2-Day seminar on 'Remembering Jallianwala Bagh Massacre of 1919' concludes at PU

Chandigarh, March 6, 2019: Two Day seminar on 'Remembering Jallianwala Bagh Massacre of 1919' organized by Department of History, Panjab University concluded here today.
The Technical Session was chaired by Prof.S.S.Sohal and Co chaired by Prof.G.C.Chauhan. The Guests of Honour in the session were Professor Sanjay Kaushik, Director ICSSR and Dean College Development Council and Professor Emanual Nahar, Dean Students Welfare. In this session Professor Jaspal Kaur Dean Research, Punjabi University Patiala, Dr.Mohammad Idris, Chairperson, Department of History, Punjabi University, Patiala, Professor Meenu Paul, Chairperson, Department of Law, PU, Professor Nazer Singh, Ms. Ravneet Gill Singh, Ms.Khleel Khan, Ms. Kulbeer Singh Badal made their paper presentations focusing on the causes and consequences of Jallianwala Bagh Massacre as well as its relevance in contemporary times.
The valuable information related to the Massacre was gleaned from historical records, official reports, vernacular press, literature and Indian silver screen. The lessons drawn from the Massacre emphasized on the fact of raising voice against oppression and injustice and bridging the gap between the Govt. and its people.
Another Technical session was chaired by Shri Vijay Nadda , North Zone Organising Secretary, Vidya Bharti. The guests of honour in the session were eminent Prof Jaspal Kaur, Dean Research and Director, Maharana Pratap Chair, Punjabi University, Patiala. Guests of honour were Prof. Reicha Tanwar, Former Director, Department of Women Studies, Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra and Prof Raghuvendra Tanwar, Director, Haryana Academy of History & Culture.
Prof Jaiveer Singh Dhankar, Department of History, Maharishi Dayanand University, Rohtak spoke about the dastardly act that was perpetuated by Gen Dyer.
Prof Hitender Patel, Department of History, Rabindra Bharti University, Kolkatta and Dr Karanbir Singh, Lyallpur Khalsa College, Jalandhar also shed light on the various aspects of the event that has made it such a landmark event in the history of the freedom struggle in India. Prof Rajeev Lochan of the Department of History, PU, Chandigarh emphasised on the evil that was inherent and manifest in the incident on April 13, 1919. There were two components to the
JallianwaDla Bagh. Dr Anju Suri, The Chairperson, Department of History, Panjab University, Chandigarh said that the reaction of the British was very revealing in the twin aspects of the Montague Chelmsford reforms and official British response. The justifications by the British historians and officials is unjustifiable on both moral and intellectual levels. The entire British administrative superstructure and the ideology which ran it is to be held responsible and especially General Dyer himself.
The session was highly erudite and enlightening and was further illuminated by the expert remarks of Prof Reicha Tanwar and Dr aghuvendra Tanwar.
The valedictory session was chaired by Prof. Raj Kumar, Vice Chancellor, Panjab University, Chandigarh.
Prof Raj Kumar termed it a horrific massacre that was an exceptional incident in Indian history that crushed human beings and humanity. He emphasised on undertaking a year long series of events commemorating Guru Nanak Dev's 550th birth anniversary and Jallianwala Bagh massacre. He emphasised on the need for creating new and fresh perspectives and conducting sustained and committed research on these events that would add to the corpus of literary and cultural as well as religious heritage of the entire humanity. He emphasised on the need for compilation of new wealth of material on historical subjects.
He congratulated the department for organising this seminar.
The valedictory address was delivered by distinguished Prof Raghuvendra Tanwar, Director, Haryana Academy of History &Culture . in his extremely erudite and incisive address, shed light on numerous aspects of Jallianwala Bagh massacre which were eye opening and absorbing. Punjab had a special status and was favoured by the British Administrators and Prof Tanwar expressed his astonishment that Jallianwala occurred in the Punjab. The reasons, however were not far to seek. Prof Tanwar traced the background of the event from 1909, as no event in history can be studied in isolation. He also expounded on Vir Damodar Savarkar and his eminent role in the freedom struggle and in building up the ideological basis for independence.
The introduction of the distinguished panel was accomplished by Prof Anju Suri, Director of the seminar and Chairperson, Department of History.
Prof M. Rajivlochan of the Department of History, PU, Convenor of the seminar presented the seminar report.
Prominent academicians, historians and scholars and journalists from across the nation participated in the two day event. There were four technical sessions with papers presented and little known aspects of the tragedy highlighted by the eminent personalities who enlightened the audiences about the various facets and angles of the event and its relevance today.
Dr Jasbir Singh, Organising Secretary expressed his gratitude to the various stakeholders for devoting their precious time, energies and thought to the commemoration of this important event. Eminent guests present on the occasion included eminent Prof Jaspal Kaur, Dean Research and Director, Maharana Pratap Chair, Punjabi University, Patiala. Guests of honour were Prof. Reicha Tanwar, Former Director, Department of Women Studies, Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra.