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| Saturday, April 22, 2000 |
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"PLASSEY laid the foundation of the British Empire, Amritsar has shaken it", Gandhiji said on entering Amritsar on October 17, 1919 when the ban on his entry in Punjab was withdrawn. According to the Hunter Commission Report, there were 1516 casualties for the 1650 rounds fired in a record time of ten minutes at about 5.30p.m. on April 13, 1919, the Baisakhi day for the people of Punjab. Nearly 10,000 people had assembled to protest, in the Bagh against the deportation of the prominent Congress leaders, Saifuddin Kitchlew and Dr Satyapal, and the arrest of Gandhiji at Palwal, preventing his entry into Punjab. All this was done under the orders of the Punjab Governor, Sir Michael O' Dwyer who had turned Punjab into an enemy territory.
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| At Lahore copies of the Rowlatt Bill were
publicly burnt. Processions were taken out in the main bazaars
and streets, and slogans of George Mar Gaya: Hai
Hai were raised. On April 8 Gandhiji left Bombay for
Delhi. The Government of India felt it would be most
dangerous if Gandhi entered their jurisdiction, since
Gandhi’s intention was to break the law and to
secure volunteers for his Satyagraha. On the night
of April 9, Gandhi was removed from the train at Palwal
(in Haryana), and sent back to Bombay. When this news
reached Ahmedabad there were riots there. On April 10 Dr Kitchlew and Dr Satyapal were deported to some unknown place under the orders of the Punjab Governor. This was followed by serious rioting in Amritsar. When the crowd reached the Hall Gate Bridge, the police opened fire. Things went out of control when the crowd learnt that Gandhiji was arrested; two banks and a telegraph office were destroyed. It was an open rebellion and there were fighting everywhere in the town. About 30 innocent civilians were killed. At Lahore there was great tension after Gandhiji’s arrest. The students took out a procession first, and then the citizens. It was a peaceful procession of 15000, but the police stopped them and asked them to disperse. On their refusal, the police opened fire killing a few and injuring many. Next day a meeting took place at Badshahi Masjid. At the prayer time Hindus joined their Muslim brethren, and Pandit Rambhaj Datt addressed the gathering. It was at such volatile juncture that General Dyer arrived in Amritsar on the evening of April 11, 1919. The next day, he started arresting people indiscriminately and created martial law conditions although martial law was imposed in Amritsar only on the April 15, two days after the Jallianwalla tragedy. On April 12 itself, there was an announcement about the public meeting to be held at 4.30 p.m. at the Bagh. Dyer took no steps to inform the people or the organisers about the prohibitory orders supposed to have been issued by him during the night of April 12. But he duly arrived at the meeting spot with his armoured cars and troops, and stationed himself at the Bagh’s entrance. The Governor lost no time in approving the action of General Dyer, adding that the firing at Jallianwalla was to create a moral effect though from a military point of view! He did not ask the crowd to disperse, and gave no warning. He did not take permission in writing or otherwise to open fire from the District Magistrate, Amritsar. In fact the Deputy Commissioner of Amritsar was not present at the time of the firing. General Dyer gave a report of his action direct to the Lt. Governor in Lahore through a special messenger. These facts clearly show that there was a nexus between Sir Michael and General Dyer. |
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The passing of the Rowlatt Act
had fanned the flames of patriotism on March 23 1919, Dr
Satyapal addressed a large crowd asking people to end the
British rule. On March 29 and 30, more public meetings
were organised in Amritsar where 20,000 people attended.
All shops were closed and people wore black ribbons.
There were agitations in Multan, Lahore and Delhi. It was
at this juncture that Gandhiji announced his Satyagraha.
April 6 was declared as a day of complete Hartal.