What circumstances led to enactment of the Rowlatt Act 1919? Discuss its consequences & the role played by gandhi’s rowlatt satyagraha in this regard.

Relevant for upsc as 2019 marked as 100th year (century) commemoration of Rowlatt act & Jallianwala bagh massacre.

Syllabus area: The Freedom Struggle – its various stages and important contributors /contributions from different parts of the country.

The anarchical & revolutionary crimes act of 1919, popularly known as Rowlatt act was a legislative act passed by imperial legislative council indefinitely extending the emergency measures of preventive detention, incarceration without trial and judicial review enacted in defence of India act 1916 during the first world war.

Circumstances that led to enactment of Rowlatt act.

1. Rising nationalism: among Indians
2. Fueling up patriotism: through growth of press, both vernacular and English.
3. Failure of minto-morley reforms– 1909 reforms for gathering support from congress and Indians failed.
4. Merger of Moderates and extremists: further strengthened INC.
5. Lucknow pact 1916-Muslim league united with congress.
6. Gandhi prominence: Success of champaran satyagraha, home rule league additional to Gandhi touring all India for educating people.
7. Attacks on British: High incidence of attack on British officials.

In order to curb conspiracy and revolutionary activities, the government needed power.

Consequences and role played by Gandhi in this regards.

• On February, Gandhi called for constitutional protest. Not being success, he suggested satyagraha to be launched.
• Formation of satyagraha sabha– First All india struggle against indian govt. Set up all over india. Hindu-muslims united and fought against the act.

Form of protest later decided to observe nationwide harthal accompanied by fasting & prayer.

• Leaders arrested: In Punjab the protest movement was very strong, and on 10 April two leaders of the congress, Dr. Satyapal and Saifuddin Kitchlew, were arrested and taken secretly to unknown places.
• On 13 April people from neighboring villages gathered for Baisakhi Day celebrations and to protest against deportation of two important Indian leaders in Amritsar, which led to the infamous Jallianwala Bagh massacre of 1919.
• After the widespread violence, gandhi called off it on 18th April 1919.

Accepting the report of the Repressive Laws Committee, the Government of India repealed the Rowlatt Act, the Press Act, and twenty-two other laws in March 1922.