Image: Gandhi, historical photograph. Wikimedia Commons.
The Rowlatt Act of 1919 became one of the major turning points in Gandhi’s emergence as a national political leader. The legislation extended wartime-style powers to detain and prosecute people suspected of revolutionary activity.
Why Gandhi opposed the law
Gandhi argued that the legislation threatened civil liberties and was inconsistent with justice. He proposed a nationwide Satyagraha against it.
6 April 1919
A nationwide hartal was observed on 6 April. Shops closed and meetings were held in several parts of India.
From protest to crisis
In some places the protests were followed by violence and clashes. Gandhi later acknowledged that the movement had moved beyond the discipline he believed necessary for nonviolent resistance.
The importance of 1919
The Rowlatt Satyagraha demonstrated Gandhi’s ability to mobilise people across regions while also revealing the difficulties of maintaining a nationwide nonviolent campaign.
Read NewsNationOnline’s Jallianwala Bagh and Gandhi feature and the Gandhi Heritage Portal.
Discover more from NewsNation Online
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
आपके लिए सुझाव
