Q. Which one of the following events, was characterised by Montague as ‘Preventive Murder’?
(a) Killing of INA activists
(b) Massacre of Jallianwalla Bagh
(c) Shooting of the Mahatma
(d) Shooting of Curzon-Wythe
Ans: (b) Massacre of Jallianwalla Bagh
Explanation: The correct answer is (b) Massacre of Jallianwalla Bagh.
The Massacre of Jallianwalla Bagh, which occurred on April 13, 1919, in Amritsar, Punjab, was characterized by Montague as “Preventive Murder.” Edwin Montague was the Secretary of State for India in the British government at that time.
On that day, Brigadier General Reginald Dyer ordered British troops to open fire on a peaceful gathering of Indians who had gathered at Jallianwalla Bagh to protest the repressive Rowlatt Act. The firing continued for about ten minutes, resulting in the death of hundreds of people and leaving many more injured.
The British government, under Montague’s observation, condemned the incident and described it as “Preventive Murder” due to the indiscriminate and excessive use of force against unarmed protesters. The Jallianwalla Bagh massacre had a profound impact on the Indian independence movement, and it became a symbol of British oppression, leading to widespread outrage and further fueling the demand for independence.
