In the year 1919, the British Government passed a new rule called Rowlatt Act, The Rowlatt Commission was appointed to investigate the 'seditious conspiracy' of the Indian people. The Law passed empowered the Viceroy Government with extraordinary power to stop all violations by silencing the press, confining political activists without trial and arresting any individual suspected of sedition and treachery and arresting individuals without any warrant. A nationwide protest was raised by calling a Hartal.

The Act was ill famed as 'Black Act' by the people and Indians revolt in protest against the Rowlatt Act.

Indians were out raged by rowlatt act because:

1. This law stated that that the Government can arrest the political leaders without any trail for 2years,

2. Political leaders were taken from Amritsar

3. Gandhi was not allowed to enter Delhi

4. Martial law was imposed

Mahatma Gandhi was extremely agitated by enactment of Rowlatt Act. He argued that everyone cannot be punished for isolated political crime. This enraged Indian so, political leaders and common public came together against the act and Government adapted more repressive measures to dominate the Native people. Gandhi and other leaders of national Congress found it futile to take the measure of constitutional opposition and thereby called a 'hartal' where Indians suspended all the business and fasted to show their hatred for the British legislation.