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While the Rowlatt Satyagraha had been a widespread movement, it was still limited mostly to cities and towns. Mahatma Gandhi now felt the need to launch a more broad-based movement in India. But he was certain that no such movement could be organised without bringing the Hindus and Muslims closer together. One way of doing this, he felt, was to take up the Khilafat issue. The First World War ended with the defeat of Ottoman Turkey. And there were rumours that a harsh peace treaty was going to be imposed on the Ottoman emperor, the spiritual head of the Islamic world (the Khalifa). To defend the Khalifa's temporal powers, a Khilafat Committee was formed in Bombay in March 1919. A young generation of Muslim leaders like the brothers Muhammad Ali and Shaukat Ali began discussing with Mahatma Gandhi the possibility of united mass action on the issue. Gandhiji saw this as an opportunity to bring Muslims under the umbrella of a unified national movement. At the Calcutta session of the Congress in September 1920, he convinced other leaders of the need to start a non-cooperation movement in support of Khilafat as well as for Swaraj.

Which of the following was the main objective of the Rowlatt Act of 1919?

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An Intiative by Sri Chaitanya

To suppress the political activities and resentment in Indian society.

To put control on radical elements only.

To put control over Gandhi’s political activities.

To stop Satyagrahis from taking part in the Civil Disobedience Movement.

answer is A.

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Detailed Solution

The main objective of the Rowlatt Act of 1919 was to suppress political activities and resentment in Indian society.
The British government in India was ready for repression during and after World War I. Therefore, the government decided to arm itself with far-reaching powers contrary to the accepted principles of the law. Furthermore, they adopted measures to suppress the nationalists who refused to be satisfied with legal reforms. For this reason, in March 1919, the government passed the Rowlatt Act, although Indian members of the Legislature opposed it. The Act authorised the State to arrest any person without trial and sentence in a court of law. As Indians were denied all civil liberties, Gandhiji started the Non-Cooperation Movement.

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