The Rowlatt Committee was a Sedition Committee appointed in 1917 by the British Indian Government with Sidney Rowlatt, an Anglo-Egyptian judge, as its president.
The purpose of the Rowlatt Committee was to evaluate political terrorism in India,[1] especially in the Bengal and Punjab Provinces, its impact, and the links with the German government and the Bolsheviks in Russia.[2][3] It was instituted towards the end of World War I when the Indian revolutionary movement had been especially active and had achieved considerable success, potency and momentum and massive assistance had been received from Germany, which planned to destabilise British India.[4] These included supporting and financing Indian seditionist organisations in Germany and in United States as well as a destabilisation in the political situation in neighbouring Afghanistan following a diplomatic mission that had attempted to rally the Amir of Afghanistan against British India. Attempts were also made by the Provisional Government of India established in Afghanistan following the mission to establish contacts with the Bolsheviks. A further reason for institution of the committee was emerging civil and labour unrest in India around the post-war recession - such as the Bombay mill worker's strikes and unrest in Punjab[citation needed] - and the 1918 flu pandemic that killed nearly 13 million people in the country.[5]
The evidence produced before the committee substantiated the German link, although no conclusive evidence was found for a significant contribution or threat from the Bolsheviks. On the recommendations of the committee, the Rowlatt Act, an extension of the Defence of India Act 1915, was enforced in response to the threat in Punjab and Bengal.[2]
The Rowlatt Act had a significant impact on the political situation of India, irrevocably placing the country on a path of political action headed by Gandhi that ultimately dominated the Indian independence movement for the next 20 years. Also known as the Black Act, it vested the Viceroy's government with extraordinary powers to quell sedition by silencing the press, detaining the political activists without trial, and arresting without warrant any individuals suspected of sedition or treason. In protest, a nationwide cessation of work (hartal) was called, marking the beginning of widespread, although not nationwide, popular discontent.[citation needed]
The agitation unleashed by the acts culminated on 13 April 1919, in the Jallianwala Bagh massacre in Amritsar, Punjab when the Brigadier-General Reginald Dyer, blocked the main entrance to the Jallianwallah Bagh, a walled-in courtyard in Amritsar, and ordered his British Indian Army soldiers to fire into an unarmed and unsuspecting crowd of some 6,000 people who had assembled there in defiance of a ban. A total of 1,650 rounds were fired, killing 379 people (as according to an official British commission; Indian estimates ranged as high as 1,500[6][full citation needed]) and wounding 1,200 in the episode, which dispelled wartime hopes of home rule and goodwill in a frenzy of post-war reaction.[citation needed]
^Leonard A. Gordon (February 1968). "Portrait of a Bengal Revolutionary". The Journal of Asian Studies. 27 (2): 197–216. doi:10.2307/2051747. JSTOR 2051747.
^Ackerman, Peter, and Duvall, Jack, A Force More Powerful: A Century of Nonviolent Conflict p. 74.
Bibliography
Tinker, Hugh (October 1968), "India in the First World War and after. 1918-19: From War to Peace.", Journal of Contemporary History, 3 (4): 89–107, doi:10.1177/002200946800300407, ISSN 0022-0094.
Collett, Nigel (2007), The Butcher of Amritsar: General Reginald Dyer (New ed.), Hambledon & London, ISBN978-1-85285-575-8.
Chandler, Malcolm; Wright, John (2001), Modern World History., Heinemann Educational Publishers. 2nd Review edition, ISBN978-0-435-31141-4
Further reading
Elam, J. Daniel; Moffat, Chris (2016). "On the Form, Politics and Effects of Writing Revolution". South Asia: Journal of South Asian Studies. 39 (3): 513–524. doi:10.1080/00856401.2016.1199293.
External links
Rowlatt Committee report
January 06, 2023
rowlatt, committee, sedition, committee, appointed, 1917, british, indian, government, with, sidney, rowlatt, anglo, egyptian, judge, president, contents, background, committee, members, also, references, further, reading, external, linksbackground, editthe, p. The Rowlatt Committee was a Sedition Committee appointed in 1917 by the British Indian Government with Sidney Rowlatt an Anglo Egyptian judge as its president Contents 1 Background 2 Committee members 3 See also 4 References 5 Further reading 6 External linksBackground EditThe purpose of the Rowlatt Committee was to evaluate political terrorism in India 1 especially in the Bengal and Punjab Provinces its impact and the links with the German government and the Bolsheviks in Russia 2 3 It was instituted towards the end of World War I when the Indian revolutionary movement had been especially active and had achieved considerable success potency and momentum and massive assistance had been received from Germany which planned to destabilise British India 4 These included supporting and financing Indian seditionist organisations in Germany and in United States as well as a destabilisation in the political situation in neighbouring Afghanistan following a diplomatic mission that had attempted to rally the Amir of Afghanistan against British India Attempts were also made by the Provisional Government of India established in Afghanistan following the mission to establish contacts with the Bolsheviks A further reason for institution of the committee was emerging civil and labour unrest in India around the post war recession such as the Bombay mill worker s strikes and unrest in Punjab citation needed and the 1918 flu pandemic that killed nearly 13 million people in the country 5 The evidence produced before the committee substantiated the German link although no conclusive evidence was found for a significant contribution or threat from the Bolsheviks On the recommendations of the committee the Rowlatt Act an extension of the Defence of India Act 1915 was enforced in response to the threat in Punjab and Bengal 2 The Rowlatt Act had a significant impact on the political situation of India irrevocably placing the country on a path of political action headed by Gandhi that ultimately dominated the Indian independence movement for the next 20 years Also known as the Black Act it vested the Viceroy s government with extraordinary powers to quell sedition by silencing the press detaining the political activists without trial and arresting without warrant any individuals suspected of sedition or treason In protest a nationwide cessation of work hartal was called marking the beginning of widespread although not nationwide popular discontent citation needed The agitation unleashed by the acts culminated on 13 April 1919 in the Jallianwala Bagh massacre in Amritsar Punjab when the Brigadier General Reginald Dyer blocked the main entrance to the Jallianwallah Bagh a walled in courtyard in Amritsar and ordered his British Indian Army soldiers to fire into an unarmed and unsuspecting crowd of some 6 000 people who had assembled there in defiance of a ban A total of 1 650 rounds were fired killing 379 people as according to an official British commission Indian estimates ranged as high as 1 500 6 full citation needed and wounding 1 200 in the episode which dispelled wartime hopes of home rule and goodwill in a frenzy of post war reaction citation needed Committee members EditSidney Rowlatt President J D V Hodge Secretary a member of the Bengal Civil Service Basil Scott Member Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court C V Kumaraswami Sastri Member judge of Madras High Court Verney Lovett Member member of Board of Revenue for United Provinces P C Mitter Member member of Bengal Legislative Council See also EditHindu German ConspiracyReferences EditCitations The Rowlatt Committee The Hindu 6 April 2018 ISSN 0971 751X Retrieved 26 January 2020 a b Tinker 1968 p 92 Leonard A Gordon February 1968 Portrait of a Bengal Revolutionary The Journal of Asian Studies 27 2 197 216 doi 10 2307 2051747 JSTOR 2051747 Collett 2007 p 218 Chandler amp Wright 2001 p 179 Ackerman Peter and Duvall Jack A Force More Powerful A Century of Nonviolent Conflict p 74 Bibliography Tinker Hugh October 1968 India in the First World War and after 1918 19 From War to Peace Journal of Contemporary History 3 4 89 107 doi 10 1177 002200946800300407 ISSN 0022 0094 Collett Nigel 2007 The Butcher of Amritsar General Reginald Dyer New ed Hambledon amp London ISBN 978 1 85285 575 8 Chandler Malcolm Wright John 2001 Modern World History Heinemann Educational Publishers 2nd Review edition ISBN 978 0 435 31141 4Further reading EditElam J Daniel Moffat Chris 2016 On the Form Politics and Effects of Writing Revolution South Asia Journal of South Asian Studies 39 3 513 524 doi 10 1080 00856401 2016 1199293 External links EditRowlatt Committee report Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Rowlatt Committee amp oldid 1066578817, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
