This year was the 100th anniversary of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, a major incident in the freedom struggle. There is no doubt that the massacre, and the outrage it provoked, triggered an outpouring of patriotism, and sacrifice which crystallized the nationalist movement and provided a focus for resistance against British rule.
The basic facts of the massacre are known to every Indian school child. On 13th April 1919, there was a peaceful meeting scheduled in the walled open ground called Jallianwala Bagh in Amritsar. About 1500 people were gathered in the enclosure to protest against the infamous orders promulgated in Amritsar against public gatherings. This was the point at which Brigadier General Reginald Dyer, the military administrator of Amritsar, decided that these hapless subjects had to be taught that the orders of the administration could not be defied. He arrived on the scene with a company of Gorkha troops in an armoured car. Fortunately for the hapless citizenry, the armoured car could not enter the narrow entrance to the Bagh. Those who have seen Richard Attenborough's movie Gandhi, will recall the chilling scene of the troops running through the narrow alley seen below.
The troops took position on the narrow plinth inside the Bagh. They were given instructions to fire on the crowd, which tried to flee by climbing on the steep walls or taking refuge in the well below. The troops fired 1650 rounds, leaving 379 people dead, and 1100 injured, by some estimates. Other estimates are even higher. Photos of the dead and the testimony of the injured can be seen in the little museum near the well, where hundreds jumped to save themselves, and many died.
The bullet holes can be seen in the walls.
The incident provoked outrage through the country. There were huge protests. Dignitaries returned British honours, among them Rabindranath Tagore. Dyer was supported by conservatives in England, but opposed by liberals. An investigation committee of the British Parliament removed him from his appointment, and prohibited him from further employment in India. The seething anger in the Indian populace united the subcontinent and led to the Non-coperation movement of 1920. That was real patriotism indeed!
Visitors to Amritsar flock to Jalianwala Bagh, but also now have another patriotic destination. The Attari/Wagah border, 60 kms from Amritsar, where Indian and Pakistani troops each flaunt their own patriotism. The BSF puts up a good show, showcasing its own achievements, including its canine counterparts. The Indian side blares patriotic songs, inviting the ladies present to dance (and some do). The Pakistani side counters with the Koran (or what sounds like it). The grass is greener on the Pakistani side (that's easy, the Indian side is concrete). People cross the border on foot, the elderly on wheel chairs, luggage on trolleys, exchanging porters at the gate. The rest of the crowd leaves for Amritsar, in a glow of patriotism, but is it real?
The country is at the crossroads, redefining its notion of patriotism. Is it necessary that a sense of self can only be achieved by trampling on the sense of self of others? Some say the road has already been chosen. If so, maybe it is time for the second non-cooperation movement. Who is wrong, and who is right? Time will tell. It always does!
This blog post is by Neelima Gupte and Sumathi Rao.
