British lawmaker Bob Blackman urged the UK government on Thursday to issue a formal apology for the 1919 Jallianwala Bagh massacre. Speaking in the House of Commons, he described the tragic event as a "stain on the British Empire."

Blackman Highlights the Tragedy

Blackman recalled how, on April 13, 1919, families peacefully gathered at Jallianwala Bagh in Amritsar. However, British officer General Reginald Dyer led his troops into the area and ordered them to open fire on the unarmed crowd. Shockingly, they continued shooting until they ran out of ammunition.

He stated, “At the end of that massacre, 1,500 people were dead and 1,200 injured. Eventually, General Dyer was disgraced for this stain on the British Empire.” He then asked the UK government to acknowledge its mistake and issue a formal apology to India.

The Jallianwala Bagh Massacre

The massacre took place during British colonial rule in India. Thousands of people had gathered at Jallianwala Bagh to celebrate Baisakhi and protest against the Rowlatt Act, which allowed British authorities to arrest and detain Indians without trial.

General Dyer, instead of warning the crowd, ordered his soldiers to fire at them. He even blocked the only exit, leaving no escape route for the people trapped inside. Reports estimate that over 500 people died in the attack.

Britain’s Past Response

In 2019, then-Prime Minister Theresa May expressed deep "regret" for the Jallianwala Bagh massacre. She called it “a shameful scar on British Indian history.” However, she stopped short of offering a formal apology.

Now, Blackman is demanding that the UK government finally take responsibility for the atrocity and apologize to the people of India.