Jallianwala Bagh massacre centenary: Rahul, Amarinder pay floral tributes

Congress president Rahul Gandhi and Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh paid floral tributes at the Jallianwala Bagh Memorial here on Saturday to mark the centenary of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre.

Gandhi, Singh, Punjab minister Navjot Singh Sidhu, accompanied by some other Congress leaders, paid floral tributes at the memorial inside the Jallianwala Bagh in the morning. They also observed a two-minute silence to remember those who were massacred in the tragic incident on April 13, 1919.

Gandhi arrived at Amritsar late on Friday night. Upon his arrival, the Congress chief, accompanied by Singh, went straight to the Golden Temple here and paid obeisance.

Singh and Punjab Governor V P Singh Badnore had also taken part in a candlelight march on the eve of the centenary of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre on Friday evening as part of the various events organised by the Punjab government to mark the historic occasion.

Singh had termed the tragic event as a heart-wrenching moment in India's history.

The massacre took place at Jallianwala Bagh in Amritsar during the Baisakhi festival in April 1919 when troops of the British Indian Army under the command of Colonel Dyer opened fire at a crowd of people holding a pro-independence demonstration, leaving several dead and scores injured.