'Disservice to the Tragedy': Historians, Others Decry Jallianwala Bagh Makeover

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has virtually inaugurated the Jallianwala Bagh memorial on 28 August.

"Devastated to hear that Jallianwala Bagh, site of the Amritsar Massacre of 1919, has been revamped – which means that the last traces of the event have effectively been erased," historian and scholar Kim A Wagner wrote on Twitter.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday, 28 August, had virtually inaugurated the renovated complex of Jallianwala Bagh memorial, saying “it is the responsibility of every nation to preserve its history.”

The renovation of the historic monument, the site at which hundreds of Indians had been killed by General Dyer of the British army in 1919, has attracted widespread censure.

While some have objected to the setting up of a light and sound show at the site of the tragedy and the covering up of the bullet holes in the walls, many others have expressed their disappointment over the loss of historic significance of the narrow passage that marks the entrance to the Bagh, which has now been treated to a drastic makeover.

The passage in question had been blocked by Dyer during the firing incident, thwarting escape of the victims.

This is the original entrance - the one taken by Dyer. Before and after: pic.twitter.com/fuxkJUPq7J

— Kim A. Wagner (@KimAtiWagner) August 28, 2021

'It's Not a Garden'

Historian S Irfan Habib, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, and musician Vishal Dadlani were among those who condemned the renovation.

Those who didn’t struggle for freedom can’t understand those who did.

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) August 31, 2021

जलियाँवाला बाग़ के शहीदों का ऐसा अपमान वही कर सकता है जो शहादत का मतलब नहीं जानता।

मैं एक शहीद का बेटा हूँ- शहीदों का अपमान किसी क़ीमत पर सहन नहीं करूँगा।

हम इस अभद्र क्रूरता के ख़िलाफ़ हैं। pic.twitter.com/3tWgsqc7Lx

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) August 31, 2021

This is corporatisation of monuments, where they end up as modern structures, losing the heritage value. Look after them without meddling with the flavours of the period these memorials represent. https://t.co/H1dXQMmft7

— S lrfan Habib (@irfhabib) August 30, 2021

Insulting our martyrs.
Jallianwala Bagh massacre of Hindus Muslims Sikhs who gathered together for Baisakhi galvanised our freedom struggle.
Every brick here permeated the horror of British rule.
Only those who stayed away from the epic freedom struggle can scandalise thus. https://t.co/KvYbl840qE

— Sitaram Yechury (@SitaramYechury) August 30, 2021

Historians say the new-look Jallianwala Bagh is a distortion of history 'The well into which victims jumped when forces led by Reginald Dyer opened fire has been covered with a transparent barrier.'
'It was not a beautiful garden'https://t.co/oAZkjxGy66

— Gargi Rawat (@GargiRawat) August 31, 2021

For this prime minister everything is Lightning-camera-action, Look here! This is our Jallianwala Bagh where thousands of innocent civilians have been killed, this is how you will remember our martyrs?

What a indecent, ridiculous and obscene pretence this is! pic.twitter.com/L78dhCO2bW

— Shyam Meera Singh (@ShyamMeeraSingh) August 30, 2021

I don’t know who is the brain behind defacing both the soul and the body of Jallianwala Bagh. It was and will remain sombre and grave. People were mercilessly killed. To have a son et lumiere and that wretched design shows how removed we are from any level of refinement.

— SUHEL SETH (@Suhelseth) August 30, 2021

In 2019, Modi introduced a bill to remove all other members of Jallianwala Bagh Memorial Trust.

He is solely responsible for sabotaging this place by renovating it as a picnic spot. pic.twitter.com/j0ix9WMzZf

— Kapil (@kapsology) August 31, 2021

I’ve been to Holocaust memorial sites in Europe. At every site, the atmosphere was somber - the purpose of the visit is to understand the diabolical events & remember those that died.

Only a psychopath with zero emotions can do a “light & sound show” where a massacre happened.

— Saket Gokhale (@SaketGokhale) August 30, 2021

How on earth can the music, lights and look of a memorial to one of the most horrific tragedies be made to sound & look like the celebratory finale of maybe Indian Idol? Will anyone in govt keep aside partisan differences & ask for URGENT & total correction? #JallianwalaBagh 😲

— Sucheta Dalal (@suchetadalal) August 30, 2021

Call me a traditional Indian but I am not a fan of installing disco lights on institutions of importance and dignity. Such pomp reduces the gravity and horror of the Jallianwala Bagh Smarak to base entertainment. Similarly the strobe lights on Parliament are also appalling. https://t.co/ZesKZtKNKD

— Gaurav Gogoi (@GauravGogoiAsm) August 30, 2021

BJP Central Govt project giving makeover look to Jallianwala passage is not to preserve but erase the marks of atrocities committed by General Dyer during British rule - Central vistafication of Jallianwala Bagh passage is ultimate insult to those killed on that fatal day! Shame

— Jaiveer Shergill (@JaiveerShergill) August 31, 2021

I’m glad I visited Jallianwala Bagh before it was desecrated.

— Shivam Vij 🇮🇳 (@DilliDurAst) August 30, 2021

Grateful that I visited #JallianwalaBagh before this shameful desecration. When I went, it was packed, but there was a sombre silence in memoriam of those we'd lost. We wept at the sight of the bullet-holes in the plain walls. Can't believe what this clueless govt. has done.

— VISHAL DADLANI (@VishalDadlani) August 30, 2021

The pain was real, the loss was immense, the tragedy was unforgettable. Sometimes the places evoke pain&serve as a reminder to what we lost&what we fought for. Trying to ‘beautify’ or ‘modify’ those memories is doing great damage to our collective history. #JallianwalaBagh https://t.co/01rAIIkA2W

— Priyanka Chaturvedi🇮🇳 (@priyankac19) August 30, 2021

This is plain tacky & does great disservice to our collective tragedy of Jallianwala Bagh https://t.co/cDweVbYfk8

— Swati Chaturvedi (@bainjal) August 30, 2021

Devastated to hear that Jallianwala Bagh, site of the Amritsar Massacre of 1919, has been revamped - which means that the last traces of the event have effectively been erased. This is what I wrote of the memorial in my book, describing a space that has now itself become history. pic.twitter.com/GypQfrOulq

— Kim A. Wagner (@KimAtiWagner) August 28, 2021