'Won't tolerate insult of martyrs': Rahul Gandhi tweets amid outrage over Jallianwala Bagh memorial revamp

Rahul Gandhi tweeted about the Jallianwala Bagh memorial in Amritsar, where more than 1,000 people were killed and hundreds wounded on April 13, 1919, by British troops.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday commented on the government's revamp of the Jallianwala Bagh memorial in Punjab's Amritsar, where more than 1000 people were gunned down by British troops in 1919. The Congress leader's attack came after Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday inaugurated the renovated complex of Jallianwala Bagh memorial. "Such an insult to the martyrs of Jallianwala Bagh can only be done by those who do not know the meaning of martyrdom. I am the son of a martyr - I will not tolerate the insult of martyrs at any cost," Rahul Gandhi tweeted in Hindi. "We are against this indecent cruelty."

Rahul Gandhi took to Twitter to talk about the Jallianwala Bagh memorial revamp. (File Photo)

Rahul Gandhi also tagged a media report on the outrage on social media over the alleged changes at the Jallianwala Bagh memorial complex. "Those who didn’t struggle for freedom can’t understand those who did," the former Congress president said in a later tweet.

Several other Congress leaders, including the party's deputy leader in the Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi and Jaiveer Shergill, also tweeted on the Jallianwala Bagh memorial issue. Shergill alleged the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led central government's project giving a makeover to the "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," he said.

Also watch | Row over renovated Jallianwala Bagh memorial's light & sound show, new entrance

On Monday, Gogoi tweeted such pomp reduces the gravity and horror of the Jallianwala Bagh memorial to "base entertainment". "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."

PM Modi also digitally inaugurated the museum galleries at the memorial during the event, which also showcased the multiple development initiatives undertaken by the government to upgrade the complex in wake of the 100th anniversary of the 1919 massacre.

A sound and light show was held to depict the events of the day of the massacre when more than 1,000 people were killed and hundreds wounded on April 13, 1919. British troops fired indiscriminately on an unarmed gathering of thousands assembled in Jallianwala Bagh amid nationwide protests against the Rowlatt Act.