Why in News? The Jallianwala Bagh massacre (on April 13, 1919) was a pivotal moment in the course of India’s struggle for independence, as it marked a turning point in Indians’ relationship with their British colonisers.

What is the Background of the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre? After the passage of the draconian Rowlatt Act in (March) 1919, Punjab (like the rest of India) was on the boil. To protest peacefully against the Rowlatt Act and the arrest of pro-independence activists Dr. Saifuddin Kitchlew and Dr. Satya Pal, a large crowd gathered (during the annual Baishakhi fair) at Jallianwala Bagh, Amritsar.

What Happened at the Jallianwala Bagh? Michael O’Dwyer, then the Lieutenant Governor of Punjab, feared a large-scale resurrection - just like in 1857. It is in this context that Brigadier-General Reginald Dyer ordered firing in Jallianwala Bagh on April 13, 1919.

What was the British Response to the Jallianwala Bagh? The immediate reaction of the British administration in Punjab was to condone Dyer’s actions. However, for many Britons in India and back at home, he was still a hero who saved British rule in India. The Hunter Commission (constituted in 1919 to investigate the events surrounding the Jallianwala Bagh massacre) justified Dyer's decision to fire at the mob, with the exception that he ought to have issued a warning first.

How the Massacre Changed the Course of India’s Freedom Struggle? The brutality at Jallianwala Bagh stunned the entire nation. It was the final nail in the coffin for the moral legitimacy of the British empire in India. Even the most moderate of Indian nationalists effectively lost faith in the Empire. Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore returned his knighthood in protest. Within months Mahatma Gandhi launched the Non-Cooperation - Khilafat Movement - the first pan-India movement for India’s independence.