Prelims 2015 · archive
MediumWith 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.
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
Answer & explanation
Answer: (b) 1 and 2 only
The Rowlatt Act followed the recommendations of the Sedition Committee chaired by Sir Sidney Rowlatt. Gandhiji drew on Home Rulers to launch the Rowlatt Satyagraha. The Simon Commission came in 1928, nine years after the 1919 satyagraha, so statement 3 fails. Answer: (b) 1 and 2 only.
- ✓ 1. The Sedition Committee was chaired by Sir Sidney Rowlatt. On its recommendation, wartime detention-without-trial powers were continued, which is why the law is called the Rowlatt Act.
- ✓ 2. The meeting that decided to start a passive resistance campaign against the proposed Rowlatt legislation was attended by representative Home Rulers from Bombay. Gandhiji used the Home Rule League's members to launch the satyagraha.
- ✗ 3. The Rowlatt Satyagraha was in March–April 1919. The 'Go back Simon' demonstrations came when the Commission reached India in 1928, so the two did not coincide.
Remember · Rowlatt Act 1919 came from the Sedition (Rowlatt) Committee. Gandhiji drew on Home Rulers for the satyagraha. The Simon Commission came in 1928.
📘 Read it in NCERT: Class 12 Themes in Indian History, Part III, Ch 3 (practise this chapter) · Class 10 India and the Contemporary World – II, Ch 5 (practise this chapter) · Class 10 India and the Contemporary World – II, Ch 2 (practise this chapter)
Sources
- NCERT Class 12 · Themes in Indian History, Part III, Chapter 3 “on the recommendation of a committee chaired by Sir Sidney Rowlatt, these tough measures were continued. In response, Gandhiji called for a countrywide campaign against the "Rowlatt Act".”
- NCERT Class 10 · India and the Contemporary World – II, Chapter 5 “The Sedition Committee Report under Rowlatt in 1919 further strengthened controls that led to imposition of penalties on various newspapers.”
- Report of the Disorders Inquiry Committee 1919-20 (Government of India, Calcutta, 1920), Bombay chapter on Ahmedabad; archive.org copy ↗ · reference work “It was attended by representative Home Rulers from Bombay and a decision was taken to start a passive resistance campaign against the proposed Rowlatt legislation.”
- NCERT Class 10 · India and the Contemporary World – II, Chapter 2 “When the Simon Commission arrived in India in 1928, it was greeted with the slogan 'Go back Simon'.”
Question: UPSC Civil Services (Preliminary) 2015, General Studies paper. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 25 Oct 2026 (how we verify). ·