The Rowlatt Act, also known as the Anarchical and revolutionary crimes act, was a legislation passed by the British government in India in 1919. It granted the government the power to arrest and imprison individuals suspected of sedition or revolutionary activities without trial.
The act was named after Sidney Rowlatt, the chairman of the committee that recommended its implementation. It was introduced in response to the growing unrest and nationalist movements in India, which the British government saw as a threat to its rule.
The Rowlatt Act was met with widespread opposition and protests from the Indian people, who saw it as a violation of their civil liberties and a threat to their freedom of expression. Gandhi and the Indian National Congress, along with other political and civil society organizations, strongly opposed the act and called for a nationwide campaign of non-cooperation and civil disobedience.
On April 6, 1919, Gandhi called for a nationwide hartal, or strike, to protest the Rowlatt Act. The strike, which was observed by millions of people across India, was followed by violent clashes between protesters and the police in several cities, including Amritsar.
The violence in Amritsar, known as the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre, resulted in the deaths of hundreds of unarmed protesters and further fueled tensions between the British government and the people of India. The Rowlatt Act was eventually revoked in 1922, but the events of 1919, including the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre, remain a significant moment in India’s struggle for independence and are remembered as a turning point in the country’s history.
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