Pal-Dadhvav massacre: why is British PM being asked to apologise?

As British Prime Minister Boris Johnson begins his 2-day visit to India from Ahmedabad, he faces calls from certain groups to apologise for killings of over 1,200 people carried out the by the colonisers in Gujarat.

The killings refer to the Pal-Dadhvav massacre that took place on March 7, 1922 in Pal-Chitariya and Dadhvav villages of Sabarkantha district.

A day before Holi close to 2,000 tribals had gathered on the banks of a river under the leadership of a man called Motilal Tejawat to protest against land revenue tax imposed by the British.

According to historical accounts, the villagers gathered there raised there bow and arrows and shouted that they won’t pay the tax. At that moment, British officer Major HG Sutton ordered his men to fire upon the tribals.

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Writer Vishnu Pandya says that over 1000 people were hit by bullets and others jumped into the two wells nearby. The British however maintains that close to 22 people were killed in the firing.

Gujarat’s tableau at this year’s Republic Day parade featured statues of Motilal Tejawat, HG Sutton and of British soldiers shooting at the tribals.