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Chelmsford Reforms. This Act introduced separate
for home rule even when the First World War was
being fought. So, two home rule leagues were or communal electorates for other communities
formed, led by Annie Besant and Bal Gangadhar too, such as Anglo-Indians and Sikhs etc.
Tilak, but the two were joined together later. They The Congress and Indians were dissatisfied at the
demanded self-government for India. Annie outcome, because the War had made their
Besant attempted to unite the moderates and the condition very pitiable. On the other hand, the
extremists, and she succeeded. She became the British government introduced the Rowlatt Act
President of the Congress in 1916. This time, the which was aimed at repressing the Indians.
extremists became strong, and so in 1917, self-
Rowlatt Act, 1919
government was declared as the aim of the
Congress. At this, the In opposition to the Montague-Chelmsford
moderates could not remain in Reforms, the Indians rose and protested. They
the Congress and they formed held agitations and strikes. So the government
another organisation, called passed the Rowlatt Act, 1919 with a view to
the Indian Liberal Federation . suppress the Indians. This Act empowered the
But it could not make any police to imprison any person without trial and
impact in Indian politics. Annie Besant conviction for as long as two years. 6 April, 1919
was observed as the National Humiliation Day all
Quiz Time over India. The people joined hands to protest
Write True or False : against this oppressive Act.
1. Lala Lajpat Rai was not an important extremist Jallianwala Bagh Tragedy
leader. ________
The people of Punjab took part in the national
2. The Swadeshi Movement was used to encourage movement openly. In connection with the
the native craftsmen. ________ agitation against the Rowlatt Act, two popular
3. An Indian member was not included in the leaders of Punjab, Satyapal and Dr. Saifuddin
Viceroy’s executive council. ________ Kitchlew were arrested on 10 April, 1919.
4. The Congress accepted the major demands of In order to protest their arrest, a large but unarmed
Muhammad Ali Jinnah. ________ crowd gathered at the Jallianwala Bagh in
Amritsar. The crowd included women and
5. The differences between the moderates and the children in a large number. This Bagh is
extremists went on increasing. ________
surrounded by high walls on three sides with a
Montague-Chelmsford Reforms, 1919 narrow entry on one side.
During the First World War in 1917, the British General Dyer, the military commander of
suffered losses, while its rule in India was being Amritsar, came with his troops and occupied the
threatened by the national movement. Therefore, only entrance. He then ordered his troops to fire
in order to satisfy the Indian people, Montague at the crowd without any warning. The people
made a declaration in the House of Commons (the had nowhere to escape. Many people jumped into
lower house in British Parliament) that the the dry wells on one side of the park. The troops
government would increase association of Indians
in every branch of administration and self-
governing institutions would be introduced
gradually.
However, at the end of the War in 1918, this was
not done. Rather, the Government of India Act,
1919 was passed, popularly called Montague-
Firing at Jallianwala Bagh in Amritsar General Dyer
Contemporary Social Science-8
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