Question 28 from UPSC CSE 2015 - Modern History

Question

With reference to Rowlatt Satyagraha, consider the following statements:
1. The Rowlatt Act was based on the recommendations of the 'Sedition Committee'.
2. In Rowlatt Satyagraha, Gandhiji tried to utilize the Home Rule League.
3. Demonstrations against the arrival of the Simon Commission coincided with Rowlatt Satyagraha.
Which of the above statements are correct?

Accepted Answer

Correct Option: B. 1 and 2 only

Strategy: - Evaluate Statement 1 by confirming the historical link between the Rowlatt Act and the Sedition Committee.
- Evaluate Statement 2 by verifying Gandhi's use of the Home Rule League leadership during the Rowlatt agitation.
- Evaluate Statement 3 by comparing the timeframes of the Simon Commission (1928) and the Rowlatt Satyagraha (1919) to identify the chronological mismatch.
- Conclude that only Statements 1 and 2 are correct.

Key Info: **The Rowlatt Act and Sedition Committee**
The Rowlatt Act, formally known as the Anarchical and Revolutionary Crimes Act of 1919, was based on the recommendations of the Sedition Committee, appointed in 1917 and chaired by Sir Sidney Rowlatt. The Act empowered the British government to arrest and detain people without trial on the suspicion of anti-government activities, sparking widespread opposition in India.

**The Rowlatt Satyagraha and Home Rule League**
Mahatma Gandhi led the Rowlatt Satyagraha in 1919 in protest against this repressive legislation. The Home Rule League, a prominent body established by Bal Gangadhar Tilak and Annie Besant in 1916 to demand self-government, was leveraged by Gandhi to mobilize support for the anti-Rowlatt movement. The movement saw the formation of the Satyagraha Sabha in Bombay, with significant participation of Home Rule League leaders, and was instrumental in mass mobilization and organization of protests.

**The Simon Commission and Chronological Context**
The Simon Commission was set up in 1927 and arrived in India in 1928, almost a decade after the Rowlatt Satyagraha. Its arrival was met with widespread demonstrations, but these events are entirely separate and do not coincide chronologically. The Rowlatt Satyagraha marked a critical juncture in the Indian freedom struggle, as it expanded the base of the national movement and led to significant unrest, culminating in the tragic Jallianwala Bagh massacre of April 1919.

Answer

Option A: 1 only

Answer

Option C: 2 and 3 only

Answer

Option D: 1, 2, and 3