Hunter Committee
Also called: Disorders Inquiry Committee · Topic: The National Movement: Gandhian Era · NCERT: Beyond NCERT
Meaning
The Hunter Committee was set up by the British government in October 1919, with Lord William Hunter as chairman. Its official name was the Disorders Inquiry Committee. It looked into the Jallianwala Bagh massacre of 13 April 1919 and the disturbances in Punjab. Its report criticised General Dyer but took no strong action against him. Indians felt it was far too mild. The Congress therefore held its own inquiry.
Example
Dyer had blocked the exits of Jallianwala Bagh in Amritsar and fired on the crowd to create "a moral effect". Before the Hunter Committee he defended his actions. He was removed from his command but faced no criminal punishment.
Don't confuse with
- Congress inquiry committee: This was the Congress's own investigation into the Punjab events. Its report blamed the officials far more harshly.
Related concepts
- Satyagraha
- Rajkumar Shukla
- Champaran satyagraha
- Tinkathia system
- Ahmedabad mill strike
- Kheda satyagraha
- Mahadev Desai
- Rowlatt Act
- Rowlatt satyagraha
- Jallianwala Bagh massacre