Question

With reference to Rowlatt Satyagraha, which of the following statements is/are correct?

1. The Rowlatt Act was based on the suggestion of the ‘Sedition Committee’.
2. In Rowlatt Satyagraha, Gandhiji tried to utilise the Home Rule League.
3. Demonstration against the arrival of Simon Commission coincided with Rowlatt Satyagraha.
Select the correct answers using the codes given below.
A. Only I
B. 1 and 2
C. 2 and 3
D. 1, 2 and 3

Answer 1

Hint: The Rowlatt Satyagraha was launched against the Rowlatt Act of 1919 which authorised the British government to extend the emergency provisions of detention and incarceration without trials or any judicial procedure. This Act which was supposed to curb the nationalist resurgence activities ended up being the starting point of the Gandhian Era which led to India’s independence.

Complete answer: The Rowlatt Satyagraha started on 6th April 1919 after passing of the Rowlatt Act. Mahatma Gandhi took the initiative of starting this protest in his non violent Satyagraha. There was a nationwide hartal as a part of these protests which really shook the constitutional grounds on which changes in the Act could not be initiated.

Let’s looks at the points in question;
1. The Rowlatt Committee was a Sedition Committee set up in 1917. As obvious by its name, it was to look upon the growing ‘terrorism’ in India against the British authority. This terrorism was the rise in nationalist sentiments and voicing opinions against the colonial government. On the suggestion of this committee, the Rowlatt Act was established. So this is a correct point.
2. The Home Rule League was prominent from 1916 to 1918. Gandhi had incorporated many big and small organisations of national interest into this protest against the Rowlatt Act and the All India Home Rule League was amongst them. So this point is also correct.
3. The Simon Commission was sent to India in 1927 while the Rowlatt Satyagraha happened in 1919. Thus, this point is incorrect.

According to the analysis of the given points, (1) and (2) are correct. Thus, the correct option is code (B).

Note: The popular slogan that ran along with the Rowlatt Act and spread awareness amongst the masses about ts unjust suppression of nationalist voices as terrorism was ‘No Vakil, No Appeal, No Dalil’. This meant the access to lawyer, appeal in the court and trial was no more the rights of the accused according to the Rowlatt Act.