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Jallianwala Bagh Massacre Deeply Shameful: Cameron
Nearly 94 years after over 1,000 Indian protesters were killed in Jallianwalla Bagh during the British Raj, Prime Minister David Cameron today described the incident as "deeply shameful" but stopped short of a public apology.

46-year-old Cameron, who is the first democratically elected British Prime Minister to visit the 1919 Jallianwala Bagh massacre site, kneeled down while paying tribute to martyrs and observed one-minute silence with folded hands as a mark of respect.

Writing in the visitor's book of Jallianwalla Bagh, Cameron said, "This was a deeply shameful act in British history, one that Winston Churchill rightly described at that time as monstrous. We must never forget what happened here and we must ensure that the UK stands up for the right of peaceful protests around the world".

Some organisations had pressed for an apology from the British Premier during his visit to the site.

Cameron's trip comes 16 years after Queen Elizabeth II and her husband Prince Philip visited Amritisar in 1997.

He paid floral tributes to the martyrs of Jallianwalla Bagh. He also stood for a few seconds before the Amar Joyti (burning flame) at Jallianwalla Bagh where he bowed his head to show respect to the martyrs. He spent nearly 25 minutes in the park.

Indian media was kept at a distance during the visit of Cameron. Only photojournalists were allowed to click from a distance distance.

The Jallianwala Bagh massacre had taken place in Amritsar on 13 April, 1919. On hearing that a meeting of 15,000 to 20,000 people was taking place at Jallianwala Bagh, Brigadier General Reginald E H Dyer had ordered 50 riflemen to shoot at the crowd.

Dyer kept the firing for about ten minutes, till the ammunition supply was almost exhausted with approximately 1,650 rounds fired that resulted in the killing of more than 1000 innocent Indians besides leaving more than 1100 injured.

Earlier, Cameron paid obeisance at the Golden Temple where he was presented a robe of honour.
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Digression

12/D-89
Feb 21, 2013
02:56 PM

Anwaar,

[[Colonial powers do what colonial powers do. But if massacres happen in democracies, what can one say?]]

Since when have Muslims started believing in democracy?

Alakshyendra, Hyderabad
11/D-84
Feb 21, 2013
02:32 PM

Nasar Ahmad,

[[One must appreciate the civility of this man who is apologizing after 100 years.We have a CM Modi who has no remorse in the killing of 2000 Muslims and waiting to kill more.He keeps winning the elections too.That means he is supported shamelessly by a large population of fanatical Hindus.]]

Not surprising you find the white man appreciable; Indian Muslims have always been fascinated with the gora sahib. First they collaborated with the British to disrupt the freedom movement. And when freedom became inevitable, spoilt the party by demanding Pakistan.

Alakshyendra, Hyderabad
10/D-60
Feb 21, 2013
11:41 AM

This is all postering to sell more arms to India.

He came to pitch Jet Trainers for IAF and ask for a rethink about Rafale and to sell Eurofighter instead.

kishoredasmunshi, Kolkatta
9/D-59
Feb 21, 2013
11:31 AM

  But if massacres happen in democracies, what can one say?'

Faruki

 Why these doubts now when you have already categorically and finally categorised Riots in two  types .

1984 masscare ,various other massacres like Bhagalpur ,Neli,1948 Hyderabad ,Meerut,Moradabad.Maliana , riots under Lalu,Indira, Hitendra Desai  etc are one Set of massacre
and
2002 is other Set .

Those masscres pre and post 2002 are the Khudai Kahar upon Minorities .Rulers are not responsible.
Hence Khuda is responsible !!.

But for Godhra and 2002 Modi is only responsible !!

ASHOK KUMAR GHAI
Mumbai, India
8/D-18
Feb 21, 2013
02:56 AM

 Now, I don't know why Cameron went to Jallianwala Bagh, if saying sorry would be such a big deal for another British crook. What has the time of his birth got to do with such an atrocious event in India's history. I believe, we must ask anybody who goes to our shrines and places of atrocities, before we take them, as to the purpose of such a visit and what do they intend to say. It is obvious that he is looking for votes of people of Indian Origin in the next UK elections, besides trying to out do Francois Hollande's visit. India's intelligentsia is in far greater demand as the locals are finding higher technical education very expensive.

Warren Hastings was impeached but British Parliament was adjourned "not being able to make an impartial judgment, under the Oratory of Sheridan." The atrocities of Robert Clive and his impeachment. He committed suicide, so that's over. Then there are a score of valuable objects that the British stole. Is Cameron going to return those? No mention. The lawyers in India are sitting on their duff, while a score of descendants of Indian families are suffering shame and losses.

Cameron had quoted Churchill, but the same Winston Churchil had blood in his hands for starving millions in Bengal by creating an artificial famine, just to supply jute bags to British Soldiers in WW2. Mr. Tony Blair could apologize for the Irish Famine in 19th century but we Indians who were subjected to much worse and cruel treatment by the British don't deserve one.

Shyamal Barua, Kolkata
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