Jallianwala Bagh Massacre - 105 Years of Tragedy, Rowlatt Act, and Historical Impact

What was the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre?

The Jallianwala Bagh Massacre, Or Massacre of Amritsar, occurred on April 13, 1919, and altered India’s history, propelling Gandhi into full commitment to Indian nationalism and independence. It cast a permanent shadow on Indo-British relations, revealing the British inhumanity as General Dyer ordered troops to fire without warning at a banned public meeting. Few events in our subcontinent’s history are as repugnant yet as pivotal as this massacre.

The brutal murder of peaceful protestors by British rule marked a dark chapter in India’s independence struggle. It occurred in an enclosed park with one exit, leading to a monument erected in their memory by the Government of India in 1951. The Yaad-e-Jallian Museum, which opened in March 2019, stands as a testament to the lives lost, offering an authentic account of the tragedy. This massacre exposed the British’s inhumanity, as General Dyer instructed his troops to open fire without warning on a crowd gathered for a banned public meeting.

The tragic event remains a symbol of British colonial atrocities in Amritsar, Punjab, in 1919, driving India’s fight for independence. On that fateful day, Indians gathered at Jallianwala Bagh for a peaceful protest against the arrest of nationalist leaders Kitchlew and Satyapal. Surrounded by narrow lanes and houses, the troops fired indiscriminately, killing hundreds. British reports claim around 400 deaths, but Indian historians estimate the toll at 1,000. This article will explore the events leading up to the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre and how many people died in Jallianwala Bagh.

Jallianwala Bagh Tragedy

On April 13, 1919, British soldiers shot unarmed Indians in Amritsar’s Jallianwala Bagh, killing many, including children, and injuring hundreds.

After the Rowlett Act passed, events led to Punjab freedom fighters Satyapal and Saifuddin Kitchlew’s arrest. This triggered violent protests across Punjab. British rule imposed Martial Law. On April 13, 1919, people gathered at Amritsar’s Jallianwala Bagh to protest. General Dyer and troops arrived. No warning. They fired on an unarmed crowd for ten minutes.

Jallianwala Bagh’s walls bear bullet marks as a national memorial. The massacre was planned. Dyer proudly admitted it aimed for a ‘moral effect.’ He decided to shoot all the men meeting. No regrets. He went to England. Others were shocked and demanded an inquiry. A UK newspaper called it a terrible massacre. Later, on March 13, 1940, Udham Singh killed O’Dwyer. He was Punjab’s Lt. Governor during the Jallianwala Bagh massacre. Indians were furious. The government reacted brutally. Punjabis crawled, faced cages, flogging. Newspapers were banned, and editors were jailed or deported. A reign of terror followed, like after the 1857 revolt.

Background of 1919 Jallianwala Bagh Massacre

March and April 1919 saw some protests against the Rowlatt Act of 1919. To put a stop to these protests and rallies, the British government employed every weapon at its disposal. On April 9, 1919, Punjab’s Lieutenant Governor at the time, Sir Michael O’Dwyer, issued an order for the arrest of Drs. Satyapal and Saifuddin Kitchlew. After taking part in the nonviolent protests, the two Indian nationalists were taken into custody and eventually deported.

Consequently, the demonstrators lost their cool. Enraged demonstrators marched to Mr. Irwin’s home on April 10, 1919, shouting for the release of Drs. Satyapal and Saifuddin Kitchlew. The protesters retaliated to the police’s unexpected shooting at them by hurling stones and lathis at the British.

One of the most contentious incidents in Indian history is still the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre, which is recognized as one of the worst periods of the country’s British Raj.

What is Rowlatt Act: Introduction and Background

Have you ever wondered about What it Rowlatt Act is? It’s a historical term that refers to a law from way back in 1919 during British rule in India. The Rowlatt Act, known as the Anarchical and Revolutionary Crimes Act, started on March 18, 1919. Approved by British India’s Imperial Legislative Council, it allowed trials for political issues without juries and detained suspects without proper trials. It aimed to replace the strict parts of the Defence of India Act 1915 during World War I.

Responding to fears of post-war plots, the Act granted British India’s government power to imprison civilians without proper trials. It controlled the country’s workings, allowing arrests, imprisonment, and trials without juries. The law limited press denied information to convicts and restricted their activities after release.

On February 6, 1919, two proposals emerged in the Central Legislature from Justice Sidney Rowlatt’s committee. These banknotes were named “Black Act.” They gave police significant powers like searching and arresting without warrants. The Rowlatt Act, named after its executive, Sir Sidney Rowlatt, allowed detaining suspects for up to two years without trial. It aimed to suppress nationalist activities. Mahatma Gandhi led protests through satyagraha. This Act pushed Gandhi into India’s freedom struggle spotlight, marking the Gandhian era in political history.

Overview of Rowlatt Act (1919)

The table below contains an outline of the act.

Rowlatt Act, 1919
Title	Anarchical and Revolutionary Crimes Act of 1919
Geographic Range	The whole of British India
Implemented by	Imperial Legislative Council
Implemented	March 1919
Started	March 1919
Status	Repealed

The Rowlatt Act impacted India’s political scene in various ways:

Here are the impacts of the Rowlatt Act on India’s political landscape.

• Hartals and rail strikes were organized.
• Shops closed and got demolished.
• Indian officials were jailed.
• British officers fired at a peaceful rally.
• Martial law was enforced.

The Rowlatt Act ignited a massive anti-British movement akin to the 1857 Revolt. This led to India’s eventual independence. Gandhi opposed the Act, calling for a nationwide hartal and nonviolent agitation. People committed to nonviolence by signing a Satyagraha pledge, leading to the hartal’s start on April 6, 1919, which garnered significant support. Riots occurred in Punjab, halting the movement. Dr. Satya Pal and Dr. Saifuddin Kitchlew’s arrest triggered the Jallianwala Bagh incident on April 13, 1919.

Causes of the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre

The First World War placed a heavy burden on India. Someone forced people into the war without their agreement. Many young men had to join against their parents’ wishes. Indian soldiers fought in distant lands for British imperialism. Around 60,000 Indian sons died. People faced shortages and high inflation.

The British and their allies fought for democracy and self-determination. Indians hoped for self-governance after the war, following Edwin Montague’s 1917 declaration. Lord Chelmsford, the Viceroy, appointed a Sedition Committee on December 10, 1917. Justice Rowlatt chaired it. Their goal: suggest measures against India’s revolutionary movement. People were disappointed and angry.

The Sedition Committee’s report arrived in April 1918. The government introduced two Rowlatt Bills in the Central Assembly. They were called the Black Bills. This made things worse. Protests happened across Delhi, Allahabad, and more. Even Gandhiji felt hurt. He wrote to the Viceroy to withdraw the Bills. If not, he’d start a satyagraha campaign. He formed a Satyagraha Sabha. They’d resist the laws civilly. But the government didn’t change. One Bill passed on March 18, 1919, despite strong opposition. It became the Rowlatt Act. Named after Justice Rowlatt, it gave the government power to arrest without a warrant and hold in jail. Special courts tried offenses with no appeal. Non-official Indian members like Malaviya, Jinnah, and Huq resigned.

The government stood firm. A tough situation faced the nation. What to do? It was a dilemma. Even Gandhiji was upset. On March 18, 1919, the Black Bill passed, and he couldn’t sleep. At dawn, he knew. It’s a hartal – no business, all nation. The day of sadness. A day to show anger. A day of fasting and praying. India is quiet, and oppressors hear the people. On March 30, 1919, then April 6, 1919. People joined by holding meetings and fasting to repeal the law. General Dyer took control on April 11 to restore peace.

He banned assemblies and warned of force. Defying Dyer, crowds gathered on April 13 in Jallianwala Bagh. Dyer shot unarmed people for ten minutes. The government reported 379 deaths, but estimates differ. Jallianwala Bagh remains a key spot in India’s fight for independence. Mahatma Gandhi launched the Non-Cooperation Movement due to the Jallianwala Bagh tragedy. Poet Rabindranath Tagore resigned his knighthood. The Hunter Commission investigated the incident. In 1920, Dyer was censured and told to leave the military.

Leaders Who Condemned Jallianwala Bagh Massacre

The massacre at Jallianwala Bagh was widely condemned both domestically in India and abroad. At the time, a large number of political figures denounced the massacre’s brutality and demanded justice and accountability.

The following are a few prominent political figures:

• Mahatma Gandhi: Gandhi is among the most well-known leaders of the Indian nationalist movement. He was among the first to denounce the massacre at Jallianwala Bagh. In response to the violence, he advocated for nonviolent demonstrations and civil disobedience.
• Jawaharlal Nehru: Nehru, a prominent member of the Indian nationalist movement and the country’s first prime minister, was a strong opponent of British colonialism. Furthermore denouncing the Jallianwala Bagh massacre as a “monstrous crime”
• Annie Besant: a women’s rights and socialist from Britain who rose to prominence as a leader in the Indian nationalist movement. Besant demanded more political autonomy and self-rule for India and denounced the Jallianwala Bagh massacre.
• Rabindranath Tagore: The first Indian to receive the Nobel Prize in Literature, Tagore was a poet, writer, and philosopher from Bengal. In opposition to the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, he renounced his knighthood. And sent a bitter letter denouncing the violence to Lord Chelmsford, the British Viceroy.
• Winston Churchill: Churchill, a statesman and politician from Britain, was a vocal opponent of how the British government handled the massacre at Jallianwala Bagh. He referred to the incident as “a monstrous event” and demanded an investigation into it.

These are but a handful of the numerous political figures who denounced the massacre at Jallianwala Bagh.

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Who Ordered the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre?

The Jallianwala Bagh Massacre, Or Massacre of Amritsar, occurred on April 13, 1919. General Reginald Dyer, a British officer,  ordered to fire without warning at a banned public meeting. The people were at a festival and protesting British rules. Dyer aimed to create fear and stop protests against the British. He believed force was needed to control India. New laws limited Indian movement due to British rule. The crowd at Jallianwala Bagh violated laws. General Dyer saw a chance for revenge. He ordered troops to fire, trapping people. Many died in the chaos. Dyer aimed to terrorize Indians, asserting British control. Some Britons cheered him. Indians gave him money. Rudyard Kipling praised Dyer.

Punjab’s Governor O’Dwyer backed him but was dismissed later. Both had admirers, collecting £26,000. Dyer was called an honorary Sikh. Jallianwala Bagh is remembered due to Britain’s handling of the incident. Brigadier-General Reginald Dyer acted with support from Punjab Governor Sir Michael O’Dwyer and India’s colonial government. Lord Chelmsford led this government. Dyer’s family managed the Dyer-Meakin brewery in Himachal Pradesh. An inquiry led by Lord Hunter followed the massacre in July 1919. The Golden Temple’s management gave Dyer a kirpan and siropa. Udham Singh later shot O’Dwyer, who had his fund. Prominent Punjabis like Kunj Bihari Thapar contributed to it.

Conclusion

The Jallianwala Bagh Massacre is the darkest moment in Indian Independence history. It showed the British view of Indians as racist and biased. The cruel rule of the British came to light, shocking many. Moderates lost faith in the British, seeing the culprits almost escape. Gandhi’s methods turned militant, leading his first mass civil disobedience campaign.

The Hunter Commission looked into it, but the guilty didn’t face harsh consequences. Reginald Dyer caused the massacre. He lost his army position, missed promotion, and couldn’t work in India.  Sadly, General Dyer, responsible for the massacre, faced little backlash in England. Some even praised him. Such support divided rulers and Indians, uniting pro-independence advocates. No trial happened. He left duty in 1920 and died in 1927 from disease. The event inspired young freedom fighters who later fought for India’s freedom. Due to their struggle, Britain left India on August 15, 1945. Remembering this history helps future generations fight injustice.