On Wednesday, Prime Minister David Cameron of Britain appeared in Amritsar, in the Indian state of Punjab, where he laid a commemorative wreath at Jallianwala Bagh, the site of a 1919 massacre of Indian protesters by British forces that killed about 1,000, according to the Indian government.
The incident was a “deeply shameful” event in British history, Mr. Cameron wrote in a visitor’s book at the memorial, marking the first time that a British politician has offered condolences for the massacre. Mr. Cameron stopped short of apologizing for the attack, though, which some Indians had hoped would happen.
His words of regret touched off a debate in India about what Britain’s current leaders owe India’s citizens, if anything, for the errors of their predecessors.
Here’s what a few historians and political science experts had to say:
Kamal Mitra Chenoy, professor of international studies at Jawaharlal Nehru University in Delhi:
It was long overdue. It has been a century since the incident, where innocent people were herded into an enclosure that they could not escape. In today’s language it would be called a genocide.
I don’t think expressing regret is enough. There should be a sincere apology. You don’t just regret the massacre of hundreds of unarmed civilians. My point is either you do not bring it up, but if you are going to bring it up, then tender an apology — don’t just express regret.
Jallianwala Bagh is a big thing. It is symbolic. An apology would make up for a lot of things.
Basudev Chatterji, professor of history at University of Delhi:
It is something he is doing as a representative of a country. It is a diplomatic and human gesture.
It is, of course, a shameful thing to fire at unarmed people.
I personally don’t believe in correcting historical wrongs, but it is a perfectly decent thing to do on the part of the British prime minister.
Kuldip Singh, head of the political science department at Guru Nanak Dev University in Amritsar, Punjab:
An apology is long overdue. It has been historically established that innocent people were killed. I say it is long overdue because an apology could not have come during the colonial era, but that phase has long gone.
The gesture does not cost anything, but it does leave a good impression on the people of India.
Even if it has come late, speaking on behalf of the people of Punjab, I can say the regret also means a lot.
The British prime minister is on a mission to improve economic ties so it makes sense to address these troubling issues.
Sukhwant Singh, professor of history at Guru Nanak Dev University in Amritsar
Their policies should be criticized, but an apology is a different thing. It was their rule and policy at that time.
How it happened needs to be studied. Before going to any decision whether he should apologize or not, we must know what actually happened.
There are so many Indian rulers who committed atrocities against other Indians.
A question for our readers: Do Britain’s current leaders owe India an apology for events committed during Britain’s colonial rule?
India Ink: Should British Politicians Apologize for Colonialism?
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India Ink: Should British Politicians Apologize for Colonialism?
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India Ink: Should British Politicians Apologize for Colonialism?
