India is remembering martyrs today (Saturday) on the 100th anniversary of Jallianwala Bagh. In the year 1919, thousands of people were killed in this massacre in Amritsar, but only 379 murders were reported in the figures of the British Government.
The British Government has not apologized for this massacre so far. However, the Daily Mail reported that when David Cameron was the British Prime Minister, he expressed regret for the incident. Nevertheless, ahead of the ceremony this year, British Prime Minister Theresa May stopped shy of apologising, saying, "We deeply regret what happened and the suffering caused."
On the 100th anniversary, Indian President Ramnath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted tributes to the martyrs.
Many dignitaries during the remembrance, including Congress President Rahul Gandhi, Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh, and Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu, reached the memorial and remembered the martyrs.
The Times of India reported, the British High Commissioner Sir Dominic Eskith paid tribute to the martyrs after reaching the Jallianwala Bagh Memorial on Saturday. During this, in his note written in the Visitor's Diary, the incident of Jallianwala Bagh was termed as the most "shameful event in British India history."
President Ramnath Kovind tweeted a picture of Jalianwala: "Our dear freedom army had been martyred in Jallianwala Bagh a hundred years ago. India can never forget that terrible massacre that stigmatized civilization.
On this occasion, we pay tribute to the martyrs of Jallianwala."
A 100 years ago today, our beloved freedom fighters were martyred at Jallianwala Bagh. A horrific massacre, a stain on civilisation, that day of sacrifice can never be forgotten by India. At this solemn moment, we pay our tribute to the immortals of Jallianwala #PresidentKovind pic.twitter.com/tNt0v5aFWv
— President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) April 13, 2019
Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted: "We pay homage to the martyrs of the horrific massacre of Jallianwala Bagh.
His courage and sacrifice can never be forgotten. Today, when we look at the hundred years of the heinous Jallianwala Bagh massacre, the memory of the martyrs inspires us to work even more for India, which they will be proud of."
Today, when we observe 100 years of the horrific Jallianwala Bagh massacre, India pays tributes to all those martyred on that fateful day. Their valour and sacrifice will never be forgotten. Their memory inspires us to work even harder to build an India they would be proud of. pic.twitter.com/jBwZoSm41H
— Chowkidar Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 13, 2019
Punjab government has demanded an apology from Britain
In February, in the year of entry into the 100th anniversary of the Jalianwala Bagh massacre in Amritsar, a resolution was passed unanimously in the Punjab assembly, to demand an apology from the British government for the Jalianwala Bagh massacre.
The Dailymail reports, according to the proposal, there will be a real tribute to the martyrs apologising for the killings on Baisakhi on 13th April 1919. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Brahma Mohindra brought this proposal which was a voice note under the leadership of Amarinder Singh.
Yahoo News quoted Mohindra as saying, "It is on the 13th day of April 1919, on the sacred day of Baisakhi, the slogan of British rule in Jaliani Bagh. It was a brutal act done on the innocent people gathered to protest against the rule. "
