Lesson – 21 “Political Consciousness and the Struggle for a Representative Government in India"

Very Short Answer Type Questions

ONE MARK QUESTIONS

Q1.Who ruled England during the 1857 AD Rebellion?

Ans. Queen Victoria.

Q2. Which Governor General was responsible for the revolt of 1857 AD?

Ans. Lord Dalhousie.

Q3. Who was the Governor General of India during the revolt of 1857 AD?

Ans. Lord Canning.

Q4. Who was the ruler of Mughals during the revolt of 1857 AD?

Ans. Bahadur Shah Zafar II.

Q5. What was the immediate cause of the revolt of 1857 AD?

Ans. Fat cartridges.

Q6. When did the revolt of 1857 AD begin?

Ans. On March 29, 1857 AD.

Q7. Who was the first martyr of the revolt of 1857 AD?

Ans. Mangal Pandey.

Q8. Write one of the centers of the revolt of 1857 AD.

Ans. Delhi.

Q9. Who was the author of Anand Math?

Ans. Bankim Chandra Chatterjee.

Q10. When was the Gadar Party founded?

Ans. In 1913 AD.

Q11. Who was the first president of the Gadar party?

Ans. Baba Sohna Singh Bhakna.

Q12. When did the Lucknow pact take place?

Ans. In 1916 AD.

Q13. When was the Rowlatt Act passed?

Ans. On March 18, 1919 AD.

Q14. When did the Non-alignment Movement begin?

Ans. In 1920 AD.

Q15. When did the Chauri-Chaura incident take place?

Ans. In 1922 AD.

Q16.When did India's first freedom struggle take place?

Ans. In 1857 AD.

Q17. When was Jhansi annexed to the British Empire?

Ans. In 1853 AD.

Q18. When was Oudh annexed to the British Empire?

Ans. In 1856 AD.

Q19. When did the rule of the East India Company come to an end in India?

Ans. In 1858 AD.

Q20. Who was the founder of Indian National Congress?

Ans. A. O. (Allan Octavian) Hume.

Question for three points (Marks):

Q1.To what extent was Lord Dalhousie responsible for the 1857 AD uprising?

Ans. Lord Dalhousie did not follow any principle to occupy Indian states. If the policy of war works, then he fought, if the Doctrine of Lapse works then he implemented it. Even if these methods did not work, he incorporated the Indian states into the British Empire by accusing them of mismanagement. As a result of this expansionist policy of Lord Dalhousie, protests against the British Empire spread not only among the Indian rulers but also among the common people. Undoubtedly, Dalhousie was largely responsible for the 1857 AD uprising.

Q2. What were the main reasons for the revolt of 1857 AD?

Ans. (i).The British had occupied almost all of India due to their imperialist policy.

(ii). The British plundered India economically, which made the people poorer day by day.

(iii). Indians were forcibly converted to Christianity by the British.

(iv).Indian soldiers were treated very badly.

(v).Fat cartridges were the main reason for this revolt.

Q3. What were the political reasons for the revolt of 1857 AD?

Ans. The main reason for this was the imperialist policy being adopted by the British in India. After the death of Peshwa Bazi Rao II, when the British stopped Nana Sahib's pension, he became a staunch enemy of the British. When the Mughal emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar II realized that his heirs would have to evacuate the Red Fort (Lal Quila) after his death, he too turned against the British. When the British refused the adopted son of Rani Lakshmi Bai of Jhansi to be her heir, she too became an enemy of the British.

Q4. What were social causes of the revolt of 1857 AD?

Ans. Many social factors were also responsible for the 1857 AD uprising. The British treated the Indians badly. Even educated Indians were mistreated. In addition, the British legally banned some social evils such as child marriage and the practice of Sati. They took steps to implement Western education in India. These social reforms had the opposite effect on the people of India. They began to perceive them as interfering with their religion. So they turned against the British rule.

Q5. What were the economic reasons for the revolt of 1857 AD?

Ans. (i).India's small scale industries were ruined due to economic exploitation by the British.

(ii).Landlords turned against the British due to confiscation of jagirs (estates) and taxation of tax-free lands.

(iii). The incorporation of the native states into the British Empire made many people unemployed.

(iv).Educated Indians were not appointed to higher positions. Indians working in smaller positions were paid less than the British.

Q6. What were the military causes of the 1857 AD uprising?

Ans. The attitude of the British towards the Indian soldiers was very bad. Indian soldiers were assigned to lower ranks and were paid much less than the British. The British were defeated in the first Afghan war. Due to this the Indian soldiers became convinced that the British could also be defeated. On March 29, 1857 AD, Mangal Pandey of Calcutta blew the trumpet of revolution when Indians were forced to use fat cartridges by the British authorities.

Q7. What were the immediate causes of the 1857 AD uprising?

Ans. In 1857 AD, the British issued the Enfield Rifles for the Indian Army. The cartridges used in these rifles were loaded with cow and pig fat. They had to be peeled off before being loaded into rifles. When the Indian soldiers found out about it, they were furious. They flatly refused to use these fat cartridges. When the British forced them to use these cartridges then Mangal Pandey of Barrackpore blew the trumpet of revolution on March 29, 1857 AD.

Q8. Who was Bahadur Shah Jafar II?

Ans. Bahadur Shah Zafar II was the last ruler of the Mughals. He ascended the throne in 1837 AD. He ruled until 1857 AD. At the time of the revolt of 1877 AD, the rebels proclaimed him their king. Bahadur Shah Zafar II took an active part in the revolt. He was imprisoned and sent to Rangoon by the British for supporting the rebels. His two sons and grandson were shot dead by the British. He died in Burma in 1862 AD.

Q9. Why did the Queen of Jhansi take an active part in the revolt?

Ans. Rani Lakshmi Bai of Jhansi had no children of her own. She had adopted a son. Declaring him the ruler of Jhansi, she started ruling in his name. But Lord Dalhousie refused to accept the queen's adopted son as her heir, according to Doctrine of Lapse. In addition, Jhansi was attacked by the British to annex it to the empire. As a result, the queen became an enemy of the British and took an active part in the revolt of 1857 AD against the British.

Q10. Can we call the revolt of 1857 AD the first war of independence?

Ans. Based on the following facts, we can call the revolt of 1857 AD the first war of independence -

(i). This revolt would not have spread so fast if the common people had not taken part in it.

(ii).In this revolt, Hindus and Muslims fought the British by cooperating with each other. Their unity was a symbol of the struggle of the independence movement.

(iii). The revolt was not limited to soldiers. It was attended by a large number of men, women, children, rulers and landlords. Clearly it was a freedom struggle.

Q11. What were the main consequences of the revolt of 1857 AD?

Ans. (i). The rule of the East India Company came to an end and the direct rule of England over India was established.

(ii). The Mughal and Peshwa dynasties came to an end.

(iii). The British changed their policy towards the Indian rulers.

(iv). The Indian Army was reorganized. Important departments of the army were taken over by the British.

Q12. What was the proclamation of Queen Victoria?

Ans. An important announcement was made on November 1, 1858 AD by Queen Victoria of England. The announcement was read out by Lord Canning, the then Governor General of India, at Allahabad. The declaration promised jobs to Indians as per their qualifications. Indian rulers were allowed to adopt sons. It was also announced that Indian states would not be incorporated into the British Empire. The British did not follow this declaration for their own selfish interest.

Q13. Describe the demands of the Indian National Congress in the first two decades.

Ans. The Indian National Congress made the following demands to the British from 1865 to 1905 AD -

(i). The Indian Council should be abolished.

(ii).Military and administrative costs should be reduced.

(iii). Indians should be posted at higher positions.

(iv). The Executive and the Judiciary should be separated.

(v).Irrigation facilities should be expanded.

(vi).Restrictions on the press and speech should be lifted.

Q14. What effect did the partition of Bengal have on the independence movement?

Ans. In 1905 AD, Lord Curzon divided Bengal into two parts. This partition had a profound effect on India's freedom struggle. Indigenous movements were launched in large numbers by the people to prevent the partition of Bengal. Due to this movement people from different sections came together under one flag and a _ new _ national consciousness spread among them. Foreign goods were boycotted. Due to the expansion of Swadeshi, Indian industry began to gain momentum. Educational institutions were established for the expansion of national education.

Q15. What were the reasons for the establishment of the Muslim League?

Ans. Due to the efforts of Sir Syed Ahmed Khan, a new awakening was born among the Muslims. He inspired Muslims for Western education and made them loyal to the government. Muslims wanted to establish a separate political body to protect their interests.At the instigation of the British, a delegation of Muslims under Aga Khan met Lord Minto, Governor-General. He accepted the terms of the Muslims. Thus, in December 1966 AD, the Muslim League was formed in Dhaka.

Q16. What was the purpose of the Ghadar movement and what was its significance in the Indian independence movement?

Ans. The Ghadar movement was founded in 1913 AD in San Francisco, USA. The main objective of this movement was to overthrow the British rule in India with the help of weapons. To this end, the Ghadar movement promoted the rebellion of soldiers, breaking prisons, robbing government treasuries and police stations, publishing and distributing revolutionary literature, and collecting weapons and making bombs. Although the Ghadar movement failed to achieve its objectives, it still had a profound effect on India's independence movement.

Q17. What is the significance of the Rowlatt Act and Jallianwala Bagh incident in the history of the independence movement?

Ans. The British passed the Rowlatt Act in 1919 AD to curb the growing discontent among the Indians against the British. The act allowed anyone to be arrested without a reason and to be punished without trial. They did not have the authority to argue, appeal and advocate. In protest of this act, a peaceful meeting was held on 13 April 1919 AD at Jallianwala Bagh, Amritsar. General O'Dwyer rained down bullets, killing hundreds and injuring thousands more. In protest of this bloody massacre, Mahatma Gandhi launched the Non-Cooperation Movement.

Q18. Explain the aims and programs of the Non-Cooperation Movement.

Ans. The Non-Cooperation Movement was started by Mahatma Gandhi in 1920 AD. The purpose of launching this movement was to protest against the injustice done to Turkey by the British and the bloody massacre at Jallianwala Bagh. As per its program, people were asked to quit government jobs and titles. A boycott of English courts was called for and students were asked to leave government schools and government colleges. An appeal was made to boycott foreign goods and use indigenous ones.

Q19. What was the incident of Chauri-Chaura?

Ans. On 5 February 1922 AD, 3000 farmers were participating in a demonstration in a village, Chauri-Chaura, in Gorakhpur district of Uttar Pradesh. Some policemen tried to intimidate them by firing. This provoked the agitators. They angrily attacked the police station and set it on fire. As a result, 22 policemen were killed. Gandhi was deeply saddened by this incident. So, they announced the closure of the Non- Cooperation Movement.

Q20. What was the significance of the Non-Cooperation Movement?

Ans. There is no doubt that the Non-cooperation Movement signaled a new era. For the first time in this movement, all sections of the common people took an active part. Due to this a new national awakening developed in them. In this movement Hindus and Muslims fought against the British government by cooperating with each other. As a result, their unity was strengthened. The establishment of national educational institutions gave impetus to the spread of education. The participation of women in the movement created a new confidence.

Question of six marks (points)

Q1. Describe the political reasons for the Revolt of 1857 AD?

Ans. On 29 March 1857 AD, a revolt started against the British which soon spread all over India. Though the immediate reason for this rebellion was the fat cartridges, but many other political, economic, religious and military reasons were responsible for it.Even though this rebellion failed in the end due to many reasons, it has far reaching effects on history. The main political reasons are as follows:-

i). Imperialistic Policy of the Britishers: - The policy of imperialism adopted by the British in India became one of the main causes of the revolt of 1857 AD. This imperialist policy was initiated by Lord Clive after winning the Battles of Plassey and Buxar. There was a competition among the Governor-Generals who came after him to merge Indian territories in the British Empire. Lord Dalhousie had crossed all limits. Through the Doctrine of Lapse, through victories, on the basis of bad management, and by discontinuing pensions on basis of titles, he incorporated many Indian states into the British Empire. Due to this imperialist policy, the Indians became against the British. According to well-known historian Dr. R. C.Majumdar, "The expansion of British dominions left behind a blazing trail of discontent and disaffection throughout India."

ii). Disrespect of Mughal Emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar:-The British were very selfish. They maintained friendly relations with Mughal emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar II as long as they were needed. But with the change of circumstances, this behavior of the British changed as well. They made it clear to Bahadur Shah that they would capture the Red Fort (Lal Quila) after his death. Bahadur Shah and his queen Zeenat Mahal considered it a huge insult. So they pledged to end the British rule.

iii). To Abolish the Pension of Nana Sahib:- The British had promised to the Peshwa Bajirao II of the Marathas that they would continue to pay him and his heirs an annual pension. But after Nanasaheb succeeded him after Bajirao's death, Lord Dalhousie discontinued his pension. Due to this injustice, Nanasaheb became a staunch enemy of the English state and he started preparations to end this state.

iv). Annexation of Jhansi: - The queen of Jhansi was Lakshmi Bai. The British didn't legalized her adopted son and incorporated her kingdom into the British Empire in 1853 AD, according to the Doctrine of Lapse. Due to this, the queen of Jhansi became a staunch enemy of the British and decided to annihilate the British.

v). Annexation of Oudh:-The Nawabs and people of Awadh had always given all possible help to the British Government in times of need. Despite this, Lord Dalhousie had usurped this princely state in 1856 AD by accusing him of mismanagement.Nawab Wajid Ali Shah and the people of Oudh were outraged by this unethical act. They vowed to take revenge on the British because of this insult. According to note historian S. N. Sen. "If there was still a vestige of lingering faith in British fairness, the annexation of Oudh in 1856 AD completely removed it.”

Q2. Discuss in detail the military causes for the revolt of 1857 AD?

Ans. Military Causes

i).Discontentment among the Indian Soldiers: - The despair found in Indian troops became an important cause of the 1857 AD rebellion. Indian soldiers were given very little promotion. They could reach the rank of Subhedar at the most. Apart from this, Indian soldiers were paid much less than the English soldiers. The various allowances given to them were also reduced. For these reasons, there was a lot of anger among the Indian soldiers towards the British.

ii). Impact of the First Anglo-Afghan War:-The first war took place between the British and Afghanistan in 1839 AD. The British were victorious in all the wars fought in the world till now. Therefore, they were considered invincible. But they lost badly in this first battle with Afghanistan. This shattered the magic of British invincibility. This had a profound impact on the minds of Indian soldiers. They started thinking that the British could be expelled from India if they adopted the planned strategy like the Afghans.

iii). Difference in Number of Indian and British Soldiers: - In 1870 AD, England became embroiled in the Crimea War. So they had to call in a lot of British troops from India. Therefore, the average of Indian soldiers to British Soldiers reduced to 6:1. It also encouraged soldiers to revolt.

iv). Army Law:-Lord Canning passed the General Service Establishment Act of 1856 AD. Accordingly, Indian soldiers could be sent abroad to fight. Hindu Indian soldiers believed that going abroad would corrupt their religion. So unrest spread among them.

v). A Wild Rumour:-At that time the rumor was spreading all over India that the British rule in India would last only for a hundred years. As a result, many began to believe that the end of British rule was near and they were ready to support the revolutionaries. In fact, the fire was all set and just a spark was needed.

vi). Immediate Cause:-Fat cartridges were the immediate cause of the revolt of 1857 AD. In 1856 AD, the British gave Indian soldiers a new rifle, named Enfield. They had to be peeled with the teeth before filling the cartridge. Soon, the soldiers came to know that the cartridges contained pork and beef fat. This infuriated the Indian soldiers. They realized that the British were deliberately wanted to corrupt the religion of Indians with these cartridges. So they flatly refused to use these fat cartridges. When the British forced Indian soldiers to use these cartridges, Mangal Pandey blew the trumpet of revolution on 29 March 1857 AD in Calcutta. According to Dr. Tara Chand, "So the explosion occurred and it convulsed the whole country.”

Q3. What are the causes of the failure of the revolt of 1857 AD?

Ans. In 1857 AD, Indians suddenly revolted against the British. At that time the average of Indian and English soldiers in India was 6:1. Indians also had great Zeal to attain independence from the British. They fought hard against the British during the rebellion. Despite this, they were unsuccessful. The main reasons for the failure of the Indians and the success of the British are as follows:-

i). The Revolt Broke Out Before Time

Nanasaheb and the rebel leaders had fixed 31 May 1857 AD as a day for uprising across the country. But the rebellion started on 29 March 1857 AD at Barrackpore and on 10 May 1857 AD at Meerut.Due to the premature onset of the uprising, on the one hand, the Indians could not complete their preparations and on the other hand in such a situation, the other rebel leaders did not know what to do. So it became easy for the British to defeat the Indians.

ii). The Revolt couldn't Spread All

Over India another major reason for the failure of the revolt of 1857 AD failed was that it could not spread all over India. The revolt was confined to a few provinces of northern India. Punjab, Rajasthan, Bihar, Baroda, Bengal and the southern state did not take part in this revolt. If the rebellion had spread all over the country, the throne of British tyrannical rule could have been easily overthrown.

iii). Lack of Common Aim

One of the great shortcomings of the rebels was that they lacked a common goal they were fighting the British for their own selfish ends. The Muslims wanted to establish the Mughal Empire, Nana Sahib was concerned about his Peshwa position, and the Queen of Jhansi wanted Jhansi to be liberated again. For this reason, they could not gather people under one flag. Thus the defeat of Indians was certain.

iv). Lack of Resources

Lack of resources was one of the main reasons for the insurgents’ failure. Indian soldiers did not have good weapons. Most Indian soldiers had swords. The British, on the other hand, had no shortage of resources. They also sought help from England if needed. British soldiers had modern weapons. As a result, the Indian troops could not stand in front of the British troops for long.

v). Lack of Discipline

i). The Revolt Broke Out Before Time

ii). The Revolt couldn't Spread All over India

Another major reason for the failure of the revolt of 1857 AD failed was that it could not spread all over India. The revolt was confined to a few provinces of northern India. Punjab, Rajasthan, Bihar, Baroda, Bengal and the southern state did not take part in this revolt. If the rebellion had spread all over the country, the throne of British tyrannical rule could have been easily overthrown.

iii). Lack of Common Aim

iv). Lack of Resources

v). Lack of Discipline

There was a lack of discipline among the Indian soldiers. Whenever they won a place, they started looting there. Due to this looting, they could not get support from common people. As a result, they were defeated.

vi). The Help of Indian Rulers to the Britishers

Many rulers of India have given their support to the British instead of supporting the rebels. These included the rulers of Hyderabad, Gwalior, Patiala and Jind. By cooperating with these rulers, the British succeeded in crushing the Indian opponents.

Q4. Write about social, religious, military and economic consequences of revolt of 1857 AD?

Ans. The revolt of 1857 AD was one of the most significant events in Indian history. Indians failed in this rebellion and their dream of independence could not be fulfilled. Nevertheless, the revolt of 1857 AD had significant consequences which are explained as follows:-

Social and Religious Consequences

i). Promise to Provide Services to Indians

The royal proclamation of Queen Victoria promises Indians that they will be given jobs on merit. Indians will not be discriminated against on the basis of caste, creed or color when giving jobs. They will also be given higher positions. But nothing was done to put this bond into practice.

li). Strained Relations between Indians and Europeans

The revolt had soured relations between Indians and Europeans. The British persecuted the Indians. This created hatred in the minds of Indians towards the British. On the other hand, because the Indians had revolted against the British, the British also started hating the Indians. According to noted historian Sir Pendral Moon,

"To both British and Indians, it was a disillusioning shock, arousing racial animosities that heretofore had generally lain dormant.”

iii). Policy of Divide and Rule

After the revolt of 1857 AD, the British adopted the policy of divide and rule to protect their empire. They did everything possible to create a split between Hindus and Muslims.

iv). Religious Freedom

Queen Victoria's declaration made it clear that the British government would not interfere in the religious beliefs and customs of Indians. All willenjoy religious freedom.

Military Consequences

i). End of Company's Rule

There were two types of soldiers in India before the rebellion. One that was completely under the company and the other that was appointed by the British government and sent to India. Now the Company's army was disbanded and the two armies were amalgamated. The whole army became directly under the British government.

ii).Increase in the Strength of European Soldiers

At the time of the rebellion, the number of British troops in India was very small. So they had to face defeat in many places. To correct this mistake, now the number of English soldiers has been increased.

iv). Reorganisation of the Indian Army

More and more Sikhs, Gorkhas and Pathans began to be recruited into the Indian Army. The number of Indian soldiers belonging to other castes was reduced. The British were taken over all the important departments of the army such as artillery and gunpowder etc. Indians were left with only inferior kinds of weapons. Soldiers belonging to different castes and religions were merged so that they unity could not be established among them.

Economic Consequences

Company rule was abolished. So now the Government of Britain took over Indian business into its own hands. Many restrictions were imposed on Indian trade and industry. As a result, when British industry and trade flourished, Indian industry and trade destroyed.

Thus we see that the Rebellion marked the end of an era in Indian history and the beginning of a new era.

Q5. Describe the reasons and objectives of the establishment of the Ghadar Party?

Ans.

1). Foundation of the Ghadar Party and its Objectives

The Ghadar Party was founded on April 21, 1913 AD in San Francisco, USA. Baba Sohan Singh Bhakna was made the head of this party. Lala Hardayal, Bhai Kesar Singh, Bhai Visakha Singh, Bhai Parmanand and Mohammad Barkatullah were other eminent leaders of this party. The Ghadar Party started a newspaper named 'Ghadar' to propagate its ideas. Its editor was Lala Hardayal ji. Its first issue was released on 1^st November 1913 AD. In this newspaper, the objectives of the Ghadar Party were clearly stated to mutilate for the independence of India. This newspaper was printed in Urdu, Punjabi, Gujarati and many more regional languages. Its copies were sent free of cost to countries such as Canada, USA, Philippine, China, Singapore, Hong Kong and India. In this newspaper making of bombs, collection of weapons, robbing government treasury and police stations, breaking of prisons, stopping the rails and the management of post and telegram, revolt in the army, printing and distribution of revolutionary literature and killing the British informers were propagated. The same propaganda was done in other newspapers ofGhadar Party named 'Ghadar ki Goonj', ‘Naya Zamana’ and Ailan- E-Jung’.

2). Kamagata Maru Incident

The incident of Kamagata Maru added insult to injury for revolutionaries. Baba Gurditt Singh arrived at the Canadian port of Vancouver in May, 1914 AD carrying 376 passengers in a steamship named, Kamagata Maru. Even though Gurdit Singh ji fulfilled all the conditions of the Government of Canada, they still forced those travelers to return to India. When the steamship reached Calcutta's 'Budge Budge’ port on 29 September 1914 AD, the government did not allow these passengers to stay there. They were told to get off the ship and go straight to Punjab. This attitude of the government provoked some travelers and they took out a peace procession in Kolkata to express their anger towards the government. Police fired on these passengers. Consequently, 18 passengers were martyred and 25 injured.

3). Activities of the Ghadar Party

The incident of Kamagata Maru had a profound impact on the minds of revolutionaries. They became a staunch enemy of the British Raj. In order to bring revolution in India, the Ghadar Party recruited volunteers in the thousands and started sending them to Punjab by different ships. Several small branches of the Ghadar Party were also opened in Europe, Canada and South East Asia for the success of the movement.

Ras Bihari Bose took charge of it in Punjab. He sent revolutionaries to campaign in different parts of the country. He made connections with other revolutionary parties of India. Alliances were also made with some military battalions of Punjab. On 21 February 1915 AD, a plan was made to mutilate against the government. But the government already came to know about the scheme from a traitor named Kripal Singh. So, the government acted strictly. Many revolutionaries were arrested and many were shot by the government. Ras Bihari Bose left for Japan after saving his life. Of the arrested revolutionaries, 46 were sentenced to death and 194 were sentenced for long term. Among the martyrs, the names of Kartar Singh Sarabha, Arud Singh, Banta Singh etc. are very famous.

4). Causes of the Failure of Ghadar Movement

Many reasons were responsible for the failure of Ghadar wave. One of the main reasons was for this is the lack of organization and coordination among Ghadri leaders. Secondly, the leaders of Ghadar party couldn't get required co-operarion from India, especially from the peoples of Punjab. Third, the Ghadri leaders failed to keep their plans secret. Fourth, the Ghadri leaders had a lack of resources as compare to british. Apart from this, the British government adopted a repressive policy against the Ghadri revolutionaries.So, as a result, the failure of Ghadar Lehar was not surprising.

Q6. Describe the causes, events and impact of Jalianwala Bagh massacre?

Ans. On 13 April 1919 AD, in Jallianwala Bagh, there was a bloodbath which shook the hearts of not only Indians but all the justice loving people of the world.

Causes –

There were many reasons responsible for the miserable incident of Jalianwala Bagh. During the First World War, the Indians had supported the British on the condition that they would definitely provide required facilities to the Indians. During the war, the British adopted a policy of evasion.

The Ghadar movement and the Home Rule movement during the war gave a new impetus to Indians. They started demanding more facilities from the British.

The Indian economy was badly affected during the war. Heavy taxes were levied on people. Due to this, a feeling of dissatisfaction towards the British spread among Indians.

The facilities, provided to the Indians by the Act of 1919 AD, had destroyed the wishes of Indians. There was a fear in the government that disgruntled Indians might not launch any movement. In order to control the situation, the Government enacted the Rowlatt Act in 1919 Ad. This act added insult to injury for the Indians. Under this, any Indian could be arrested without giving any reason and could be punished without trial.Due to this act, there was a wave of anger towards the British all over India.

Mahatma Gandhi appealed for a peaceful strike in India on 30 March and 6 April to express anger against the Rowlatt Act. Consequently, strikes were held all over India in a peaceful manner. But during a strike in Delhi on March 30, there was a confrontation between the people and the police.Therefore Gandhiji left for Mumbai from Delhi but he was arrested on the way.

Events-

Like other parts of India during the Rowlatt Act, on March 30 and April 6, peaceful strikes were carried out, processions were carried out and processions were taken out in Punjab at the behest of Gandhiji. Dr. Satyapal and Dr. Kichlu created a new passion in the people of Amritsar. They launched a massive campaign against the Rowlatt Act. Michael O'Dwyer, who was the Lieutenant Governor of Punjab at the time, was horrified to see the growing unity between Hindus and Muslims in Punjab.

At the behest of Michael O'Dwyer, the Deputy Commissioner of Amritsar arrested two famous leaders, Dr. Satyapal and Dr. Kichlu, on 10 April. The news of his arrest spread like wildfire.Soon all the business of the city came to a standstill. Some people wanted to go to the Deputy Commissioner for the release of their leaders in the form of procession. Due to this many people were killed and many were injured.As a result, some people got angry. They killed five Englishmen. An English lady doctor Ms. Sherwood was injured, but she was saved by some Indians. Some buildings were attacked and destroyed. Also some of the postal wire lines were broke up. Two railway stations in the city were set on fire. The British could not bear these incidents. Amritsar city was handed over to the army to overcome the situation.It was commanded by Brigadier General R. E. H. Dwyer. He was ordered to take any step to keep the situation under control. He arrived Amritsar on 12 April. He arrested many people as soon as he arrived and banned the meetings in all its forms. But on the evening of April 12, an announcement was made all over the city to gather at Jallianwala Bagh to protest against the Rowlatt Act. General Dwyer did nothing to stop this meeting.

In fact, General Dwyer was planning to take revenge on the Indians. On the unfortunate day of April 13, 1919 AD, more than twenty thousand people gathered to join the assembly.While this peaceful meeting was going on, General Dwyer arrived with his troops and machine guns. He rained bullets on people without warning. There was a stampede to save lives. But because the garden path was blocked on three sides and

General Dyer's soldiers on the fourth side, they were surrounded. Theland of Jallianwala Bagh turned red with the blood of innocent Indians. According to official reports, 379 people were killed and 12 injured in the massacre. But according to the Congress party's inquiry committee, the death toll was at least 1,000 and the number of injured was more than 3,000. After this martial law was introduced in the whole of Punjab which continued for 7 weeks. Under this, the people were subjected to inhumane atrocities by the government.

Iimpact-

The tragedy of Jallianwala Bagh caused mourning all over the country. General Dyer thought that his hair-raising action would cool the political movement not only in Punjab but in the whole of India, but it had the opposite effect. The people decided to end the oppressive rule of the British. To this end they came together under Mahatma Gandhi and started a movement against the British which shook the foundations of the British Empire in India. According to Dr, S. C. Mittal, “The massacre of Jalianwala Bagh exercised a profound influence on the political developments of India. It widened the Gulf between the rulers and the ruled. "