Jallianwala Bagh, 1919: The Real Story by Kishwar Desai

Author:Kishwar Desai [Desai, Kishwar]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9789387578746
Publisher: Westland
Published: 2018-10-30T18:30:00+00:00

On the 6th there should be no canvassing one way or the other.

The meeting may take place, but there should be no inflammatory speech making.49

However, the hartal, probably to the surprise of all, was successful and attended by thousands, including women and children, who also bathed in the river. In this case, women formed part of the satyagrahis. The entire group then formed a procession which went down to the Mall. This was in contravention to the earlier order issued on 2 April, but the police did not interfere, despite some provocation. For instance, the crowd (referred to constantly in the official reports as a mob, even though they were peaceful) chanted ‘Hai Hai George Mar Gaya’ (King George is dead)—which could be considered sedition.

Based on the evidence of witnesses, the INC Report states that on 6 April afternoon there was a meeting at Bradlaugh Hall which was attended by ‘thousands’ and also, on the order of O’Dwyer, by the Superintendent of the CID.50 Once again, it was peaceful, although speeches against the Rowlatt Acts were made.

Interestingly, there are some clear diversions in the memories of those reporting the events in Lahore, depending on whether they were giving their evidence in front of the Hunter Committee or the Congress Sub-Committee.

Thus, the Hunter Committee reported some tensions at an event that was otherwise reported as ‘peaceful’. European police officers who attended the meeting were loudly hooted and hissed at. Resolutions were passed condemning the authorities in Delhi for ‘having fired upon innocent people without justification’, on 30 March. The congregation viewed with alarm and disapproval the orders passed on Kitchlew, Satya Pal and others (banning them from attending and speaking at public meetings, etc.), in the first week of April.

As in Amritsar, on 9 April, which was Ram Naumi, Lahore witnessed fraternisation amongst Hindus and Muslims, and the officials who were with the procession were cheered. Thus far everything was calm, even though Hindus and Muslims were coming together, and this would have alarmed the British.

According to the INC Report, on 10 April, things were about to change, as the news of Gandhi’s arrest spread (the news was published in the Civil and Military Gazette). A spontaneous hartal took place and all businesses were closed at 4 p.m. The Hunter Committee Report also says that word of the resistance and rioting at Amritsar reached Lahore around 3.30 p.m.

Concerned about the death of five Europeans in Amritsar, the administration placed protective pickets in Lahore wherever Europeans were likely to be, such as at the Gymkhana Club, the telegraph office, Government House and European hotels. At 6 p.m., a meeting was held by O’Dwyer at Government House with all concerned officials, and they were apprised of the situation.51

This is where the two accounts of the incidents at Lahore—of the INC Sub-Committee and the Hunter Committee Report—begin to diverge, even more.

Since the Hunter Committee was confined mainly to the official narrative and its witnesses were also from among those who worked for the administration, the evidence that was recorded carried a definite bias.

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