India pays tribute on Jallianwala Bagh Massacre’s 100th anniversary

On April 13, 1919, the British colonial rule had written one of the darkest chapter in Indian history, the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre. And today, India marks the 100th anniversary of the gruesome incident.

Hundreds of unarmed men, women and children, who were holding a pro-Independence demonstration in Amritsar on Baisakhi in April 1919, were killed on Brigadier General Reginald Dyer's orders. According to Indian figures around 1,000 innocents lost their lives in the incident, however, British colonial-era records showed only 400 people died in the massacre.

British High Commissioner to India Dominic Asquith, paying his tribute, stated the Jallianwala Bagh massacre a "shameful act in British-Indian history". "The events of Jallianwala Bagh 100 years ago today reflects a shameful act in British-Indian history. We deeply regret what happened and the suffering caused. I am pleased today that the UK and India have and remain committed to developing further a thriving 21st century partnership," said Asquith.

Commemorating the unfortunate incident, Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu will pay homage to martyrs  at the Jallianwala Bagh Memorial, which was declared a national memorial by an Act of Parliament in 1951, in Amritsar, Punjab today.

According to reports, Naidu will also release a Commemorative Coin and Commemorative Postage Stamp.

Twitter also flooded with tributes to the martyrs. President Ram Nath Kovind said, 100 years ago on this day, the country's beloved freedom fighters were martyred at Jallianwala Bagh. He said, a horrific massacre, a stain on civilisation, can never be forgotten by India.

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

PM Modi also paid tribute through a tweet.

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

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 13, 2019

Congress president Rahul Gandhi, who reached Amritsar last night, paid his tribute to those who lost their lives and laid a wreath at the memorial this morning.