Jallianwala Bagh Massacre Day 2023: The Blood Curdling Event That History Cannot Forget

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Jallianwalla Bagh episode in the history of Indian independence is not a day to celebrate as it is a tragic or dark day in history that brings up painful tragic memories. People had assembled in Jallianwala Bagh in thousands on that fateful day, to participate in a peaceful protest against the Rowlatt act, which actually had curbed the civilian rights, including the freedom of expression by suppressing their voice and giving more power to the police force. The protest was also for imprisoning the leaders, Satya Pal and Saifuddin Kitchlew.

The Violent Protests

To add to the agony, there were some violent protests, as a result of which the telephone and communication lines were disconnected. This Civil disobedience was answered by the troops of Colonel Reginald Dyer by openly firing into a huge crowd indiscriminately and killing them in Jallianwala Bagh at Amritsar Punjab. This unfortunate event occurred on 13 April in the year 1919. It turned out to be a dark day for thousands of hapless mothers, daughters and sons, of India, who were expecting to greet their sole bread earners back home expectantly. Some government officials and a good number of civilians died in the skirmish. The social unrest had assumed uncontrollable proportions in Punjab. Let us leaf through this page in history to understand how it happened.

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On 13 April 1919, which was the day of Baisakhi, a huge number of people had gathered at Amritsar at Jaillianwala bag I Punjab, for the new year and the celebration of Baisakhi. Slowly by midday, the number grew to around thousands and devotees at Harmandir Sahib also showed up for peaceful protests. Despite serious warnings, bans on processions, and curfews imposed on the same day morning by Colonel Dyer, people had gathered in huge numbers, as they felt it was their birthright to fight for their independence of speech, and freedom from the oppressive British rule.

How The Innocent Thousands Were Massacred

Dyer ordered about 50 armed men with rifles to march to a raised bank, kneel and then open fire on those innocent people with harmless intentions. As blood spilt from all corners, the screams and screeches of victims, added to the ghastliness of the situation. The next minute, there was a numbing silence, as the voices slowly petered out and died, defenceless. Jallianwala Bagh turned into a devil's playground in seconds. Little did Dyer know that this bloodshed would result in an intensified struggle for independence. However, the voices were silenced but the spirits could not be touched. This reminds us of the Bhagavad Gita which says that the body can perish but the soul cannot be annihilated.

Dyer responded to this event by saying that the fire was opened only to punish the disobedient Indians and not to disturb their meeting. The sacrifices of lives did not go unanswered. The first response was from the Bengali poet and Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore who returned the knighthood Britishers had awarded him with.

The Aftermath

Realisation slowly dawned upon the British now who understood that they were in serious trouble, and Dyers was consequently relieved from his services. Udham Singh gave a fitting response to the British atrocities in his own way, by killing Dyer in Caxton Hall of London. Consequently, he was hanged at a Jail in London but attained veer swarg.

The Indian National Congress session held in Amritsar urged the British Government to establish a fully responsible government in India.