Mohali, March 29th 2024 (Punjabi Teshan) In a significant moment in the British Parliament, MP Bob Blackman has urged the UK government to formally apologize for the Jallianwala Bagh massacre. Over a century since the tragic event, the demand for accountability continues to grow.
In his speech at the Parliament, he said, “On April 13th 1919, families gathered very peacefully in the Jallianwala Bagh to enjoy the sun, enjoy the day out with their families. General Dyer on behalf of the British marched his troops in and ordered his troops to fire on those innocent people until they ran out of ammunition. At the end of that massacre 1500 people were dead and 1200 were injured. Eventually, General Dyer was disgraced for that stain on the British Empire.”
He further added, “In 2019, then Prime Minister Theresa May recognized this was a stain on British Colonial rule in India. But could we have a statement in government time. The anniversary will be on April 13th this year when we’re recess so could we have a statement from the government admitting to what went wrong and formally giving an apology to the people of India.”
This comes just as Kesari Chapter 2: The Untold Story of Jallianwala Bagh is set to bring this dark chapter of history to the forefront. The film explores the courageous journey of C Sankaran Nair, the lawyer and statesman who took on the British Raj to expose the truth behind the massacre. With history once again under the spotlight, has the film’s announcement reignited calls for justice?
With history refusing to be buried, this statement raises fresh questions about Britain’s responsibility for its colonial past.