Will Queen Elizabeth say sorry for Jallianwala Bagh?
Seventy eight years ago, a glorified dump was converted, thanks to the ruthlessness of General Reginald Dyer, into the spark plug that jump-started the struggle for India’s Independence. Seventy eight years later, the massacre at Jallianwala Bagh has been converted, thanks to the desire of a handful of politicians both in India and in England, into a bone of emotive contention that threatens to shroud Queen Elizabeth’s planned visit to this country in needless controversy. The British polity and administration have, over the past 48 hours, become polarised on the question of whether or not the queen should apologise to the Indians for the massacre at Jallianwala Bagh. The British Foreign Office, which for such matters would qualify as the official voice of government, says there is no question of the queen apologising for Jallianwala Bagh or, in fact, for any incident whatsoever connected with the British rule in India. The India-born British MP Keith Vaz, now a junior member of the ru
