Previous Year Question
With reference to Rowlatt Satyagraha, which of the following statements is/are correct?
The Rowlatt Act was based on the recommendations of the ‘Sedition Committee’.
In Rowlatt Satyagraha, Gandhiji tried to utilize the Home Rule League.
Demonstrations against the arrival of Simon Commission coincided with Rowlatt Satyagraha.
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
Correct Answer: B
Detailed Solution
Statement 1 is correct. The official name of the Rowlatt Act was the Anarchical and Revolutionary Crimes Act, 1919. It was based on the recommendations of the Sedition Committee of 1918, also called the Rowlatt Committee. The committee was chaired by the British judge Sir Sidney Rowlatt. The Act gave the government repressive powers such as detaining persons suspected of political activities without an ordinary trial.
Statement 2 is correct. To spread the Rowlatt Satyagraha throughout India, Gandhiji tried to use the pre-existing organisational structure, workers and communication network of the Home Rule League. The Home Rule Movement had created a network of politically active workers in several towns, which became useful in spreading the anti-Rowlatt agitation.
Statement 3 is incorrect. The Rowlatt Satyagraha occurred in 1919. In contrast, the Simon Commission was appointed in November 1927 and arrived in India in February 1928. Therefore, the demonstrations against the Simon Commission did not coincide with the Rowlatt Satyagraha; the two events were separated by approximately nine years.
Gandhiji called for a nationwide hartal, fasting and prayer on 6 April 1919. After violence occurred at some places, he suspended the Satyagraha on 18 April 1919. The Jallianwala Bagh massacre occurred on 13 April 1919 against the background of this agitation.