Passage and Provisions of the Act
- The Rowlatt Act was passed in 1919, as documented in NCERT-Class-10-History.pdf.
- It was hurriedly passed through the Imperial Legislative Council despite the united opposition of its Indian members.
- The Act gave the government enormous powers to repress political activities.
- It enabled the police to detain political prisoners and anyone else without trial for two years.
- It curbed fundamental rights such as freedom of expression and strengthened police powers.
- It effectively curtailed all forms of civil liberties.
Reactions and the Rowlatt Satyagraha
- Mahatma Gandhi, Mohammad Ali Jinnah, and other leaders felt the government had no right to restrict people’s basic freedoms.
- They criticised the Act as “devilish” and tyrannical.
- Emboldened by previous successes, Mahatma Gandhi decided to launch a nationwide satyagraha against the unjust law.
- Gandhiji called for non-violent civil disobedience, asking Indians to observe 6 April 1919 as a day of “humiliation and prayer,” fasting, and a hartal (strike).
- Satyagraha Sabhas were set up to launch the movement.
- He urged Hindus and Muslims to unite in satyagraha, promoted Swadeshi goods as a “religious duty,” and encouraged the boycott of foreign goods, schools, and courts.
- This became the first all-India struggle against the British government, though it was largely restricted to cities and towns.
- Across the country, rallies were organised, railway workshop workers went on strike, and shops were closed down.
Government Repression
- Alarmed by the popular upsurge and scared that communication lines like railways and telegraphs would be disrupted, the British administration decided to clamp down on nationalists.
- The government used brutal measures to suppress the demonstrations.
- Local leaders were picked up from Amritsar, and Mahatma Gandhi was barred from entering Delhi.
- On 10 April, police in Amritsar fired upon a peaceful procession, which provoked widespread attacks on banks, post offices, and railway stations.
- Martial law was imposed, and General Dyer took command, leading to the Jallianwala Bagh massacre on 13 April as part of the repression.
Aftermath and Withdrawal
- As news of the Jallianwala Bagh incident spread, crowds took to the streets in many north Indian towns, leading to strikes, clashes with the police, and attacks on government buildings.
- The government responded with brutal repression to humiliate and terrorise people: satyagrahis were forced to rub their noses on the ground, crawl on the streets, and do salaam (salute) to all sahibs.
- People were flogged, and villages (such as Gujranwala in Punjab) were bombed.
- Seeing the spread of violence, Mahatma Gandhi called off the movement and felt the need to launch a more broad-based movement in India.
Referenced Ncert Document
https://ncert.nic.in/textbook/pdf/hees202.pdf
https://ncert.nic.in/textbook/pdf/jess302.pdf
https://ncert.nic.in/textbook/pdf/hess208.pdf
https://www.drishtiias.com/images/pdf/NCERT-Class-10-History.pdf
