Union Minister Amit Shah, in a post on X on Sunday, remembered the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, describing it as "a dark chapter" in India's freedom struggle that deeply affected the entire nation.
In his tribute, Shah wrote, “The Jallianwala Bagh massacre is a dark chapter in India's freedom struggle that shook the entire country. The anger that arose among the countrymen due to the cruelty of the British rule, which had reached the pinnacle of inhumanity, turned the freedom movement into a struggle of the masses. I pay my tribute to the martyrs who were martyred in Jallianwala Bagh. The country will always cherish the immortal martyrs in its memories.”
Several other leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, also paid homage to the victims and highlighted the significance of the massacre, which occurred on 13 April 1919, during British colonial rule.
Prime Minister Modi, in a post on X, described the event as “a dark chapter” in India's history and a "major turning point" in the country’s freedom struggle. “We pay homage to the martyrs of Jallianwala Bagh. The coming generations will always remember their indomitable spirit. It was indeed a dark chapter in our nation's history. Their sacrifice became a major turning point in India's freedom struggle," Modi wrote.
The massacre, one of the darkest episodes in India's colonial history, occurred in Amritsar, Punjab, when thousands gathered at Jallianwala Bagh to mark the Baisakhi festival and peacefully protest against the Rowlatt Act, as well as demand the release of leaders Dr Satyapal and Dr Saifuddin Kitchlew. British officer Brigadier General Reginald Dyer, without warning, ordered his troops to fire on the unarmed crowd.
According to the Ministry of Culture, "1650 rounds were fired. The firing ceased only after the ammunition had run out." While British records put the death toll at 291, Indian leaders like Madan Mohan Malviya estimated over 500 deaths. The Ministry of Culture further noted that Brigadier General Dyer showed no remorse for his actions during the massacre.
The Jallianwala Bagh massacre is remembered as a pivotal moment in India's fight for independence and continues to symbolise the courage and resilience of the Indian people.
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