What is Rowlatt act

The Rowlatt Act, officially known as the Anarchical and Revolutionary Crimes Act of 1919, was a deeply controversial piece of legislation passed by the Imperial Legislative Council in Delhi on March 18, 1919. Enacted by the British Indian government, the primary purpose of the Rowlatt Act was to extend the repressive emergency measures that were in place during World War I. 

The British authorities were concerned about the rising tide of nationalism and revolutionary activities in India. They sought a legal tool to suppress political dissent and maintain control. This legislation was based on the recommendations of the Sedition Committee, which was chaired by a British judge, Sir Sidney Rowlatt. 

The Act was intended to give the government extraordinary powers to curb seditious activities, effectively replacing the wartime Defence of India Act of 1915 with a permanent law. For those trying to understand the causes of the Rowlatt Act, it was fundamentally a response to British fears of a post-war uprising and an attempt to quash the growing Indian independence movement.

The provisions of the Rowlatt Act were seen as a severe betrayal by Indians who had supported Britain in the war, hoping for greater political autonomy in return. The Act was widely condemned and earned the infamous title of the "Black Act" because it completely suspended fundamental rights and civil liberties. Its most draconian provisions included the power to arrest and detain any person suspected of "terrorist" activities for up to two years without trial. It allowed for in-camera trials without a jury for political offenses and severely restricted the press. Anyone convicted had no right to appeal.

In essence, the Act stripped away the legal principle of habeas corpus, a cornerstone of individual liberty. The key provisions of the Rowlatt Act effectively gave the police and provincial governments unchecked power, allowing them to silence any voice of opposition under the guise of preventing anarchy and revolution.

The passage of the Rowlatt Act triggered widespread and unprecedented outrage across India, unifying various factions of the freedom struggle against a common injustice. It was at this critical juncture that Mahatma Gandhi, who had recently emerged on the national stage, called for a nationwide protest. To understand the Indian reaction to the Rowlatt Act, one must look at the launch of the Rowlatt Satyagraha. This was Gandhi's first major, all-India campaign of non-violent civil disobedience (satyagraha). 

He called for a nationwide hartal (strike), fasting, and prayer. The response was overwhelming, with businesses shutting down and Indians from all walks of life participating in mass protests. This movement marked a significant shift in the independence struggle, transforming it from an elite-led endeavor into a mass movement.

The tragic culmination of the protests against the Rowlatt Act was the Jallianwala Bagh massacre. As the Rowlatt Satyagraha gained momentum, the situation in Punjab became particularly tense. On April 13, 1919, thousands of unarmed men, women, and children gathered peacefully at Jallianwala Bagh in Amritsar to protest the Act and the recent arrest of two local leaders, Dr. Saifuddin Kitchlew and Dr. Satya Pal. In response, Brigadier-General Reginald Dyer ordered his troops to block the only exit and open fire on the defenseless crowd without warning. The indiscriminate firing resulted in the deaths of hundreds and wounded over a thousand people. 

The Jallianwala Bagh massacre and its connection to the Rowlatt Act became a turning point, exposing the brutal reality of British rule. It shattered any remaining faith in British justice and galvanized millions of Indians, including figures like Rabindranath Tagore, who renounced his knighthood in protest. The Act itself was eventually repealed in 1922, but its legacy of oppression and the violent response it provoked irrevocably strengthened the resolve of the Indian people to achieve complete independence.