The Rowlatt Act

18th March 1919

By
SHAHID JAMIL
Background
• Anarchical and Revolutionary crimes Act as the long name, was
introduced by Sir Sidney Rowlatt of the Rowlatt committee.
• The Rowlatt Act was adopted in response to a perception of potential
danger from revolutionary nationalists.
• The Rowlatt Act paved a way for the British India’s legislative council
to put any civilian behind the bars without a proper judicial
involvement.
• This Act enabled the government of British India to gain an upper
hand over the country’s overall working aspects
Motives of the Rowlatt Act
• The controversial British India legislation mandated tougher press control, warrantless arrests, prolonged
imprisonment without trial, and juryless trials for prohibited political conduct.
• Individuals who were convicted were obliged to deposit security amounts and were barred from
participating in any social, educational, civilian, or cultural activity after their release.
• The Rowlatt Act gave the colonial authorities control to abolish all the revolutionary activities.
• gave officials the authority to arrest anybody for any cause.
• It also placed severe restrictions on the freedom of the press.
• The act was widely condemned by Indian leaders and the public. The bills came to be known as ‘black
bills’.
• In response to this act, a nationwide hartal was called by Gandhiji on 6th April. This was called the Rowlatt
Satyagraha.
• The British government’s primary intention was to repress the growing nationalist movement in the
country.
•
Rowlatt Act effects
• People decided to organise hartals in places and railroads went on a
strike.
• Shops were shut down and demolished.
• Indian officials were put behind the bars.
• British Officers shot at a peaceful rally in Amritsar.
• Martial law was implemented.
• Madan Mohan Malaviya, and Muhammad Ali Jinnah, representatives of
the All-India Muslim League, withdrew from the Imperial Legislative
Council.
• Mahatma Gandhi into the forefront of India’s independence fight
Conclusion
• An enraged Indian public resented the Rowlatt Act.
• Mahatma Gandhi initiated a protest campaign that resulted in the
Amritsar Massacre (April 1919) and, later, his non-cooperation
movement (1920–22).
• Madan Mohan Malviya, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, Mazhar ul Haq
resigned from Imperial Legislative Council after the Rowlatt Act was
passed.
• Punjab was put under martial law, which meant that it became
unlawful for more than 4 people to assemble at a place.
Conclusion
• On the day of the festival of Baisakhi on 13th April 1919 in Jallianwala
Bagh, a public garden in Amritsar, a crowd of non-violent protestors
had gathered. Also, among the crowd were pilgrims who had come to
celebrate Baisakhi.
• General Dyer came there with his troops and blocked the only narrow
entrance to the garden.
• Then, without warning, he ordered his troops to fire at the unarmed
crowd, resulted in the deaths of at least 1000 people and injured
more than 1500 people.