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Consider the following statements in respect of the Rowlatt Act of 1919 :
I. Gandhiji launched a nationwide Satyagraha against the proposed Rowlatt Act, 1919.
II. The Act had been hurriedly passed through the Imperial Legislative Council despite the opposition of Indian members.
III. The Act gave the Government enormous powers to repress political activities.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Explanation
The Anarchical and Revolutionary Crimes Act of 1919, popularly known as the Rowlatt Act, was passed in March 1919 by the Imperial Legislative Council. Statement II is correct as the Act was pushed through hurriedly despite the united opposition of every non-official Indian member, including Muhammad Ali Jinnah and Madan Mohan Malaviya, who resigned in protest. Statement III is correct because the Act empowered the government to detain political prisoners without trial for up to two years, effectively suspending Habeas Corpus. In response, Mahatma Gandhi launched the Rowlatt Satyagraha, a nationwide protest involving hartals (strikes) and prayer, making Statement I correct. This Satyagraha marked Gandhi's first truly nationwide mass movement in India, which eventually culminated in the tragic Jallianwala Bagh massacre.