EC allows ministers, MLAs to take part in Jallianwala Bagh event

The EC Friday allowed chief ministers, cabinet ministers, MPs, MLAs and other politicians to participate in the functions which would be organised to commemorate the centenary of Jallianwala Bagh massacre, Punjab CEO S Karuna Raju said.

With the Model Code of Conduct in place in view of the seven-phase Lok Sabha polls, Raju said the Election Commission of India has conveyed its approval on the condition that the ministers and lawmakers must confine themselves to "extolling the achievements of the martyrs, glory of the Indian state and so on".

"Under no circumstances, it should become a platform for political campaign/ political mileage," the Chief Electoral Officer said quoting the conditions laid down by the ECI.

On the harvest festival of Baisakhi on April 13, 1919, a large number of civilians had gathered at the Jallianwala Bagh near the Golden Temple in Amritsar when troops under the command of British officer Reginald Dyer, fired on the crowd.

A number of people had jumped into a well on the premises to save themselves. Several bodies were recovered from the well, which was later named as 'martyr's well'.