In the Punjab

Sir Michael O’Dwyer held me responsible for all that had happened in the Punjab, and some irate young Punjabis held me responsible for the martial law. They asserted, that if only I had not suspended civil disobedience, there would have been no Jallianwala Bagh massacre. Some of them even went the length of threatening me with assassination if I went to the Punjab.

Sir Michael O’Dwyer blamed me for everything that had happened in the Punjab. Some angry young Punjabis blamed me for martial law. They claimed that if I had not suspended civil disobedience, the Jallianwala Bagh massacre would not have happened. Some even threatened to assassinate me if I went to the Punjab.

But I felt, that my position was so correct and above question, that no intelligent person could misunderstand it.

But I felt my position was so clearly correct that no intelligent person could misunderstand it.

I was impatient to go to the Punjab. I had never been there before, and that made me all the more anxious to see things for myself. Dr. Satyapal, Dr. Kitchlu and Pandit Rambhaj Dutt Chowdhari, who had invited me to the Punjab, were at this time in jail. But I felt sure, that the Government could not dare to keep them and the other prisoners in prison for long. A large number of Punjabis used to come and see me whenever I was in Bombay. I ministered to them a word of cheer on these occasions, and that would comfort them. My self-confidence of that time was infectious.

I was eager to go to the Punjab. I had never been there before, which made me even more eager to see things for myself. Dr. Satyapal, Dr. Kitchlu and Pandit Rambhaj Dutt Chowdhari had invited me to the Punjab. They were in jail at the time. But I felt sure that the Government would not dare keep them and the other prisoners in jail for long. Whenever I was in Bombay, many Punjabis came to see me. On these visits, I offered them words of encouragement, which comforted them. My confidence at the time was infectious.

But my going to the Punjab had to be postponed again and again. The Viceroy would say, ‘not yet,’ every time I asked for permission to go there, and so the thing dragged on.

But my trip to the Punjab had to be postponed again and again. Every time I asked the Viceroy for permission to go there, he would say, ‘not yet.’ So the delay dragged on.

In the meantime the Hunter Committee was announced to hold an inquiry in connection with the Punjab Government’s doings under the martial law. Mr. C. F. Andrews had now reached the Punjab. His letters gave a heart-rending description of the state of things there, which left me with the impression, that the martial law atrocities were in fact even worse than the press reports showed. He pressed me urgently to come and join him. At the same time Malaviyaji sent telegrams asking me to proceed to the Punjab at once. I once more telegraphed to the Viceroy asking whether I could now go to the Punjab. He wired back in reply that I could go there after a certain date. I cannot exactly recollect now, but I think it was 17th of October.

Meanwhile, the Hunter Committee was announced to investigate the Punjab Government’s actions under martial law. Mr. C. F. Andrews had now reached the Punjab. His letters gave a heartbreaking account of conditions there. They left me with the impression that the atrocities under martial law were even worse than the press reports suggested. He urged me to come and join him. At the same time, Malaviyaji sent telegrams asking me to go to the Punjab at once. I again telegraphed the Viceroy to ask whether I could now go there. He replied by telegram that I could go after a certain date. I cannot remember the date exactly now, but I think it was October 17.

The scene that I witnessed on my arrival at Lahore can never be effaced from my memory. The railway station was from end to end one seething mass of humanity. The entire populace had turned out of doors in eager expectation, as if to meet a dear relation after a long separation, and was delirious with joy. I was put up at the late Pandit Rambhaj Dutt’s bungalow, and the burden of entertaining me fell on the shoulders of Shrimati Sarala Devi. A burden it truly was, for even then, as now, the place where I was accommodated became a veritable caravanserai.

I can never forget the scene I witnessed when I arrived in Lahore. The railway station was packed from end to end with a surging crowd. The entire population had come out in eager anticipation, as if welcoming a dear relative after a long separation. They were wild with joy. I stayed at the late Pandit Rambhaj Dutt’s bungalow, and Shrimati Sarala Devi had the burden of looking after me. It really was a burden. For even then, as now, wherever I stayed became a veritable travelers’ inn.

Owing to the principal Punjab leaders being in jail, their place, I found, had been properly taken up by Pandit Malaviyaji, Pandit Motilalji and the late Swami Shraddhanandji. Malaviyaji and Shraddhanandji I had known intimately before, but this was the first occasion on which I came in close personal contact with Motilalji. All these leaders, as also such local leaders as had escaped the privilege of going to jail, at once made me feel perfectly at home amongst them, so that I never felt like a stranger in their midst.

Because the principal Punjab leaders were in jail, I found that Pandit Malaviyaji, Pandit Motilalji, and the late Swami Shraddhanandji had ably taken their place. I already knew Malaviyaji and Shraddhanandji well, but this was my first close personal contact with Motilalji. All these leaders made me feel completely at home among them. So did the local leaders who had escaped the privilege of going to jail. I never felt like a stranger in their company.

How we unanimously decided not to lead evidence before the Hunter Committee is now a matter of history. The reasons for that decision were published at that time, and need not be recapitulated here. Suffice it to say, that looking back upon these events from this distance of time, I still feel that our decision to boycott the Committee was absolutely correct and proper.

How we unanimously decided not to present evidence to the Hunter Committee is now a matter of history. Our reasons for that decision were published at the time and need not be repeated here. It is enough to say that, looking back now, I still feel our decision to boycott the Committee was absolutely right and proper.

As a logical consequence of the boycott of the Hunter Committee, it was decided to appoint a non-official inquiry Committee, to hold almost a parallel inquiry on behalf of the Congress. Pandit Motilal Nehru, the late Deshabandhu C. R. Das, Sjt. Abbas Tyebji, Sjt. M. R. Jayakar and myself were appointed to this Committee, virtually by Pandit Malaviyaji. We distributed ourselves over various places for purposes of inquiry. The responsibility for organising the work of the Committee devolved on me, and as the privilege of conducting the inquiry in the largest number of places fell to my lot, I got a rare opportunity of observing at close quarters the people of the Punjab and the Punjab villages.

As a logical result of the boycott of the Hunter Committee, it was decided to appoint an unofficial inquiry committee. The committee would conduct an almost parallel inquiry on behalf of the Congress. Pandit Malaviyaji effectively appointed Pandit Motilal Nehru, the late Deshabandhu C. R. Das, Sjt. Abbas Tyebji, Sjt. M. R. Jayakar, and me to the committee. We divided among ourselves the various places where we would conduct the inquiry. I was responsible for organizing the committee's work. I also had the privilege of conducting the inquiry in the largest number of places. This gave me a rare opportunity to observe the people and villages of the Punjab at close quarters.

In the course of my inquiry I made acquaintance with the women of the Punjab also. It was as if we had known one another for ages. Wherever I went they came flocking, and laid before me their heaps of yarn. My work in connection with the inquiry thus brought home to me the fact, that the Punjab could become a great field for Khadi work.

During my inquiry, I also met the women of the Punjab. It was as if we had known one another for ages. Wherever I went, they flocked to me and laid their heaps of yarn before me. My work on the inquiry made me realize that the Punjab could become a great field for Khadi work.

As I proceeded further and further with my inquiry into the atrocities that had been committed on the people, I came across tales of Government’s tyranny and the arbitrary despotism of its officers such as I was hardly prepared for, and they filled me with deep pain. What surprised me then, and what still continues to fill me with surprise, was the fact, that a province, that had furnished the largest number of soldiers to the British Government during the War, should have taken all these brutal excesses lying down.

As I investigated more and more of the atrocities committed against the people, I heard accounts of government tyranny and the unchecked abuse of power by its officers. I was hardly prepared for such accounts, and they caused me deep pain. What surprised me then, and still surprises me, is that the province had accepted all these brutal excesses without resistance. During the War, it had supplied more soldiers to the British Government than any other province.

The task of drafting the report of this Committee was also entrusted to me, and I would recommend a perusal of this report to any one who wants to have an idea of the kind of atrocities that were perpetrated on the Punjab people. All that I wish to say here about it is, that there is not a single conscious exaggeration in it anywhere, and every statement made in it is substantiated by evidence. Moreover the evidence published was only a fraction of what was in the Committee’s possession. Not a single statement, regarding the validity of which there was the slightest room for doubt, was permitted to appear in the report. This report, prepared as it was solely with a view to bringing out the truth, and nothing but the truth, will enable the reader to see to what lengths the British Government is capable of going, and what inhumanities and barbarities it is capable of perpetrating in order to maintain its power. So far as I am aware, not a single statement made in this report has ever been disproved.

I was also asked to draft the Committee’s report. I recommend reading it to anyone who wants to understand the atrocities committed against the people of Punjab. All I wish to say here is that the report contains no deliberate exaggeration. Every statement in it is supported by evidence. Moreover, the published evidence was only a fraction of what the Committee had. The report did not include a single statement whose validity was open to the slightest doubt. The report was prepared solely to bring out the truth, and nothing but the truth. It will show readers how far the British Government is capable of going, and what inhumanities and barbarities it is capable of committing to maintain its power. As far as I know, not a single statement in the report has ever been disproved.