(i) In 1919 Rowlatt Act was passed. According to the Act, there was provision for arbitrary detention and punishment without trial etc.

(ii) Gandhiji launched 'Satyagraha' against the Rowlatt Act. He formed a Satyagraha Sabha where it was decided that a nationwide hartal or strike would be observed to protect against the Act and fasting and prayers will be conducted. There would also be civil disobedience of certain laws.

(iii) The Rowlatt Satyagraha was the first nationwide protest in India under the guidance of Mahatma Gandhi.

(iv) The people of India showed a great and swelling resentment against British rule and the hartals became violent. 6th April 1919 was decided as the day of hartal, however due to some confusion it was observed on 30th March in Delhi and led to fighting in the streets.

(v) Amritsar and Lahore were centres of this movement. Gandhiji tried to go to Punjab and get the movement back on the track of non- violent satyagraha. However, he was prevented from entering the Punjab by the British government and was deported to Bombay. Bombay and Ahmedabad were also experiencing disturbances at that time and Gandhiji tried to control the movement there.

(vi) During the nationalist movement a popular form of protest was to attack the symbols of the British government, telegraph wires were cut, post offices attacked and Europeans including women were attacked. The army was called and meetings and assemblies were banned.

(vii) On the 13th of April 1919, the incident of Jallianwalla Bagh took place in which the British force killed about 379 people and several were injured. This brutal incident was followed by even more brutal repression.