Colonial Governance in Punjab: The April 1919 Unrest in Amritsar and Kasur

Abstract

This paper provides a comparative analysis of the April 1919 disturbances in Amritsar and Kasur, concentrating on the differing responses of colonial administrations in each area. It depicts how Amritsar's strong civil-military coordination led to a rapid and dramatic escalation of violence, ending in the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre, but Kasur's weaker administrative structure resulted in a slower and less coordinated response. By evaluating these opposing tendencies, the study exposes how local governance influenced the nature, timing, and severity of colonial conflict. Furthermore, it places the Punjab riots in the larger framework of colonial worries tied to "Mutiny" myths, which justified severe military reprisals to maintain power and racial domination. This study fills a vital vacuum in existing scholarship by delving beyond discrete event-focused accounts to identify the complex interplay between administrative systems and violent upheaval, providing a comprehensive understanding of colonial rule during this watershed juncture in South Asian history.