'Rowlatt Acts' India gifted itself

Detention without charge or trial is rampant today, but our legislators no longer seem to care about oppression by the state

Next month it will be a century since the law known as the Rowlatt Act was enforced on 10 March, 1919. Mahatma Gandhi, only four years after his return from South Africa led an all-India strike against the Act on April 6. One week later, April 13, a large crowd gathered in Amritsar to join the protest at Jallianwala Bagh. The Punjab administration under Governor Sir Michael O’Dwyer claimed that British rule was under threat and responded with violence, unleashing the Gurkha and Baloch Regiments on the civilians, killing over 300. All of us are taught this in school.

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