Saturday to pay homage to hundreds of people, who were a massacre by British forces on April 13, 191. Events of Jallianwala Bagh 100 years also reflects a "shameful act in British-India history", Sir Asquith said in a message he wrote in the visitor's book. "We deeply regret what happened and the suffering caused. I am pleased that the UK and India have remained committed to developing further a thriving 21st Century partnership," Sir Asquith added in the message. April 13 (Saturday) marks the 100th anniversary of the massacre, in which British forces led by Brigadier General Reginald Dyer opened fire on hundreds of unarmed, innocent Indians, including women and children in the enclosed area, who were protesting peacefully against the oppressive Rowlatt Act of the British government in 1919. The massacre, on April 13, 1919, is one of the darkest chapters of India's freedom struggle against the British occupation. Colonial-era records show about 400 people died but Indian figures put the toll at closer to 1,000. The massacre became a symbol of colonial cruelty and for decades Indians have demanded an apology from Britain, including during Queen Elizabeth's visit to Amritsar in 1997. On Wednesday, May told the British parliament that "the tragedy of Jallianwala Bagh in 1919 is a shameful scar on British Indian history", but she did not issue a formal apology. In 2013, then British Prime Minister David Cameron described the killings as a "deeply shameful event" in a visitor book at the site, now marked by a 46-foot (14-metre) high flame-shaped memorial. Security in the city - also home to Sikhism's holiest shrine the Golden Temple - has been stepped up as hundreds of visitors and groups are likely to arrive at the site, Amritsar Police Commissioner S.S. Srivastava said. (With inputs from agencies)

Jallianwala Bagh 'shameful act' in British-India history, says British High Commissioner

On 100th anniversary, India pays homage to victims of Jallianwala Bagh massacre

Hundreds of people holding candles and the national flag marched through the northern Indian city of Amritsar on Friday, on the eve of the centenary of the colonial-era Jallianwala Bagh massacre that British Prime Minister Theresa May has called a "shameful scar."

On April 13, 1919, some 50 British Indian army soldiers began shooting at unarmed civilians who were taking part in a peaceful protest against oppressive laws enforced in the Punjab region.

At least 379 Sikhs were killed, according to the official record, although local residents said in the past the toll was far higher. The massacre took place in the walled enclosure of Jallianwala Bagh, which is still pocked with bullet marks.

The massacre became a symbol of colonial cruelty and for decades <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/need-to-do-little-more-than-very-deep-regrets-on-jallianwala-bagh-british-minister-mark-fields-209164">Indians have demanded an apology from Britain</a>, including during Queen Elizabeth's visit to Amritsar in 1997.

On Wednesday, May told the British parliament that "<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/jallianwala-bagh-tragedy-shameful-scar-on-british-indian-history-uk-pm-theresa-may-209295">the tragedy of Jallianwala Bagh in 1919 is a shameful scar</a> on British Indian history", but she did not issue a formal apology.

In 2013, then British Prime Minister David Cameron described the killings as a "deeply shameful event" in a visitor book at the site, now marked by a 46-foot (14-metre) high flame-shaped memorial.

"There are events in the histories of nations which are difficult to forget and they <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/want-apology-not-regret-from-britain-says-kin-of-those-killed-in-jallianwala-bagh-massacre-209940">hold a very emotionally charged space in a nation's memory</a>," Navtej Sarna, a Sikh who has served as India's High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, told Reuters.

"We have an excellent relationship with the United Kingdom today but it's a question of assuaging sentiments and healing a wound which has been festering as part of our shared history." India gained independence from Britain in 1947.

Security in the city - also home to Sikhism's holiest shrine the Golden Temple - has been stepped up as hundreds of visitors and groups are likely to arrive at the site, Amritsar Police Commissioner S.S. Srivastava said.

Residents of the city, tourists, visitors, top government officials and students took part in the candle lit evening march from a building called Townhall to the massacre site.

The march of about one kilometre was accompanied by loudspeakers playing patriotic songs and onlookers thronged the roadsides. At the end of the march, people observed a two-minute silence.

Punjab state's Chief Minister Amarinder Singh and Governor V P Badnore took part in the march while Rahul Gandhi, president of the opposition Congress party, was expected to visit the city later in the evening.

Hundreds of people holding candles and the national flag marched through the northern Indian city of Amritsar on Friday, on the eve of the centenary of the colonial-era Jallianwala Bagh massacre that British Prime Minister Theresa May has called a "shameful scar.

Hundreds of people holding candles and the national flag marched through the northern Indian city of Amritsar on Friday, on the eve of the centenary of the colonial-era Jallianwala Bagh massacre that British Prime Minister Theresa May has called a "shameful scar." On April 13, 1919, some 50 British Indian army soldiers began shooting at unarmed civilians who were taking part in a peaceful protest against oppressive laws enforced in the Punjab region. At least 379 Sikhs were killed, according to the official record, although local residents said in the past the toll was far higher. The massacre took place in the walled enclosure of Jallianwala Bagh, which is still pocked with bullet marks. The massacre became a symbol of colonial cruelty and for decades Indians have demanded an apology from Britain, including during Queen Elizabeth's visit to Amritsar in 1997. On Wednesday, May told the British parliament that "the tragedy of Jallianwala Bagh in 1919 is a shameful scar on British Indian history", but she did not issue a formal apology. In 2013, then British Prime Minister David Cameron described the killings as a "deeply shameful event" in a visitor book at the site, now marked by a 46-foot (14-metre) high flame-shaped memorial. "There are events in the histories of nations which are difficult to forget and they hold a very emotionally charged space in a nation's memory," Navtej Sarna, a Sikh who has served as India's High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, told Reuters. "We have an excellent relationship with the United Kingdom today but it's a question of assuaging sentiments and healing a wound which has been festering as part of our shared history." India gained independence from Britain in 1947. Security in the city - also home to Sikhism's holiest shrine the Golden Temple - has been stepped up as hundreds of visitors and groups are likely to arrive at the site, Amritsar Police Commissioner S.S. Srivastava said. Residents of the city, tourists, visitors, top government officials and students took part in the candle lit evening march from a building called Townhall to the massacre site. The march of about one kilometre was accompanied by loudspeakers playing patriotic songs and onlookers thronged the roadsides. At the end of the march, people observed a two-minute silence. Punjab state's Chief Minister Amarinder Singh and Governor V P Badnore took part in the march while Rahul Gandhi, president of the opposition Congress party, was expected to visit the city later in the evening.

Amritsar: Hundreds take candle march to commemorate Jallianwala Bagh massacre centenary

A museum in the UK has launched an exhibition on <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/jallianwala-bagh-british-high-commissioner-lays-wreath-on-commemoration-of-100-years-of-massacre-209988">Jallianwala Bagh</a> in collaboration with the Partition Museum in Amritsar to mark the centenary of the British colonial era massacre.

Jallianwala Bagh 1919: Punjab Under Siege' opened at Manchester Museum in time for Saturday's <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/want-apology-not-regret-from-britain-says-kin-of-those-killed-in-jallianwala-bagh-massacre-209940">100th anniversary of the tragedy</a> that affected thousands.

The exhibition is conceived as a lived experience creation, based on work with descendants and communities to collect stories related to the&nbsp; 
Jallianwala Bagh massacre on April 13, 1919.

Revisiting the event, its causes and aftermath, the nuanced exhibition explores what we remember, how we remember it, and what we have forgotten, in India and the UK, Manchester Museum said in a statement.

Protestors had gathered to challenge British rule before they were set upon by Colonel Reginald Dyer and his troops. Confined within an enclosed barren ground called Jallianwala Bagh in the Indian city of Amritsar, hundreds of Indians were killed and thousands injured. This was a defining moment in the fight for Indian independence and led to the eventual demise of the British Empire in South Asia, it adds.

The exhibition, supported by the Jallianwala Bagh Centenary Commemoration Committee (JBCCC), comprising prominent Indians and non-resident Indians (NRIs), is aimed at raising awareness around the peaceful protest to mark Baisakhi, the divergent British and Indian inquiry findings, and the ongoing social, political, and cultural response.

It is an apt moment for the British government to offer an apology to India, Manjit Singh GK, Patron-in-Chief of the JBCCC, said.

Both Secretary of State for War Sir Winston Churchill and former Prime Minister H H Asquith openly condemned the attack at the time, referring to it as monstrous and one of the worst outrages in the whole of our history,&nbsp; 
added Vikramjit S Sahney, Patron of JBCC.

There have been widespread calls for a formal apology to mark the 100th anniversary of the massacre this week, with the UK government earlier indicating that it was "reflecting" on the demand.

British Prime Minister Theresa May made a statement in the House of Commons earlier this week to say the UK deeply regrets the tragedy, which she described as a shameful scar on British Indian history.

The statement faced criticism for not going far enough, with the Opposition Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn demanding a full, clear and unequivocal apology.

The wounds of the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre still haunt millions and should be laid to rest at this the centenary of the horrendous act, Veteran Indian-origin Labour MP Virendra Sharma, Chair of the Indo-British All Party Parliamentary Group, said in the Commons.

I appreciate the Prime Minister's comments, and thank her for her earnest words, but they are only the beginning of an apology not the full and frank formal apology that the communities affected need. I would also like to offer my fullest thanks to Jeremy Corbyn for his words of support, and his commitment to a full apology when he becomes Prime Minister, he said.

The Jallianwala Bagh massacre has found prominence in the UK parliamentary agenda in recent months as both the House of Lords and Commons held debates to mark the centenary.

In their capacity as JBCCC members, Indian-origin peers Lord Meghnad Desai and Lord Raj Loomba had written to the British PM calling for an apology and will be marking the 100th anniversary with a special event in the House of Lords on Saturday night.&nbsp;

A museum in the UK has launched an exhibition on Jallianwala Bagh in collaboration with the Partition Museum in Amritsar to mark the centenary of the British colonial era massacre.

A museum in the UK has launched an exhibition on Jallianwala Bagh in collaboration with the Partition Museum in Amritsar to mark the centenary of the British colonial era massacre. Jallianwala Bagh 1919: Punjab Under Siege' opened at Manchester Museum in time for Saturday's 100th anniversary of the tragedy that affected thousands. The exhibition is conceived as a lived experience creation, based on work with descendants and communities to collect stories related to the Jallianwala Bagh massacre on April 13, 1919. Revisiting the event, its causes and aftermath, the nuanced exhibition explores what we remember, how we remember it, and what we have forgotten, in India and the UK, Manchester Museum said in a statement. Protestors had gathered to challenge British rule before they were set upon by Colonel Reginald Dyer and his troops. Confined within an enclosed barren ground called Jallianwala Bagh in the Indian city of Amritsar, hundreds of Indians were killed and thousands injured. This was a defining moment in the fight for Indian independence and led to the eventual demise of the British Empire in South Asia, it adds. The exhibition, supported by the Jallianwala Bagh Centenary Commemoration Committee (JBCCC), comprising prominent Indians and non-resident Indians (NRIs), is aimed at raising awareness around the peaceful protest to mark Baisakhi, the divergent British and Indian inquiry findings, and the ongoing social, political, and cultural response. It is an apt moment for the British government to offer an apology to India, Manjit Singh GK, Patron-in-Chief of the JBCCC, said. Both Secretary of State for War Sir Winston Churchill and former Prime Minister H H Asquith openly condemned the attack at the time, referring to it as monstrous and one of the worst outrages in the whole of our history, added Vikramjit S Sahney, Patron of JBCC. There have been widespread calls for a formal apology to mark the 100th anniversary of the massacre this week, with the UK government earlier indicating that it was "reflecting" on the demand. British Prime Minister Theresa May made a statement in the House of Commons earlier this week to say the UK deeply regrets the tragedy, which she described as a shameful scar on British Indian history. The statement faced criticism for not going far enough, with the Opposition Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn demanding a full, clear and unequivocal apology. The wounds of the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre still haunt millions and should be laid to rest at this the centenary of the horrendous act, Veteran Indian-origin Labour MP Virendra Sharma, Chair of the Indo-British All Party Parliamentary Group, said in the Commons. I appreciate the Prime Minister's comments, and thank her for her earnest words, but they are only the beginning of an apology not the full and frank formal apology that the communities affected need. I would also like to offer my fullest thanks to Jeremy Corbyn for his words of support, and his commitment to a full apology when he becomes Prime Minister, he said. The Jallianwala Bagh massacre has found prominence in the UK parliamentary agenda in recent months as both the House of Lords and Commons held debates to mark the centenary. In their capacity as JBCCC members, Indian-origin peers Lord Meghnad Desai and Lord Raj Loomba had written to the British PM calling for an apology and will be marking the 100th anniversary with a special event in the House of Lords on Saturday night.

UK museum launches Jallianwala Bagh exhibition to mark 100th anniversary

Baisakhi, April 13, 1919. A hundred years ago on the Punjabi New Year’s day, British Indian troops fired 1,650 rounds of bullets into a large crowd of unarmed civilians assembled peacefully at Jallianwala Bagh, Amritsar. Among the 1,100 injured and 379 killed according to colonial records, were women and children, young and old, Hindus, Sikhs, and Muslims. The actual fatalities were probably much higher, with independent sources putting the figure close to 1,500. Not long after independence, in 1951, this small walled garden close to the Golden temple, was declared a national monument.&nbsp;

On that fateful day, Brigadier General REH. Dyer, just arrived from Jalandhar Cantonment, virtually imposed martial law on the city. He banned all public meetings, convinced by his informants that a major insurrection was afoot. This prohibition was not widely publicised. Many villagers had gathered at the Jallianwalla Bagh to celebrate the Hindu-Sikh festival. Hearing of this large assembly, Dyer ordered a platoon of nearly 100 troops consisting of soldiers drawn from Sikh, Gurkha, Baluchi, and Rajput battalions to position themselves on a raised embankment nearby. He then commanded them to shoot at the crowd for some ten minutes.

Entering the Jallianwala Memorial today, one cannot but help notice that except for the narrow entrance, there would have been no way out for the terrified crowd. In the melee that ensured the round after round of deadly gunfire, many jumped into a well on the premises, but perished anyway, suffocated or drowned. Bullet marks on the walls of the park bear silent testimony to the atrocity that forever changed the relationship between imperial authorities and Indian subjects. No clear official apology has been forthcoming from our erstwhile rulers yet, although several pious regretful sentiments have been reported by worthies as varied and as far apart in history as former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and the serving incumbent, Teresa May.&nbsp;

Justin Rowlatt was BBC’s South Asia correspondent till last year. His great-great-grandfather, Sir Sidney Rowlatt, authored the notorious Rowlatt Act behind many of the Punjab disturbances, Justin was unsure of how he would be treated in India. Fearing hostility, he was surprised and humbled by how spontaneously Indians warmed up to him, despite the deadly history that connected his family with our country. “I wasn’t expecting to react as strongly as I did when I visited Jallianwala Bagh,” he recalls in a moving account, “I certainly wasn’t expecting to cry…I have more reason than most to feel ashamed and humbled by what happened at the Bagh. That’s because the demonstrators who were killed by British troops had gathered there to protest against a repressive law inspired by and named after my great grandfather.”&nbsp;

The Rowlatt Act, dubbed as “no Dalil, no Vakil, no Appeal,” was a draconian measure to curb expressions of anti-colonial sentiment. Mahatma Gandhi’s grandson, Tushar Gandhi, reportedly went to the extent of telling Justin Rowlatt, “I appreciate your great grandfather’s role to provide the final nail in the coffin of the Empire.” Mahatma Gandhi, himself prevented from entering Punjab on April&nbsp;10,&nbsp;1919, was sent back to Bombay from Palwal, not too far from Delhi. It would be almost year later, on March 25, 1920 that he would submit his own detailed report and assessment of what happened on that fateful day. This fact-finding report by the Mahatma is a classic anti-colonial document of highest ethical standards even against a pitiless adversary.&nbsp;

The world did not know about the Jallianwala Bagh massacre on till many months after. Punjab was under Martial Law, with a news blackout. A careful reading of major English and North American newspapers of April&nbsp;14,&nbsp;1919, shows no reference to the massacre. Distorted snippets released mostly from Shimla, the summer capital of the Raj, only mention riots and unrest in Punjab. It was only a strong outcry from Indians that forced the British Government to appoint the Hunter Committee six months later October&nbsp;14,&nbsp;1919. It is only by December 1919 that the massacre began to be acknowledged. The Hunter Committee report was released on March&nbsp;20,&nbsp;1920.&nbsp;

Today, we want an unconditional apology from the British, but what about those who actually opened fire, the Indian soldiers who served the British? How is it that none of their descendants have said sorry? We didn’t hesitate to kill our own in service of the empire. Hindus, Sikhs, and Muslims were united against the empire because of the Jallianwala massacre. But the Partition, and the bloodbath leading up to and beyond it, undid that unity, quite exceeding the sorrows and deaths of Jallianwala. Even today, India and Pakistan are fighting a costly if undeclared war. The monster that stares us in the mirror is not just our former colonial master but our own self.

(This article was originally published on The DNA. Read the <a href="https://www.dnaindia.com/analysis/column-jallianwala-100-years-later-through-the-glass-darkly-2739014">original article</a>)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

Baisakhi, April 13, 1919. A hundred years ago on the Punjabi New Year’s day, British Indian troops fired 1,650 rounds of bullets into a large crowd of unarmed civilians assembled peacefully at Jallianwala Bagh, Amritsar.

Baisakhi, April 13, 1919. A hundred years ago on the Punjabi New Year’s day, British Indian troops fired 1,650 rounds of bullets into a large crowd of unarmed civilians assembled peacefully at Jallianwala Bagh, Amritsar. Among the 1,100 injured and 379 killed according to colonial records, were women and children, young and old, Hindus, Sikhs, and Muslims. The actual fatalities were probably much higher, with independent sources putting the figure close to 1,500. Not long after independence, in 1951, this small walled garden close to the Golden temple, was declared a national monument. On that fateful day, Brigadier General REH. Dyer, just arrived from Jalandhar Cantonment, virtually imposed martial law on the city. He banned all public meetings, convinced by his informants that a major insurrection was afoot. This prohibition was not widely publicised. Many villagers had gathered at the Jallianwalla Bagh to celebrate the Hindu-Sikh festival. Hearing of this large assembly, Dyer ordered a platoon of nearly 100 troops consisting of soldiers drawn from Sikh, Gurkha, Baluchi, and Rajput battalions to position themselves on a raised embankment nearby. He then commanded them to shoot at the crowd for some ten minutes. Entering the Jallianwala Memorial today, one cannot but help notice that except for the narrow entrance, there would have been no way out for the terrified crowd. In the melee that ensured the round after round of deadly gunfire, many jumped into a well on the premises, but perished anyway, suffocated or drowned. Bullet marks on the walls of the park bear silent testimony to the atrocity that forever changed the relationship between imperial authorities and Indian subjects. No clear official apology has been forthcoming from our erstwhile rulers yet, although several pious regretful sentiments have been reported by worthies as varied and as far apart in history as former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and the serving incumbent, Teresa May. Justin Rowlatt was BBC’s South Asia correspondent till last year. His great-great-grandfather, Sir Sidney Rowlatt, authored the notorious Rowlatt Act behind many of the Punjab disturbances, Justin was unsure of how he would be treated in India. Fearing hostility, he was surprised and humbled by how spontaneously Indians warmed up to him, despite the deadly history that connected his family with our country. “I wasn’t expecting to react as strongly as I did when I visited Jallianwala Bagh,” he recalls in a moving account, “I certainly wasn’t expecting to cry…I have more reason than most to feel ashamed and humbled by what happened at the Bagh. That’s because the demonstrators who were killed by British troops had gathered there to protest against a repressive law inspired by and named after my great grandfather.” The Rowlatt Act, dubbed as “no Dalil, no Vakil, no Appeal,” was a draconian measure to curb expressions of anti-colonial sentiment. Mahatma Gandhi’s grandson, Tushar Gandhi, reportedly went to the extent of telling Justin Rowlatt, “I appreciate your great grandfather’s role to provide the final nail in the coffin of the Empire.” Mahatma Gandhi, himself prevented from entering Punjab on April 10, 1919, was sent back to Bombay from Palwal, not too far from Delhi. It would be almost year later, on March 25, 1920 that he would submit his own detailed report and assessment of what happened on that fateful day. This fact-finding report by the Mahatma is a classic anti-colonial document of highest ethical standards even against a pitiless adversary. The world did not know about the Jallianwala Bagh massacre on till many months after. Punjab was under Martial Law, with a news blackout. A careful reading of major English and North American newspapers of April 14, 1919, shows no reference to the massacre. Distorted snippets released mostly from Shimla, the summer capital of the Raj, only mention riots and unrest in Punjab. It was only a strong outcry from Indians that forced the British Government to appoint the Hunter Committee six months later October 14, 1919. It is only by December 1919 that the massacre began to be acknowledged. The Hunter Committee report was released on March 20, 1920. Today, we want an unconditional apology from the British, but what about those who actually opened fire, the Indian soldiers who served the British? How is it that none of their descendants have said sorry? We didn’t hesitate to kill our own in service of the empire. Hindus, Sikhs, and Muslims were united against the empire because of the Jallianwala massacre. But the Partition, and the bloodbath leading up to and beyond it, undid that unity, quite exceeding the sorrows and deaths of Jallianwala. Even today, India and Pakistan are fighting a costly if undeclared war. The monster that stares us in the mirror is not just our former colonial master but our own self. (This article was originally published on The DNA. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

Jallianwala 100 years later: Through the glass darkly

Jallianwala Bagh centenary: Events that led to the darkest chapter of British colonial rule in India

jallianwala-bagh-massacre

Jallianwala Bagh Massacre, News on Jallianwala Bagh Massacre, stories on Jallianwala Bagh Massacre, articles on Jallianwala Bagh Massacre, Jallianwala Bagh Massacre stories at Wion, Jallianwala Bagh Massacre news, Jallianwala Bagh Massacre latest news

jallianwala bagh-massacre