Question

Statement I: The Montague-Chelmsford reforms polarised the Congress party, eventually leading to Moderate domination.

Statement II: The Rowlatt Act was passed to allow the imprisonment of protestors without granting bail.

• A. Both statements are correct.
• B. Both statements are incorrect.
• C. Only statement I is correct.
• D. Only statement II is correct.

Answer 1

The correct option is D Only statement II is correct.

1. The Montague-Chelmsford reforms polarised the Congress party, deepening the Moderate-Radical divide. The Moderates supported the reforms, while the Radicals did not. After the Moderates exited the party, the nature of the INC came to be overwhelmingly assertive.

2. In order to prevent any agitation or curb revolutionary movements, Justice Rowlatt introduced two bills in February 1919, which came to be called the Black Bills, which further became the Rowlatt Act. The Act suspended basic principles of rule of law by allowing closed court proceedings against suspected protestors.