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Jalianwalla Bagh: An Empire of Fear and the Making of The Amritsar Massacre
Kim A. Wagner
Penguin India, 2019
Kim Wagner is a well known English Historian with books on the Nineteenth Century such as the study of Thugee and later the violence of the Indian Mutiny as evidence from the macabre evidence of the skull of Alum Beg. Now he has turned his attention to the Jalianwalla Bagh Massacre of 1919 and has published this book in time to trigger the political and academic interest in this singular event of the early twentieth century. He is a careful historian, unlike the Indian "historians" who are quite content reproducing large chunks of the Hunter Report and thickly marinate their so called hypotheses with nationalistic bombast of the Nehruvian variety. He has scrupulously adhered to the basic premise of good historiography by not letting post colonial sentiments of moral outrage and loud lamentations over the Evil of Empire overpower his narrative. The Massacre cannot be reduced to a label of identity and hence has to be treated as a "historical event" that needs to be reconstructed. And that Kim Wagner has done is a commendable manner. He has consulted all available records in the British and Indian Archives and the result is a tour de force of historical narrative, reconstruction and interpretation of the event. To most Indian Historians, the 1919 Massacre is an example of the brutality of the British Raj and indeed it was. That in itself does not explain the 1919 Amritsar Massacre. All Empires are brutal and the British one was not an exception. Even the First Award Wapsi of India, Rabindranath Tagore in his letter renouncing his Knighthood spoke only of the extreme cruelty of the Massacre. General Dyer was like Adolf Eichmann who was evil in a banal and incoherent fashion. Jalianwalla Bagh Massacre is a an event that reminds us that Evil lurks in every corner and is not the monopoly of one individual or institution.
Kim Wagner has drawn a very detailed picture of the Punjab right from the suppression of the Kuka Uprising/Rebellion of 1872. The uprising was suppressed with extrmeme violence as nearly a 100 men who were merely accused of participating in the Uprising were blown from the mouth of cannons. Without even consulting his superiors Commissioner Cowan executed the rebels in the most horrendous manner. Wagner explains the unnecessary cruelty in terms of the memory of Kanpur during the Mutiny of 1857. The Kuka Rebellion remains an enigma in Indian Historiography as the 68 rebels killed by Cowan whose names are known have not been recognized as Martyrs till this day. The SGPC has been clamoring for recognition till this day. The recent exchange of words between the Vice President of the Akali Dal , Mahjitia and the Congress Chief Minister of Punjab, Captain Amrinder Singh, the grand son of Maharaja Bhupinder Singh of Karpurtala underscores the fact that these events have an afterlife until this day.
There are certain events that Professor Wagner has excavated which seems to "normalize" the brutality of General Dyer. The Rowlatt Act was unpopular in the Punjab and both Dr Kitchlew and Dr Satyapal were leading agitations against it and were ably assisted by Hans Raj. Wagner makes a rather unkind statement about Hans Raj on page 51 casting serious aspersions on a man India regards a patriot. Whatever be the antecedents of Hans Raj he was a good organizer and was instrumental in arranging the meeting on the fateful day at Amritsar. On 10th 11th and 12th of April there were a series of riots all over the city of Amritsar in which more than 20 Englishmen and women were killed and a Bank looted the manger brutally killed and set on fire. Wagner seems to believe that the context of the Massacre was set by these unfortunate events that brought back memories of 1857. By invoking the Memory of 1857, it seems to me that Wagner is not just trying to explain the event but also justify it. April 13 1919 happened to be the day of Baikashi, an important day in the social calendar of Punjab. Martial Law had been imposed after the British troops failed to contain the rioters on the Bridge leading to the centre of the City. And General Dyer went all arounf the City on the morning of April 13 proclaiming that Martial Law has been declared. Hans Raj and his companions went around stirring up a crowd for a meeting in Jalianwala Bagh which was to be addressed by Kanniyalal, a well known local leader, in the absence of Satyapal and Kitchlew. The question is: Does the fact that Dyer had issued the warning to the residents of Amritsar mitigate the enormity of the tragedy. The answer clearly is "NO".
The firing started at around 4 PM and continued for about 10 minute in which 1650 rounds were fired from 303 Enfield Rifles. The events at Sultanwind Gate of the previous day were still fresh in the minds of the people of Amritsar. The Gurkha Regiment and one more provided soldiers for Dyer's contingent that marched to Jalianwala Bagh even as a peaceful meeting was going on. Without warning, Dyer ordered his men to shoot at the crowd and justified his action before the Hunter Commission by saying that he had already warned the City, a reference to his proclamation earlier in the day. He was aware of the enormity of his actions and even the Lt Governor Michael O' Dwyer was at first reluctant to back Dyer that the shooting was necessary. Udham Singh killed O'Dwyer 20 years later in London.
The Amritsar Massacre led to the establishment of the Hunter Commission and after a detailed Inquiry held General Dyer guilty of over reaction and he was forced to resign. The Time ran a Fund for him which resulted in more than 26,000 pounds being contributed. The evil of his deed cannot be written off with a mere apology and India should not forgive the Jalianwala Bagh Crime.
Jalianwalla Bagh: An Empire of Fear and the Making of The Amritsar Massacre
Kim A. Wagner
Penguin India, 2019
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| Jalianwalla Bagh |
Kim Wagner is a well known English Historian with books on the Nineteenth Century such as the study of Thugee and later the violence of the Indian Mutiny as evidence from the macabre evidence of the skull of Alum Beg. Now he has turned his attention to the Jalianwalla Bagh Massacre of 1919 and has published this book in time to trigger the political and academic interest in this singular event of the early twentieth century. He is a careful historian, unlike the Indian "historians" who are quite content reproducing large chunks of the Hunter Report and thickly marinate their so called hypotheses with nationalistic bombast of the Nehruvian variety. He has scrupulously adhered to the basic premise of good historiography by not letting post colonial sentiments of moral outrage and loud lamentations over the Evil of Empire overpower his narrative. The Massacre cannot be reduced to a label of identity and hence has to be treated as a "historical event" that needs to be reconstructed. And that Kim Wagner has done is a commendable manner. He has consulted all available records in the British and Indian Archives and the result is a tour de force of historical narrative, reconstruction and interpretation of the event. To most Indian Historians, the 1919 Massacre is an example of the brutality of the British Raj and indeed it was. That in itself does not explain the 1919 Amritsar Massacre. All Empires are brutal and the British one was not an exception. Even the First Award Wapsi of India, Rabindranath Tagore in his letter renouncing his Knighthood spoke only of the extreme cruelty of the Massacre. General Dyer was like Adolf Eichmann who was evil in a banal and incoherent fashion. Jalianwalla Bagh Massacre is a an event that reminds us that Evil lurks in every corner and is not the monopoly of one individual or institution.
Kim Wagner has drawn a very detailed picture of the Punjab right from the suppression of the Kuka Uprising/Rebellion of 1872. The uprising was suppressed with extrmeme violence as nearly a 100 men who were merely accused of participating in the Uprising were blown from the mouth of cannons. Without even consulting his superiors Commissioner Cowan executed the rebels in the most horrendous manner. Wagner explains the unnecessary cruelty in terms of the memory of Kanpur during the Mutiny of 1857. The Kuka Rebellion remains an enigma in Indian Historiography as the 68 rebels killed by Cowan whose names are known have not been recognized as Martyrs till this day. The SGPC has been clamoring for recognition till this day. The recent exchange of words between the Vice President of the Akali Dal , Mahjitia and the Congress Chief Minister of Punjab, Captain Amrinder Singh, the grand son of Maharaja Bhupinder Singh of Karpurtala underscores the fact that these events have an afterlife until this day.
The firing started at around 4 PM and continued for about 10 minute in which 1650 rounds were fired from 303 Enfield Rifles. The events at Sultanwind Gate of the previous day were still fresh in the minds of the people of Amritsar. The Gurkha Regiment and one more provided soldiers for Dyer's contingent that marched to Jalianwala Bagh even as a peaceful meeting was going on. Without warning, Dyer ordered his men to shoot at the crowd and justified his action before the Hunter Commission by saying that he had already warned the City, a reference to his proclamation earlier in the day. He was aware of the enormity of his actions and even the Lt Governor Michael O' Dwyer was at first reluctant to back Dyer that the shooting was necessary. Udham Singh killed O'Dwyer 20 years later in London.
The Amritsar Massacre led to the establishment of the Hunter Commission and after a detailed Inquiry held General Dyer guilty of over reaction and he was forced to resign. The Time ran a Fund for him which resulted in more than 26,000 pounds being contributed. The evil of his deed cannot be written off with a mere apology and India should not forgive the Jalianwala Bagh Crime.
