The Morley-Minto Reforms were passed in order to give greater representation to Indians. The reforms allowed Indians to sit on the Imperial Legislative Council for the first time. It allowed Indians have much greater voice in provincial governments. It was the first time there were Muslim representative on the Legislative Council, as well as others on sine provincial councils. The Morley-Minto reforms were criticised by many Indians because they did not give Indians the real influence in running their country. Less than 2 per cent of the population Indians could actually vote. The reforms tended to divide Hindu and Muslim communities by treating them as separate communities. This was very difficult to change once it was introduced.
In order to settle the unrest George V held the great Delhi Durbar in 1911, where he announced the two parts of Bengal would be reunited.
In the outbreak of World War 1 in August 1914, the Indian government declared war on Germany to support the British. This decision was decided by the many Indians who supported Britain during the war. This led to 1.25 million Indians volunteering to fight in the British Army in Middle East and on the western front.
The war benefited the Indian economy when demands for Indian cotton and other raw materials rose rapidly, which led to an increase in employment. The Indians hoped that supporting the British government in the war against Germany would lead them to Home Rule. Indians were encouraged by the fact that they fought alongside the British as equals.
To try to increase the chances of Home Rule, the Congress and the Muslim League singed the Lucknow Pact in 1916. This was an agreement between the two groups that they would give Muslims a fixed proportion of seats in an Indian Parliament and extra seats in areas where they were minorities.
These hopes were raised even more when Sir Edwin Montagu made the Montagu Declaration to the Indians. This declaration appeared to suggest that the British Government was near to accepting Home Rule. However, the affects of the war were not all advantages. The problem India faced caused unrest in India.
In 1915 the Defence of India Act suspended civil liberties allowing Indians to be arrested without charges. In 1916 and 1917 the strain on the Indian economy from the war and increased government spending led to shortages and rising prices. This led to outbreaks, especially in areas such as Punjab where all three faiths were in the same city and did not trust one another. As the British were fighting elsewhere, the Indian Government depended on Indian troops to maintain control.
In April 1918 the Viceroy and Lord Chelmsford produced a report suggesting reform in India. The reforms were supported by many Indians even though it didn't allow Home Rule. However, this was unacceptable to the many Indians who had expected a reward for helping the British during the war.
Violence increased as details of the reform increased. This was made worse when India was hit by the Spanish influenza epidemic of 1919-1920 and more than 13 million people died.
The Rowlatts Acts were passed as a solution to the report given by the Rowlatt commission on how the British Government is losing control of the situation especially when the Defence of India Act was passed. The Acts enabled the Indian government to arrest and imprison trouble makers without trial and allowed judges to try offenders without a jury.
The Acts were a serious mistake as they were opposed by all Indian members of the Imperial Legislative Council. The Acts made an impression that the promises made by Montagu – Chelmsford Reforms meant nothing.
Just after World War 1 Indians were expecting a form of self government but the Acts suggested the British Government had no intention of leaving India. The Rowlatts Acts stirred up Indian opinion against the British.
