Jallianwala Bagh Was A Reaction To Muslims Celebrating Ram Navami
By
Saquib Salim, New Age Islam
30 March
2023
Very Few Appreciate The Fact That The Jallianwala Bagh Massacre On 13 April 1919 Was A Punishment For Hindus, Muslims And Sikhs Of Amritsar For Showing Unity During Ram Navami Celebrations On 9 April.
-------
“British Police drove a stick into Gholam Jilani’s anus. Also ,he was in a most pitiable condition. I saw his urine and excreta coming out. All of us, who were outside, were told by the police that those, who did not give evidence, would be treated like that.” This was the statement recorded by Haji Shamsuddin of Amritsar in 1919 after the Jallianwala Bagh massacre.
Can one
believe that Gholam Jilani, an Imam at a local mosque, was tortured for the crime
of organising a Hindu Festival, Ram Navami?
Very few
appreciate the fact that the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre on 13 April 1919 was a
punishment for Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs of Amritsar for showing unity during
Ram Navami Celebrations on 9 April. The British Government didn’t hide their
fears in a report tabled in the Parliament after the massacre. The report
noted, and I quote “on the 9th April the annual Ram Naumi procession was… made
the scene of public fraternisation between Hindus and Muhammadan. The
Commission speaks of the temper of the populace as still being in a dangerous
condition; and suggests that the cause of Hindu-Muhammadan unity, otherwise
laudable, can on this occasion only have been preached as meaning unity against
Government…There was much public fraternisation. Hindus drinking out of vessels
held by Muhammadans; for the usual cries in honour of Hindu deities, the crowd
substituted shouts for Hindu-Mohammedan unity.”
Hunter
Committee Report also noted, and I quote “We think it clear that in Amritsar as
elsewhere, efforts towards “ unity ” had been made largely and indeed frankly
in a political interest…. Dr. Saifuddin
Kitchlew’s influence in particular was, and had consistently been, in the direction
of unity ….contrary to previous practice, Ram Navami was very largely
participated in by Muhammadans, and along with the usual shouts political cries
were freely raised “Mahatma Gandhi ki jai,” “Hindu-Mussalman ki jai” The effect
of the evidence before us is that the festival became a striking demonstration
in furtherance of Hindu-Muhammadan unity — people of the different creeds
drinking out of the same cups publicly and by way of a demonstration.”
The Ram
Navami processions across Punjab where Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs rallied
together shook up the foundations of the empire. It could not risk a repeat of
Ram Navami on Baisakhi Day four days later, hence Martial Law was declared and
hundreds of unarmed Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs were shot dead in cold blood at
Jallianwala Bagh.
Indians
should learn that her strength lies in unity. Our unity terrified the mighty
British empire and when we were divided they ruled over us.
URL: https://newageislam.com/multimedia/jallianwala-bagh-muslims-ram-navami/d/129440
New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic
Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism