Which one of the following events was characterised by Montague as ‘Preventive Murder’?
✓ Correct answer: b) Massacre at Jallianwala Bagh
ExplanationEdwin Montagu, the Secretary of State for India, described the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre of April 13, 1919 as “Preventive Murder”.The massacre occurred when General Dyer ordered troops to open fire on a peaceful gathering in Amritsar, killing hundreds of unarmed Indians.This brutal act was carried out under the pretext of maintaining law and order but was widely condemned as a deliberate and excessive use of force.Montagu’s term reflected the British government’s internal criticism of this event, which intensified Indian demands for independence.98
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