Jallianwalla Bagh - Baisakhi Day Massacre

Place – Jallianwala Bagh, Amritsar, Punjab, India

Date – 13th April, 1919 (Baisakhi Day)

Time 4.30 PM

On that fateful sultry evening, just as the Indian summer was ascending on its steep upwards curve, around 4,000 people had gathered in the Jallianwala Bagh (Bagh = Park/Garden). They were there to mark a peaceful protest against the British Government of India. The World War I had just ended, and the war had sapped the already weak Indian economy. Rowlatt Act, a draconian legislation, designed to quell any unrest was added to the already feared Defence of India Act, 1915. By vesting extraordinary powers in the Viceroy, by directing the police to arrest without warrant and explanation, by providing for trials by special tribunals, the Act was an attempt to nip any movement by Indian freedom fighters. The crowd that had gathered in Jallianwala Bagh was protesting against the Rowlatt Act, one of hundreds of protests organized across the length and breadth of Indian sub-continent.

The place of meeting, Jallianwalla Bagh, was located in a congested locality, and was surrounded by buildings and walls on all the sides. There was just one gate, which was used both as an entrance and an exit.

At 5.30 PM, Brigadier General Reginald Dyer, the local commander of Indian Army, marched in with about 60 soldiers. All were well armed, and two heavy machine guns mounted on armored vehicles accompanied them. While the soldiers passed inside the gates, the vehicles had to stay behind – THE GATE WAS TOO NARROW. This fact probably saved hundreds of lives that day.

Soon, General Dyer ordered his men into formation, an ordered them to take firing positions. After coolly inspecting the crowd for a few seconds, he ordered the soldiers to open fire. And they did open fire.

They continued firing on the unarmed crowd, comprising of men, women and children for the NEXT 15 minutes. Around 1650 bullets were fired. After all the available ammunition was exhausted, Dyer went back just as coolly as he had arrived.

Later, the government figures placed the toll as 379 dead and 1156 injured. The Indian National Congress had its own enquiry, and concluded a figure of 1,500 dead.

Most of the dead died of bullet wounds. Some were trampled to death in the ensuing melee. A number of people jumped in a dry well that was in the same compound – in order to save their lives. Many of them were trampled and suffocated to death.

In India, the obvious reaction was of outrage. In deference to this outrage, the Viceroy ordered General Dyer to appear before Hunter Commission, which was set up for inquiry. This is what Dyer told to the Commission -

"I think it quite possible that I could have dispersed the crowd without firing but they would have come back again and laughed, and I would have made, what I consider, a fool of myself."

Mr Montague, the Secretary of State in India, said -

“This was a grave error in judgment”

Winston Churchill, the Secretary of State for War, said -

"The massacre is an episode without precedent or parallel in the modern history of British Empire. It is an extraordinary event, a monstrous event, an event which stands in singular and sinister isolation."

Post inquiry, Dyer was relived of his command, his position reverted to that of Colonel, and he was ordered back to England.

When he reached home, the House of Lords COMMENDED him for the massacre, crediting him with “suppressing a mutiny”.

Morning Post, a hallowed London based newspaper, collected a princely sum of 30,000 Pounds Sterling to help him in his retirement.

Reginald Dyer died in 1927.

Udham Singh, a gawky teenager, who had witnessed the massacre, and was wounded himself, vowed revenge, just like many others. On March 13, 1940, he pumped five bullets into Michael O’Dwyer, who was the Governor General of Punjab at the time of massacre. He was arrested and tried, and subsequently hanged to death on July 31, 1940, in a very speedy trial.

Dwyer had written in his 1925 book – India as I Knew It - "The Punjabis were quick to take to heart the lessons that revolution is a dangerous thing." Obviously, Udham Singh did not learn that lesson.

Udham Singh said this during his rather swift trial -

"I did it because I had a grudge against him. He deserved it. He was the real culprit. He wanted to crush the spirit of my people, so I have crushed him. For full 21 years, I have been trying to wreak vengeance. I am happy that I have done the job. I am not scared of death. I am dying for my country. I have seen my people starving in India under the British rule. I have protested against this, it was my duty. What a greater honor could be bestowed on me than death for the sake of my motherland?"