Rowlatt Act: Features & Impact|UPSC Notes

The Rowlatt Act is one of the most notable laws that contributed much to the Indian freedom movement. Initiated in 1919, this act significantly affected the Indian population. The British government formulated the Rowlatt Act in order to suppress the intensifying unrest in the country. The British government, under the Rowlatt Act, could arrest people without their proper trial. This law gave immense agitation and resistance in the Indian population, which resulted in forming Mahatma Gandhi’s famous Rowlatt Satyagraha.

• The Rowlatt Act gave authority to British authorities to arrest anyone without any trial.
• It damaged the basic rights of Indians, so there was huge protest.
• The legislation was a symbol of oppression, injustice against the British in India.
• Rowlatt Satyagraha was a unified movement of the whole country against such an oppressive law.

GS Paper	GS Paper I, GS Paper III
Topics for UPSC Prelims	British colonial laws in India, Events leading to the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre
Topics for UPSC Mains	Causes and consequences of the Rowlatt Act, Impact on the Indian Freedom Struggle, Response to the Rowlatt Act by Indian National Congress, Non-Cooperation Movement as a result of the Act

What is the Rowlatt Act?

Rowlatt Act: What is it? It was a draconian law to suppress the Indian revolutionaries. Officially called the Anarchical and Revolutionary Crimes Act of 1919, the act was meant to extend wartime repressive measures. The law was such that Britishers could keep anyone under detention believed to indulge in acts of terrorism. It marked a crucial development in the Indian struggle for independence.

Background of Rowlatt Act

During such a period of rising dissent in India, the British government presented the Rowlatt Act. For their support during World War I, the Indian population expected nothing but reforms, further reformation towards more political freedom. On the other hand, Britain was afraid of the rising revolutionary activities and protests that demanded greater self-governance.

To control this emerging protest, the British formed the Rowlatt Committee in the leadership of Judge Sir Sidney Rowlatt. The Committee of the Rowlatt suggests harsher laws to limit the revolutionary movements. Following it, the British parliament passed the Rowlatt Act in 1919. This act made a huge deal of powers to the British government to suppress any form of dissent and control the Indian population. It was a backstab because Indians had supported the British war effort. That fanned flames of countrywide anger and resistance across the nation.

The objective of Rowlatt Act

The very motive of the Rowlatt Act was to muzzle every movement that could question British superiority. Instead, it targeted freedom fighters and revolutionary forces in an attempt to have India totally under control. Under this act, the government was also empowered to silence the press and ban public meetings.

• The Rowlatt Act sought to check revolutionary activities, which were on the rise after World War I. The British also allowed the army to arrest and imprison people accused of acts of terrorism without a trial. Thus, the British aimed to prevent any kind of organized opposition from arising against their regime and to trounce the incipient nationalist movement in India.
• The British extended repressive wartime measures to India through the Rowlatt Act. Under it, the government could silence political dissent, halt public gatherings, and even outlaw the press. Its intention was to preserve control over India so that every challenge to British authority could easily be met without legal obstacles.
• Probably, the main objective of the Rowlatt Act was to starve revolutionary movements of a new ideology that might gain grounds against British interests. Leaders and activists were targeted, and especially those involved in nationalist activities, thus able to be held without a fair trial by the government. This was a way in which to weaken the freedom struggle by starving it of its leaders and reducing public mobilization.
• The British passed the Rowlatt Act to suppress the sentiment against the colonization. It was done to stop, as much as possible, the hold-ups and strikes. The British government was afraid that the increased demand for self-governance would turn into an upsurge of widespread rebellion.
• By giving more powers to themselves by means of the act, the British attempted to suppress dissent before it mushroomed into a bigger movement.

Features of the Rowlatt Act

The Rowlatt Act introduced several oppressive measures aimed at curbing Indian revolutionary activities. It gave the British government extensive powers, including detention without trial, censorship of the press, and control over public gatherings, provoking widespread fear and resistance.

Detention Without Trial

The British in India used the Rowlatt Act 1919 that gave them the authority to detail people believed to be involved in revolutionary activities without following the law of due process. They could be jailed solely based on suspicion, and the rule of law was ignored by colonial powers as it undermined Indians as a whole.

Curbing Civil Liberties

It curtailed civil rights by providing for the censorship of the press and speech and expression. The Act was considered a gross violation of the basic rights of Indian citizens. It evoked mass protests, which included the infamous Jallianwala Bagh massacre that provided a deadly momentum to the Indian freedom movement.

Secret Trials and Denial of Appeal

The Act allowed secret trials held in closed courts without the attendance of the accused or any jury, legally disabling them from appealing against detention. This proviso became the cause of mass fright and disgust among Indians who perceived it as an attempt to suppress an advancing wave of nationalism in the country.

Search and Seizure Without Warrant

The law made the police free to search homes without a warrant and seize people’s possessions. This extreme power imparted to them by the colonialists let loose the Indians’ lives as they carried out their daily tasks, which just ignited more anger. It was viewed as an oppressive attempt that portrayed the British plan to crush all revolutionary ideals .

Known as the Anarchical and Revolutionary Crimes Act

The title of the Act was officially recognized as the Anarchical and Revolutionary Crimes Act of 1919. Despite the Indian leaders being very aggressive in their opposition, the Act was passed by the Imperial Legislative Council. The Act genuinely marked a turning point in India’s freedom struggle, unifying Indians in their demand for greater civil rights and autonomy.

Impact of the Rowlatt Act

The situation before the enactment of Rowlatt Act, the passage of Rowlatt Act was met with widespread protests all over India. Indians viewed it as a direct violation of their basic rights and freedom. The law added fuel to the fire all over the country, and the activity culminated in Rowlatt Satyagraha, that became a sign of British Oppression and further strung Indians to unite against rule under the colonial.

Widespread Protests and Unrest

The Rowlatt Act resulted in mass protests in India, now at the forefront of action taken up by great leaders like Mahatma Gandhi. This Act, the people thought, was an act of breach of their trust in the Indian nation, hence strikes, demonstrations, and hartals were observed all over the country. It fused the opposition of the masses of different backgrounds of various regions into a broad movement against British colonial rule.

Increased Nationalist Sentiment

The Rowlatt Act was probably the worst act committed by the British government against Indians. It ‘forcefully’ set the Indians on fire, brewing nationalistic feelings in them. There it notified the complete disrespect that British government had towards Indian rights and civil liberties, that much more citizens were persuaded to join the fight for independence. In fact, the Act was a reflection that coined political awakening as Indians started asking for greater autonomy and self-governance with greater urgency.

Jallianwala Bagh Massacre

One of the most tragic impacts of the Rowlatt Act was the Jallianwala Bagh massacre on April 13, 1919. The British troops, under General Dyer, opened fire on a peaceful congregation, killing hundreds. This brutal incident shocked the nation, deepening resentment against British rule, transforming Indian independence aspirations into an unstoppable force.

Launch of Non-Cooperation Movement

The Rowlatt Act, passed in 1919, proved to be the launch pad for the Non-Cooperation Movement initiated by Mahatma Gandhi in 1920. It asked Indians to boycott British goods, institutions, and services. It really marked the start of a more militant and mass-based resistance to colonial rule, thus directly increasing the momentum of the independence struggle.

Breakdown of Trust in British Rule

A grave erosion of faith between the British authorities and the Indian population had occurred due to the Rowlatt Act. It proved that to maintain their domination, the British government was willing to breach civil liberties. This erosion of faith made Indians realize that they needed self-rule, and further strength was added to the demand for complete independence.

Rowlatt Satyagraha

The Rowlatt Satyagraha was a direct reaction to the Rowlatt Act. Mahatma Gandhi, the father of this non-violent movement, based it on the principle of the law’s gross injustice. The movement witnessed huge strikes, demonstrations, and civil disobedience across the country. However, it also led to violent clashes in some places, particularly the tragic Jallianwala Bagh massacre at Amritsar.

Repeal of the Rowlatt Act

The stern reaction and the stiff opposition compelled the British to rethink the Rowlatt Act. Though it might have lingered for a while, the abrogation of the act was altogether unavoidable because the Indian freedom struggle was gaining momentum and scale. The law was eventually rescinded as a tiny triumph for Indian nationalists. But its legacy continued; a memory of British brutality and the power of resistance against it.

The Rowlatt Act was a landmark step in the awakening process of Indians against the British rule. It had showcased the most ruthless measures of the British government and highlighted vigorously that the Indian masses needed freedom. The draconian features presented by the law to Indians made them feel that their cause for independence is just and urgent. Rowlatt Satyagraha, thus, marked a landmark chapter of India’s freedom struggle and made some souls join the ranks against the domination of British power.

Conclusion

The Rowlatt Act remained a dark page in India’s history for it symbolized the pinnacle of British colonial oppression. Harsh measures set forth by the act elicited wide protests throughout the country. OItepitomized in the Rowlatt Satyagraha led by Mahatma Gandhi. Even though it was revoked and nullified, the act itself exposed the repressive nature of British rule, thereby further strengthening India’s resolve to fight for freedom and independence.

Rowlatt Act UPSC Notes

1. The Rowlatt Act of 1919 allowed the British government to imprison any Indian without trial and suppressed civil liberties. 2. This Act aimed to curb revolutionary activities, extending wartime emergency measures into peacetime, sparking widespread resentment among Indians. 3. The Rowlatt Act granted authorities power to arrest people suspected of revolutionary activities without a warrant and hold them without trial. 4. It curbed the press, restricted freedom of speech, and allowed the police to search premises without warrants. 5. The Act led to massive protests, with Mahatma Gandhi launching the first nationwide satyagraha against its repressive measures. 6. The brutal response to the protests, especially the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, intensified the demand for India’s independence. 7. The widespread opposition to the Rowlatt Act marked a significant turning point in India’s freedom struggle, uniting diverse communities. 8. The Act exposed the British government’s authoritarian rule, undermining its claims of introducing progressive governance in India.

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