Page 67 - GANDHI A Biography for Children and Beginners

GANDHI – A Biography for children and beginners

about the ability of the people to remain non-violent in the face of provocation

or in the thick of the fight. He issued pamphlets to explain the meaning and

discipline of Satyagraha.

But events did not wait in the Punjab. People were deeply agitated and

indignant at the arrest of Gandhi. Local leaders like Kichlew and Satyapal were

struggling to see that the crowds did not go astray. But when the Government
arrested and removed them on the 10th of April, the crowds lost control. They

attacked Government offices, cut telephone lines, burnt down the Town Hall

and attacked and injured Europeans. Even European women were attacked.
The Government brought in troops under General Dyer. There was a lull. It was

the calm before the storm. On Baisakhi day, the 13th of April, a peaceful

meeting was announced at the Jallianwalla Bagh. Thousands of unarmed men,

women and children assembled. There was only one narrow passage through
which people could enter or leave the ground. It was walled in on all sides by

buildings. The General brought armoured cars and sealed the passage that

provided entry and exit. He declared the meeting unlawful, and ordered the

troops to fire into the unarmed crowd. 1650 rounds were fired. According to
the Government itself, 379 people were felled down with bullets. 1137 were

injured. Martial Law was proclaimed. Orders were promulgated compelling

Indians to crawl on their stomachs, on the road on which English people had
been attacked. It was some time before the rest of the country came to know

of these events. India was aghast. General Dyer boasted that he had exhausted

his ammunition, otherwise he would have fired more rounds. He had wanted to

teach Indians a lesson they would never forget.

The Government appointed a committee under Lord Hunter. Their task was to

enquire into the incidents. But most Indians felt that the committee was an

eyewash. A citizens' committee was appointed. This included Gandhi and
leaders like Motilal Nehru and Jayakar. It is in the course of his tour with the

committee that Gandhi came to know the gruesome details of what had

happened. In the meanwhile, the British nation was engaged in making a hero
of Dyer.

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