Congress Sets Up Independent Inquiry After Boycotting Hunter Commission

In the wake of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, the British government established the Hunter Commission to investigate the incident. However, skepticism and mistrust surrounded the commission due to its perceived bias and limited scope. The Indian National Congress, under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi and other prominent leaders, decided to boycott the Hunter Commission and initiated an independent inquiry. The Jallianwala Bagh massacre had resulted in the deaths of hundreds of unarmed civilians during a peaceful assembly. General Dyer’s actions were widely condemned, and the demand for justice resonated across the Indian subcontinent. The Hunter Commission, consisting largely of British officials, was seen as an attempt by the colonial government to deflect responsibility and mitigate the outrage through a controlled process. It was perceived to lack representation from Indian members who could provide a genuine perspective on the atrocities committed. The Congress took a decisive step by setting up its own inquiry headed by Mahatma Gandhi and other influential national leaders. This move signaled a profound assertion of self-reliance and an insistence on an impartial examination of the events. The independent inquiry conducted by the Congress aimed to openly document the truth, gather eyewitness accounts, and insist on accountability in a manner that the Hunter Commission appeared unlikely to achieve. The findings of the Congress’s independent inquiry presented a stark contrast to the Hunter Commission’s report. It highlighted not just the scale of the massacre but also focused on other oppressive measures enacted under martial law in Punjab. The independent inquiry’s report received widespread attention and strengthened the resolve within the Indian independence movement, fostering unity and galvanizing further actions against colonial rule. This strategic boycott and the subsequent setup of an independent inquiry underscored the growing disenchantment with colonial authority and the desire for self-governance. It demonstrated the Indian leaders' insistence on representation and truth, setting a precedent for future actions within the independence movement. #MoofLife #Accountability #IndianNationalCongress #MahatmaGandhi #TruthAndJustice #ColonialIndia