The Jallianwala Bagh Massacre, also known as the Amritsar Massacre, was named after the Jallianwala Bagh (Garden) in Amritsar, where, on April 13, 1919, British Indian Army soldiers under the command of Brigadier-General Reginald Dyer opened fire on an unarmed gathering of men, women and children.
Official sources place the casualties at 379. According to private sources, the number was over 1000, with more than 1200 wounded , and Civil Surgeon Dr Smith indicated that they were over 1800. The figures were never fully ascertained for political reasons.
The occasion was Baisakhi Day, a Punjabi religious day. A tradition had been established for Sikhs to gather in Amritsar to participate in the Baisakhi festival. Those coming from the rural areas of Amritsar District were unaware of the events in Amritsar as communications were inadequate in Punjab. Legally, the gathering in the Bagh was in violation of the prohibitory orders banning gatherings of five or more persons in the city, a term of martial law.
I would like the youth to visit "Jallianwala Bagh", so as to realise the true value of independence. How it was earned with a constant struggle of 200 years and loss of so many lives.
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