India Observes 106th Anniversary of Jallianwala Bagh Massacre on April 13, 2025.

On 13th April 2025, India observed the 106th anniversary of the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre, also known as the Amritsar Massacre, which took place on 13th April 1919 in Amritsar, Punjab (then under British India). Prime Minister Narendra Modi and several leaders paid homage to the victims, calling it a “dark chapter” in Indian history and a “major turning point” in the country’s freedom struggle.

      - The massacre occurred during the Baisakhi festival, when hundreds of unarmed civilians, including women and children, had assembled at Jallianwala Bagh to peacefully protest against the repressive Rowlatt Act and also to celebrate the traditional fair. The gathering was non-violent and unaware of any imposed restrictions.

      - Acting Brigadier-General Reginald Dyer ordered his troops to open fire without warning on the innocent crowd. The shooting continued until the troops exhausted their ammunition. There was no escape route, and the firing lasted around ten minutes.

      - According to official British records, 379 people were killed, but Indian sources and eyewitnesses suggest the actual death toll was in the thousands. The incident shocked the nation and intensified the demand for India’s independence from British rule.

Main Point :-   (i) The Rowlatt Act of 1919, officially known as the Anarchical and Revolutionary Crimes Act, was passed by the British based on the Sedition Committee led by Justice Rowlatt. It gave the colonial government the power to arrest and detain individuals without trial for up to two years, sparking widespread protests across the country.

      (ii) Following the massacre, the British government set up the Hunter Commission in 1919, officially called the Disorders Inquiry Committee, chaired by Lord William Hunter. The committee investigated the incident and questioned General Dyer, whose controversial testimony drew global criticism. His story was later documented in Nigel Collett’s book “The Butcher of Amritsar”.

(iii) In 1920, a trust was formed to build a memorial at the site. The memorial was inaugurated on April 13, 1961, by then-President Dr. Rajendra Prasad in the presence of Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. The design was created by Benjamin Polk, an American architect, and the site now stands as a symbol of the sacrifice and spirit of India’s freedom struggle.