UPSC Prelims 2015 Q16: Modern History – Gandhian Mass Movements (1915 - 1942)
With reference to Rowlatt Satyagraha, which of the following statements is/are correct?
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 Simon Commission coincided with Rowlatt Satyagraha.
- (a) 1 only
- (b) 1 and 2 only
- (c) 2 and 3 only
- (d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer: (b) 1 and 2 only
Explanation
Rowlatt Satyagraha, 1919
| Statement | Verdict | Fact |
|---|---|---|
| 1. The Rowlatt Act was based on the recommendations of the 'Sedition Committee' | Correct | The committee was headed by Justice Sidney Rowlatt (1918) |
| 2. In Rowlatt Satyagraha, Gandhiji tried to utilize the Home Rule League | Correct | He used the Home Rule Leagues and his own Satyagraha Sabha |
| 3. Demonstrations against the arrival of Simon Commission coincided with Rowlatt Satyagraha | Incorrect | The Simon Commission came in 1928, nine years later |
Timeline of 1919:
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| March 1919 | Rowlatt Act passed: detention without trial |
| 6 April 1919 | All-India hartal |
| 13 April 1919 | Jallianwala Bagh massacre, Amritsar |
| 18 April 1919 | Gandhi withdrew the movement |
Answer: (b) 1 and 2 only.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) Incorrect. Statement 2 is also true: Gandhiji used the Home Rule League network.
- (b) CORRECT. The Act came from the Sedition Committee, and the Home Rule League was used.
- (c) Incorrect. Statement 3 is false; the Simon Commission arrived in 1928.
- (d) Incorrect. The Simon Commission protests did not coincide with the Rowlatt Satyagraha.
Key point
Rowlatt Act (March 1919): based on the Sedition Committee; Gandhi's first all-India satyagraha; hartal on 6 April; Jallianwala Bagh on 13 April.
Remember
Rowlatt Act = Sedition Committee, 1919.
Common mistakes
- Placing the Simon Commission (1928) in 1919.
- Forgetting that the Rowlatt Committee's formal name was the Sedition Committee.
- Thinking Gandhi used only the Congress; he relied on Home Rule Leagues.
Exam tip
Rowlatt = 1919. Simon = 1928. A nine-year gap rules out 'coincided'.
Sources
- Bipan Chandra — India's Struggle for Independence, Ch 14 (Gandhiji's Early Career and Activism)
- NCERT Class X — India and the Contemporary World II (Nationalism in India)