Rowlatt Act and Jallianwallah Bagh Massacre

Rowlatt Act, 1919

During the 1st World War, Indians started revolution and movements for forming self-Government. To subdue(To bring under control) these movements, the British Government formed  the Rowlatt committee in 1919.The Rowlatt committee was named after Sydney Rowlatt, an English judge.

It was said in the report of this commission that:

(a) Nationalist newspapers should be banned.

(b) Just on suspicion, any Indian may be arrested and imprisoned for indefinite period and without any trial

Strong opposition was built up against this Anti-National Act. All the Indian members of the Central Law Committee raised their voices against this Act. Madanmohan Malavya, Mohammad Ali Jinnah, Mazhar ul Haque etc. resigned from the committee.

Jinnah said, “The fundamental principle of justice have been imported and the constitutional rights of the people have been unrooted at a time when there is no real danger to the state”.

Surendranath Banerjee and Gandhiji called for an all out movement against this Act. Amrita Bazar Patrika called this Black Act as a ‘gigantic blunder”. So nationwide strike was called by Gandhi on 30th March and 6th April 1919 A.D. Gandhiji sarcastically said “appeal nehi, ukil nehi, dalil nehi”, (there was no advocate, no appeal and no record). Gandhiji called the British rule “Satanism”. So historian Tarachand said, the transformation of a strong believer in non-violence like Gandhiji initiated the moral decline of the British Empire.

Jallianwala Bagh Massacre (Killings)

The British were threatened that this mass movement could break all lines of communications in the country and so they decided to suppress the nationalists. Several local leaders were arrested and Mahatma Gandhi was prohibited from entering Delhi.

On 13^th April 1919 several villagers had gathered at the Jallianwalla Bagh in Amritsar(Punjab) to attend a cattle fair on the occasion of Baisakhi. General Dyer blocked all the entry points to the ground and without any prior warning, opened fire on the hapless crowd.

As per the instruction of Dyer, four entrances were closed. After that the British soldiers started firing to the helpless throng the people with 50 rifles from a distance of hardly 100 years. They fired 1600 round of bullets within 10 minutes at a stretch. Many persons including children and women were killed and injured.

The merciless firing continued for 10-15 minutes leaving hundreds of people including women and children dead and wounded.

The Jallianwalla Bagh massacre triggered many protests, strikes, and clashes with policemen and attacks on Government buildings, across North India. The British Government suppressed these protests and humiliated the Satyagrahis.