Rowalt Committee

The Rowlatt Committee was a judicial inquiry commission established by the British Government of India in December 1917. Chaired by Sir Sidney Rowlatt, a judge of the King’s Bench Division in England, the committee was formed to investigate revolutionary conspiracies in India and recommend legal measures to curb such movements. Its findings ultimately led to the enactment of the controversial Rowlatt Act of 1919, which became a turning point in India’s struggle for independence.

Background

During the final phase of the First World War (1914–1918), the British Indian Government faced rising political unrest, strikes, and underground revolutionary activities, particularly in Bengal, Punjab, and Maharashtra. The Defence of India Act (1915) had granted the government extraordinary powers to detain and try individuals suspected of anti-government activities, but these wartime laws were due to lapse once the war ended.
The British administration feared that revolutionary networks—many of which had foreign connections with Germany and emerging Bolshevik Russia—would intensify after the war. To address this, the Government of India appointed a Sedition Committee, later known as the Rowlatt Committee, on 10 December 1917. Its primary objectives were:

• To investigate the nature and scope of revolutionary conspiracies in India.
• To assess the challenges faced in dealing with such movements under existing laws.
• To suggest necessary legislative measures to enable more effective control.

Composition of the Committee

The committee consisted of prominent judicial and administrative figures from both Britain and India. It was presided over by Sir Sidney Rowlatt, and its members included:

• Sir Basil Scott, Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court.
• Diwan-Bahadur C. V. Kumaraswami Sastri, Judge of the Madras High Court.
• Sir Verney Lovett, Member of the Board of Revenue, United Provinces.
• P. C. Mitter, member of the Bengal Legislative Council.
• J. D. V. Hodge, Indian Civil Service officer, served as Secretary.

The committee gathered evidence from across India regarding secret societies, revolutionary groups, and their alleged connections with foreign powers.

Findings and Recommendations

The Rowlatt Committee Report, submitted in April 1918, concluded that revolutionary activities in India remained a significant threat to the colonial state even after the war. It identified widespread anti-British sentiment, secret networks in Punjab and Bengal, and attempts to secure external support from Germany and Bolshevik Russia.
Key recommendations included:

• Continuation of emergency powers similar to those under the Defence of India Act, 1915.
• Empowerment of the government to detain suspects without trial and conduct speedy trials by special tribunals without juries.
• Stricter control of the press and prohibition of publications inciting sedition.
• Restrictions on public gatherings and political associations deemed subversive.

These recommendations sought to extend wartime authoritarian powers into peacetime India, reflecting the colonial administration’s deep mistrust of Indian political mobilisation.

The Rowlatt Act of 1919

On the basis of the committee’s report, the British Government enacted the Anarchical and Revolutionary Crimes Act of 1919, commonly known as the Rowlatt Act. This law allowed the authorities to arrest and detain individuals suspected of seditious activities without trial, censor the press, and try political offenders in special courts.
The legislation was introduced despite unanimous opposition from Indian members of the Imperial Legislative Council. Mahatma Gandhi responded by launching the Rowlatt Satyagraha in 1919, marking the beginning of large-scale non-violent civil resistance against colonial rule. The protest quickly spread across the country and culminated in widespread unrest, most notably the Jallianwala Bagh massacre in April 1919, where hundreds of peaceful demonstrators were killed in Amritsar.

Impact and Significance

The Rowlatt Committee and the subsequent Act marked a watershed in colonial governance and Indian nationalism. Their impact can be assessed under several dimensions:

• Political Repression: The report legitimised harsh legislative controls, including detention without trial and restrictions on free expression.
• National Awakening: The Rowlatt Act united moderate and extremist nationalists against colonial repression, energising Gandhi’s leadership and mass participation in the freedom movement.
• Loss of Trust: It destroyed the credibility of British promises of post-war reforms and constitutional progress, creating widespread disillusionment among Indians who had supported Britain during the war.
• Shift in Strategy: The events following the Act led to a strategic shift in the independence movement—from petitions and legal protests to organised non-cooperation and civil disobedience.

Criticism

The Rowlatt Committee was widely condemned for its biased approach and lack of transparency. Its terms of reference presumed guilt rather than conducting an impartial investigation. The hearings were conducted largely in secret, and its recommendations disregarded basic civil liberties.
Indian leaders such as Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Mahatma Gandhi, and Mohammad Ali Jinnah denounced the committee’s work as unjust and repressive. Jinnah resigned from the Imperial Legislative Council in protest against the passing of the Rowlatt Act, calling it a betrayal of constitutional principles.
The Indian press, educated elite, and general populace viewed the Act as a direct assault on personal freedom and political rights. It became a rallying symbol of colonial tyranny and was often compared to the “Black Acts” of South African history.

Legacy

The Rowlatt Committee occupies a significant place in the narrative of India’s struggle for independence. Although established to suppress revolutionary activities, it inadvertently accelerated the nationalist movement. Its findings led to a law that exposed the oppressive nature of colonial rule and provoked a powerful moral and political awakening among Indians.