History of India: Blood Bath in Amritsar- "Jallianwala Bagh Massacre"

Jallianwala Bagh Massacre: The most devastating chapter of British India. This title best fits the always-remembered massacre of the Jallianwala Bagh. The incident describes the slavery of Indians to the Britishers and their colonialism.
History of India: Blood Bath of Amritsar- Jallianwala Bagh
History of India: Blood Bath of Amritsar- Jallianwala Bagh
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Jallianwala Bagh Massacre: It was the time of the first World War when the British felt the need to suppress the surfacing revolution in the country to continue their rule over India.

The Britishers were quite engaged in the Great War, and Indian revolutionaries started their operations on a peak to free the country from the grasp of the Britishers.

First world war (1914-1918)
First world war (1914-1918)

On this, the Britishers passed an emergency law to stop the so-called political terrorism continued by the Indian revolutionaries and this law was known as the "Defence of India Act 1915".

After the end of the great war, the British got the idea to extend the law for the betterment of their rule. They formed a committee to evaluate political terrorism in Bengal and Punjab.

History of India: Blood Bath of Amritsar- Jallianwala Bagh
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Jallianwala Bagh Massacre: Rowlatt Act

The committee was led by "Sidney Rowlatt", which found out about the relationship between the Indians and the Germans and their militant attack on the Britishers, which gave them a chance to impose their laws.

On this, the Britishers extended Martial law, and this time it got popular among the people as the "Rowlatt Act" or "Anarchical and Revolutionary Crimes Act of 1919".

Sidney Rowlatt: Chairman of British organisation
Sidney Rowlatt: Chairman of British organisation

Provisions of the Rowlatt act

  • Police were entitled to search anybody's property without a warrant.

  • Public meetings and gatherings were banned.

  • The court trial was taken only once and the decision came out was inevitable leaving no further trials in any higher court which was also known as No Appeal, No Vakeel, No Dalil...

Jallianwala Bagh Massacre: People protested wildly against the law

Anarchy spread across the country, prominent personalities like Muhammad Ali Jinnah and Madan Mohan Malviya abdicated from the British courts and people protested wildly against the law.

It was also the early times of Mahatma Gandhi, who launched a massive protest with his "Satyagraha Movement" on 6 April 1919.

Father of nation: Mahatama Gandhi
Father of nation: Mahatama Gandhi

It was at this time when the new General of Amritsar, Michael O'Dwyer, was appointed, who again imposed martial law.

Jallianwala Bagh Massacre: Blood Bath in Amritsar (13 April 1919)

Unaware of martial law, the people of Amritsar were busy preparing for the famous festival "Baisakhi". On 13 April 1919, the people of Amritsar went to the fair at Jallianwala Bagh and a peaceful protest against the Rowlatt Act was also going on.

On this, Lieutenant General of Punjab Michael O'Dwyer responded with the mass killings of people present at the fair. It is said that the whole garden was flooded with the corpses of men, women, and children too.

Mass killings of people in the Jallianwala bagh
Mass killings of people in the Jallianwala bagh

The incident was recorded as one of the most gruesome acts by any British officer to showcase their pathetic powers.

After committing this brutal act, Michael O'Dwyer said, "If the entrance gate to Jallianwala Bagh had allowed armoured cars to enter he would have ordered the firing of machine guns" ...

The history of India took a great lesson after this mass murder at Jallianwal Bagh in Amritsar. They learned the taste of slavery and its outcome.

Revenge of Jallianwala Bagh by Sardar Udham Singh
Revenge of Jallianwala Bagh by Sardar Udham Singh

Many years later a brave son of the country shot six bullets in the chest of Michael O'Dwyer as revenge for the Jallianwala Bagh massacre in 1919 and we know him as "Great Sardar Udham Singh"...

History of India: Blood Bath of Amritsar- Jallianwala Bagh
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