Know all about the Rowlatt Act (1919): its causes, features, impact on Indian nationalism, Gandhi's Rowlatt Satyagraha, and the road to Jallianwala Bagh tragedy.
theIASHub | 14 May, 2025
The Rowlatt Act, also known as the Anarchical and Revolutionary Crimes Act of 1919, was a highly controversial and repressive law passed by the British colonial government in India.
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CAUSES AND OBJECTIVE |
KEY FEATURES |
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The act was passed in response to the potential threat posed by revolutionary nationalists against the British Empire. |
It authorized the government to imprison any person without trial and conviction in a court of law. |
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It aimed to give the British authorities increased power to suppress political opposition and control dissent by cracking down on the political opposition. |
It enabled the government to suspend the right of Habeas Corpus which had been the foundation of civil liberties in Britain. |
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The British were fearful of the spread of revolutionary activity and saw the Rowlatt Act as a way of controlling it. |
It placed severe restrictions on the freedom of the press. |
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The Act was influenced by the recommendations of the Rowlatt Committee, which was set up to investigate revolutionary movements in India. |
It empowered the authorities to conduct searches and seizures without a warrant. |
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It was part of the British government's broader strategy to maintain control over its colonial possessions in the aftermath of World War I. |
The act also allowed the government to ban public meetings and gatherings. |
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The act was also a response to the growing nationalist movement in India, which was gaining momentum and posing a challenge to British rule. |
It gave the police extensive powers to monitor and control the activities of individuals and organizations deemed to be a threat to the state. |
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It was intended to send a strong message to Indian nationalists that the British government would not tolerate any form of dissent or opposition to its authority |
The act was applicable to the entire country, including areas where there was no evidence of revolutionary activity. |
In response to the Rowlatt Act of 1919, Gandhiji founded the Rowlatt Satyagraha Sabha. This marked a shift in the nationalist movement from agitation to active resistance through non-cooperation and civil disobedience.
The limited Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms and the repressive Rowlatt Act, which Gandhiji called the "Black Act," were seen as a betrayal to Indians who expected progress toward self-rule for their support in World War I.
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