The Rowlatt Act of 1919, named for Sir Sidney Rowlatt who drafted the legislation, was passed by the British colonial government in India and was aimed at minimizing revolutionary and terrorist activity. Opposed by Mahatma Gandhi and the Indian National Congress, the Act limited Indian citizens’ rights to free speech and assembly and allowed the British government to imprison those suspected of revolutionary or terrorist activity without trial. Gandhi led protests against the Act, backed by the Indian National Congress, in March and April of 1919 which turned violent and inspired military reaction by the British. Following the violent British reaction, Gandhi launched the Rowlatt Satyagraha, a movement of nonviolent resistance through peaceful protests and strikes. On April 13, 1919, Brigadier-General Reginald Edward Harry Dyer ordered the massacre of a crowd of Indian citizens in Amritsar resulting in at least 379 deaths, which fueled the movement for Indian independence. Following the events responding to the Rowlatt Act and pressure from the public and Indian political leaders, the Act was repealed in 1922.
While Sen does not reference the Rowlatt Act, she lived until 1933 and thus resided in India during the tumultuous political moment surrounding the Act and the British response to the Rowlatt Satyagraha. It is possible that she felt the effects of these events, especially given her involvement with colonial medical institutions.
Sources
Bhalla, Vikram. “Rowlatt act of British govt: Why Gandhi started protests against it on March 30, 1919.” The Times of India, 30 Mar. 2023, https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/rowlatt-act-of-british-govt-why-gandhi-started-protests-against-it-on-march-30-1919/articleshow/99115911.cms. Accessed 20 May 2024.
Cartwright, Mark. “Jallianwala Bagh Massacre” World History Encyclopedia, 21 Oct. 2022, https://www.worldhistory.org/Jallianwala_Bagh_Massacre/. Accessed 20 May 2024.
“Overview: Rowlatt Act.” Oxford Reference, https://www.oxfordreference.com/display/10.1093/oi/authority.20110803100431140. Accessed 20 May 2024.