Question map
Which one of the following Commissions/ Committees was appointed by the British Government to investigate into the massacre in Jalianwalla Bagh ?
Explanation
Following the Jallianwala Bagh massacre on April 13, 1919, the British Government, under Secretary of State Edwin Montagu, appointed the Disorders Inquiry Committee on October 14, 1919 [1]. This committee is widely known as the Hunter Committee (or Hunter Commission) after its chairman, Lord William Hunter, a former Solicitor-General for Scotland [1]. Its mandate was to investigate disturbances in Bombay, Delhi, and Punjab, specifically focusing on the causes and measures taken to handle them [1]. The committee included both British and Indian members, such as Pandit Jagat Narayan and Sir Chimanlal Setalvad. While it censured General Dyer for his actions, many Indians viewed the inquiry as a 'whitewash,' especially since the government passed an Indemnity Act to protect its officers before the proceedings concluded [3]. Other options like the Welby Commission (expenditure), Simon Commission (constitutional reforms), and Butler Committee (princely states) served different purposes.
Sources
- [1] Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 15: Emergence of Gandhi > The Hunter Committee of Inquiry > p. 324
- [2] Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 16: Non-Cooperation Movement and Khilafat Aandolan > p. 329
- [3] Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 15: Emergence of Gandhi > The Hunter Committee of Inquiry > p. 326