When the first world war broke out in Europe, India as a whole stood up for the support of the British empire which ruled them for the past two centuries with the hope that this effort will open the eyes of the British rulers and will further help its struggle in attaining independence. This thought was further fortified with the declaration by the Secretary of State for India Mr. E S Montagu in August 1917of full responsible government to India within the British empire by a gradual transference of power to popular control and a larger association of Indians in the administration of the country, reserved to the British parliament the right of determining the pace of progress towards full responsible government. There after on July 8, 1918, Mr.Montagu and Viceroy, Lord Chelmsford issued their report [called Montagu-Chelmsford report] on constitutional reform.
By 1918, war had been passing through a phase most threatening to the Allies and big German offessive was in full progress. To secure greater support of India, Prime minister of Britain Mr. Lloyd George sent a message to India reminding her of the cause effect of German victory in Europe and harmful reverberations in the eastern world. Lloyd George in his letter asked “every lover of freedom and law” to play his or her part in preventing the menace of German evil spreading to east and gradually engulfing the world. Viceroy, Chelmford, in return to this request by the prime minister assured “fullest effort and fullest sacrifice to safegaurd the soil of the motherland”. This was followed by a war conference in Delhi on April 27, 1918, at which King Emperor’s message declared that “the need of the Empire is India’s oppurtunity”.
Mahatma Gandhi joined the war conference in Delhi and fully supported it in the hope of better future of his motherland. As a result, contributions from India begin to rise and in total, 9,85,000 men participated in the first world war from India.
While Indians believed in the message of “the need of the Empire is India’s oppurtunity”, the British volte faced on it as war came to an end. India was shocked to see internment of Mrs. Besant and large number of its citizens being jailed under Defence of India act without any trial. This awakened the country from her deep slumber of giving tacit agreement in passing that act. To top all these a report by Sir Sidney Rowlatt was published which dealt with meeting the increasing momentum of revelutionary force in India. The report published in July 19, 1918, further enhanced the power of Defence of India Act.
The people of India rise as a whole nation to the aggressive style of British rule as the government forced a Rowlatt bill into law with further enhancement of Defence of India Act and was viewed as an encroachment on to the civil rights of Indians. Leading the Indians were the greatest of the great leader, Mahatma Gandhi.
Gandhi in protest against the British government’s ennactment of Rowlatt law declared his intention of leading a Satyagraha campaign. On March 23, 1918, Gandhi issued a manifesto fixing the 6th of April for the observance of an All-India Hartal and as a day of fasting, prayer and penance. Hartal was observed in the whole part of the country with very few skirmishes. Hartal was observed in Delhi in March 30th due to some misinformation. There was some disturbance in Delhi railway station on the day of the hartal and riots broke out. Mahatma Gandhi on his way to Delhi to restore peace and normalcy was arrested in midway and was taken to Bomby in a special train.
Mean while in Punjab where leaders Kitchlew and Satyapal were deported for their supposedly anti-government activities. General of the Punjab at that time was Sir Michael Dyer. On the 13th April, a meeting was advertised to be held at Jallianwallah Bagh. General Dyer had prohibited any meeting to be conducted. On hearing about the meeting in Jallianwallah Bagh, he proceeded to the spot with his tropps and machine guns. A lot of people were congregated in the ground of Jallianwallah Bagh as it was an important Hindu festival day. Within 15 minutes of his arrival, General Dyer ordered his troops to fire at the throng without any provocation. What followed was carnage. About 5 to 6 hundred people died and about 1500 were injured in that gruesome act of animism. Soon after the firing at Jallianwallah Bagh, Martial law was enforced throughout the country to prohibit further sprouting of disturbance. Many leaders were arrested, including Mahatma Gandhi.
No news of Jallianwallah Bagh was spread as a result of the strict censorship which followed on account of Martial law. But, as time passed and marshial law was lifted, news began to leak out and caused widespread anger in the country against this incident and against Sir Michael Dyer.
British-India government appointed a committee of enquiry to look into the matter of shooting at Jallianwallah Bagh after persistent request from all over the country. The committe was headed by Lord Hunter. Even before the committee began its labours, government passed an Indemnity Act to protect its officers from any ruling of the committee. There was widespread opposition to this Indemnity act, even from within the committee. The committee filed its report on March 26th, 1920. The recommendations in the fnal report were too lenient as far Indians were concerned. What followed it was the famous non-cooperation movement, again led by the charismatic son of India – Mahatma Gandhi.
