Jallianwala Bagh Memorial to remain closed to the public till June

As per the latest reports, Jallianwala Bagh will remain closed to the public till June 15. Closed since February 15, it was supposed to open on April 13, but has now been delayed after the renovation work had to be stopped in March due to the COVID-19 outbreak. This was announced recently by the Union Ministry of Culture.
Today, Indian PM Narendra Modi paid tribute to the martyrs of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, and said that their valour will continue to inspire Indians for years to come. Referring to this, the PM tweeted, “I bow to those martyrs who were killed mercilessly in Jallianwala Bagh on this day. We will never forget their courage and sacrifice.”

The place is significant in Indian history and it was here, on April 13, 1919, that the British forces followed the orders of Brigadier-General Reginald Dye. They opened fire on unarmed Indians, who had gathered at Jallianwala Bagh, which was nearly completely enclosed by walls and had only one exit. After Dyer and his soldiers arrived there, they closed the exit and opened fire on people without any warning. Reportedly, the shooting continued till they ran out of ammunition, thereby killing hundreds of people.
This incident marked a turning point in India’s modern history, and also left a scar on Indo-British relations.

Its closure in the current COVID-19 lockdown is a rare occurrence. It is estimated to remain closed till June this year.