Rowlatt Act (1919): During the viceroyalty of lord Chelmsford, a section committee was appointed by the government in 1918 with justice Rowlatt which made certain recommendations to curb seditious activities in India. The Rowlatt Act 1919, gave unbridled powers to the government to arrest and imprison suspects, without trial. The act caused a wave of anger among the act was passed, popular agitation began against it. Gandhi Ji decided to fight against this act and he gave call for Satyagraha on April 6, 1919. He was arrested on April 8, 1919. This led to further intensification of the agitation in Delhi, Ahmedabad and Punjab.
Jallianwala bagh Massacre (April 13, 1919): The arrest of Dr. Saifuddin Kitchlu and Dr. Satypal on April 10, 1919, under the Rowlatt act in connection with Satyagraha caused serious unrest in Punjab. A public meeting was held on April 13, 1919 in a park called Jallianwala Baghin Amritsar where thousands of people including women and children assembled. Before the meeting could start General O’Dyer ordered indiscriminate heavy firing on the crowd and the people had no way out to escape. As a result hundreds of men, women and children were killed and more than 1200 people wounded. The massacre was turning point in Indo-British relations and inspired the people to provide a more unrelenting fight for freedom.
