Jallianawala Bagh Massacre: Majoritarianism Is Another Form of 'Dyerism'

On this day 104 years ago, hundreds of Indians were brutally massacred in Jallianwala Bagh in Amritsar. In cold blood, Colonel Reginald Dyer ordered the British soldiers to fire at the peaceful assembly of unarmed people of diverse faiths. They were peacefully protesting against the arrest and detention of Satyapal and Saifuddin Kitchlew under the draconian Rowlatt Act, which provided for summary detention and trial of Indians.

The horrors of the massacre stirred and traumatised Indians, and marked a decisive phase during which they fought resolutely for independence.

The deep pain, anguish and trauma caused by the Jallianwala Bagh massacre led even Winston Churchill, a die-hard defender of British imperialism, to say, “It is an extraordinary event, a monstrous event, an event which stands in singular and sinister isolation.”

After the massacre, Rabindranath Tagore returned the Knighthood, which was conferred on him after he won the Nobel Prize for literature. He wrote poignantly:

“The time has come when badges of honour make our shame glaring in the incongruous context of humiliation, and I for my part wish to stand, shorn of all special distinctions, by the side of those of my countrymen, who for their so-called insignificance, are liable to suffer degradation not fit for human beings.”

Mahatma Gandhi also returned the Kaisar-i-Hind medal that was given to him in 1915 to express his disapproval of the massacre.

Gandhi’s views on Jallianwala Bagh

Today, the sacrifices of Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs in Jallianwala Bagh are of great relevance to stem the gathering momentum of majoritarianism and communalism. These significant lessons can be learnt very meaningfully through the writings of Mahatma Gandhi on the massacre.

In his “Punjab Letter” published in Navjivan on February 15, 1920, he wrote that Jallianawala Bagh remained a consecrated spot and he wanted that it should become a place of pilgrimage. Explaining that while Haridwar remained a place of pilgrimage for Hindus alone and not that of Muslims, Christians, Parsis and Jews, he asserted, “Jallianwala Bagh, on the other hand, is a sacred spot for all who were born or who live in India” and, therefore, thousands visited it for that purpose.

Gandhi also flagged a very positive and profound point: “This idea does not have its source in hatred but is born of our love for those innocent men and women who lost their lives.” He categorically affirmed that our visit to the Bagh should not remind us of General Dyer’s cruelty or keep alive the memory of General Dyer’s deed to feed our hatred. He firmly pointed out that without preserving the memory of the innocent, the nation would perish. His belief that the “sacrifice of innocent people, killed for no crime of theirs, is a great opportunity [for] a nation to raise itself higher” resonates in the India of 2023, when Hindu-Muslim binaries are employed to divide the nation.

“If the people do not treasure the memory of such an event,” Gandhi cautioned, “as a spendthrift, careless of his wealth, becomes a pauper, so the nation also will become insolvent.” He observed, “If 500 or 1,000 innocent persons deliberately embrace death, this will have the effect of raising the country instantaneously, an effect so tremendous as to be regarded a miracle”. He proceeded to add, “Maybe we cannot bring about such a miraculous result from the slaughter of the innocent people in the Jallianwala Bagh; the event, however, will always be recognized as a potent influence in uniting Hindus and Muslims and in creating an awakening throughout the land.”

Gandhi wanted the sustained levels of awareness about these lessons from the massacre to take forward that cherished ideal for building the momentum of the freedom struggle and achieving independence.

Majoritarianism is a form of ‘Dyerism’

The Mahatma coined the term ‘Dyerism’, calling it a doctrine of frightfulness. But he also used it to describe the exclusion and cruelty imposed on Dalits in the name of untouchability, and the belief that Muslims should be forced not to consume beef.

In 2023, we are witnessing a calculated assault on Hindu-Muslim unity by those who speak of exclusive nationalism and promote jingoism for the purpose of getting votes. Ironically, they are the protagonists of majoritarianism – which is nothing but Dyerism in every sense of the term.

Mahatma Gandhi told American journalist Katherine Mayo on March 17, 1926, “I want this country to be spared of Dyerism. That is, I do not want my country, when it has the power, to resort to frightfulness in order to impose her custom on others.”

In another article “Jallianwalia Bagh” written in Young India on February 18, 1920, Mahatma Gandhi described the massacre of innocent civilians as a “tragedy of first class national importance.” Observing that “nations are born out of travail and suffering,” he sharply noted:

“We should forfeit all title to be considered a nation, if we failed to treasure the memory of those who in our battle for political freedom might, innocently or for the crimes of others, lose their lives or otherwise suffer.”

He then insightfully asked, “And has not the blood of the Mohammedan mixed with that of the Hindu? Has not the blood of the Sikh mixed with that of the Sanatanist and the Samajist? The memorial should be a national emblem of an honest and sustained effort to achieve Hindu-Muslim unity.”

These wise and profound words are so deeply relevant for our times, when we are confronting the march of unbridled majoritarianism scripted by those controlling the state apparatus of our country. The same dispensation oversaw the renovation of the memorial in 2021, which has been disfigured to give the impression of a dazzling place meant for entertainment.

The powers that be should be mindful of the words of the father of our nation. The undying spirit of Jallianawala Bagh, which shaped the freedom struggle and our nation-building, needs to be reaffirmed and reinforced in defence of our composite culture and shared heritage fashioned by people professing diverse faiths. It means defending the idea of India, creative nationalism and the constitution.

Also Read: Did the Victims of Jallianwala Bagh Deserve Pity – or Justice?

Ideal of forgiveness

Another outstanding lesson derived from Mahatma Gandhi’s writings on the Jallianwala Bagh massacre is that he forgave Dyer in spite of the heinous crime he committed by killing hundreds of innocent and unarmed people. In an article “Religious Authority for Non-Cooperation” authored by him and published in Young India on August 25, 1920, he wrote, “It would be sin for me to serve General Dyer and co-operate with him to shoot innocent men. But it will be an exercise of forgiveness or love for me to nurse him back to life, if he was suffering from a physical malady.”

At a time when retribution is the determinant of politics, it is important to recall Gandhi’s noble words to heal the wound and injury caused to the soul by sectarian and communal forces. Gandhi’s worldview and actions – completely free from revenge – were reflected when he responded to someone who informed him that Dyer suffering a paralytic attack could be the outcome of what he did in Jallianwala Bagh. Gandhi wrote on July 24, 1927:

“I do not think that his paralysis has any necessary connection with his action in Jallianwala Bagh. Have you considered the implications of such beliefs?… My dysentery, appendicitis and this time a mild attack of paralysis must have been known to you. I should be very sorry if some good Englishmen were to think that these diseases were due to my fierce opposition, as it must appear in their estimation, to the English Government.”

His forgiveness, flowing from his unbounded compassion, also showed when he wrote on November 1, 1938, “Who could be more cruel or blood-thirsty than the late Gen. Dyer? Yet the Jallianwala Bagh Congress Inquiry Committee, on my advice, had refused to ask for his prosecution. I had no trace of ill will against him in my heart. I would have also liked to meet him personally and reach his heart, but that was to remain a mere aspiration.”

In our troubled times marked by vengeful politics and faith, we need to invoke the bravery of Gandhi manifested in his act of forgiving even those whose actions caused a massacre. This is the enduring and constructive lesson derived from the Jallianawala Bagh massacre to defeat new forms of Dyerism plaguing the country and society.

S.N. Sahu served as Officer on Special Duty to President of India K R Narayanan.