Which of the following acts during colonial rule was aimed at assigning enormous powers to the police to repress political activities and to detain political prisoners?
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: C
Explanation
The correct answer is option 3 i.e. Rowlatt Act.
- The Rowlatt Act during colonial rule was aimed at giving the police sweeping powers to suppress political activities and detain political prisoners.
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The Rowlatt Act, officially known as the Anarchical and Revolutionary Crimes Act of 1919, was passed by the British government to suppress the growing nationalist movement in India. It was enacted based on the recommendations of the Rowlatt Committee, chaired by Justice Sidney Rowlatt.
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The Act empowered the police to arrest and detain individuals without trial or specific charges, aiming to curb revolutionary activities. It allowed imprisonment of suspects for up to two years without any legal proceedings.
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Mahatma Gandhi condemned the Act as unjust and called for Satyagraha to protest against it. Many leaders, including Madan Mohan Malaviya and Muhammad Ali Jinnah, resigned from the Imperial Legislative Council in opposition to this repressive law. The Act was widely criticized for punishing the masses for isolated incidents and violating civil liberties.