PM May Repeats ‘deep regret’ Jallianwala Bagh

British Prime Minister Theresa May reiterated the UK government’s long-standing expression of ‘deep regret’ over the April 1919 Jallianwala Bagh massacre and called the massacre a ‘shameful scar’ on British Indian history. But the words of PM May fell short in issuing a formal apology.

Since 2019 was the centenary of the horrendous act there was a growing demand from many quarters for the formal apology including Indian diaspora and Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn.

The UK government has announced that on the centenary of the massacre British high commission in New Delhi would visit the memorial site on April 13 and lay a wreath. There would be a public acknowledgement of the centenary and the sense of ‘deep regret’ in events organised in the UK.

Earlier the Punjab Assembly had passed a resolution seeking a formal apology from Britain for the Jallianwala Bagh massacre. The statement by the Prime Minister Theresa May did not go beyond the long-standing expression of ‘deep regret’ over the April 1919 Jallianwala Bagh massacre.

Even though the Minister for Asia and the Pacific, said that he recognised the “strong and compelling case,” for Britain to go beyond the deep regret already expressed by the U.K. The Foreign Minister of UK referred to the potential “financial implications” as one of the issues to be considered before any formal apology.

Month: Current Affairs - April, 2019