The Jallianwala Bagh Massacre

The massacre that resulted in widespread protests during British rule in Amritsar was the Jallianwala Bagh massacre. This tragic event took place on April 13, 1919, when a British officer named General Reginald Dyer ordered his troops to open fire on a peaceful gathering of Indians who had gathered in Jallianwala Bagh, a public garden, to protest against the repressive Rowlatt Act passed by the British government.

Background
- The Rowlatt Act, also known as the Black Act, was passed by the British government in 1919 to give more power to the colonial authorities to suppress political dissent.
- The act allowed the British government to arrest and imprison Indians without trial for an indefinite period.

The Massacre
- On the day of the massacre, thousands of Indians, including men, women, and children, gathered in Jallianwala Bagh to peacefully protest against the Rowlatt Act.
- General Dyer, in an attempt to crush the protest, marched a contingent of about fifty soldiers to the Bagh, blocking the main entrance and taking up a position on a raised bank.
- Without any warning or provocation, General Dyer ordered his troops to open fire on the unarmed crowd.
- The soldiers continued firing for about ten minutes until they ran out of ammunition.
- The firing resulted in the death of over 400 people, including women and children, while thousands were injured.

Aftermath and Impact
- The Jallianwala Bagh massacre caused outrage and shock among the Indian population and led to widespread protests across the country.
- Indians were appalled by the brutality of the British forces and the indiscriminate firing on innocent civilians.
- The massacre also exposed the oppressive nature of British rule and fueled demands for independence.
- It marked a turning point in India's struggle for freedom, as it galvanized public opinion and united people against British rule.
- The incident also led to the formation of the Non-Cooperation Movement in 1920, which aimed to boycott British goods and institutions.

Conclusion
The Jallianwala Bagh massacre was a tragic event that resulted in widespread protests and outrage during British rule in Amritsar. The indiscriminate firing on a peaceful gathering of Indians in Jallianwala Bagh led to the loss of hundreds of lives and fueled the demand for independence from British rule. The incident played a significant role in India's struggle for freedom and united people against the oppressive colonial regime.