Modi under fire for renovations that whitewash Sikh history

Indian prime minister Narendra Modi has been criticised over refurbishments carried out at Jalianwalan Bagh in Amritsar, the site where thousands of Sikh worshippers were massacred under the British empire in 1919.

The refurbishments remove evidence of the massacre, which has upset many Sikhs. The bullet holes that were still visible at the site over 100 years later served as a valuable reminder of the hardship suffered by the community at the hands of tyrannical ruling forces.

“This is criminal! It’s soul destroying to see what Modi has done to this historical site!” tweeted Nobel Peace Prize-nominated humanitarian Ravi Singh. “Absolutely outraged!”

“They destroyed it all,” added journalist Amaan Bali. “There is no sign of any massacre anywhere in Jallianwala Bagh now. It is very important for everyone to resist the beautification drives like this. Huge tenders, lot of full pockets at the cost of whitewash of history. Sad.”

Modi announced the refurbishment with much fanfare, unveiling the structure with loud music and a light show, which onlookers also deemed inappropriate.