With reference to the following points describe the causes and circumstances leading to the Non-Cooperation Movement by the Congress under Gandhi's leadership.

(a) The Rowlatt Act of 1919

(b) The Jallianwala Bagh Tragedy

(a) The object of the Rowlatt Act was to give government extraordinary powers of search and arrest so as to suppress the national movement. It gave enormous powers to the police:

1. To search a place, and
2. Arrest any person they disapproved of without warrant.

Two other ugly features of the Rowlatt Act were that

1. The trial was to be held in camera, i.e., the public and the newspapermen were not allowed to attend the trial, and
2. There could be no appeal against court's judgement.

A well-known description of the Rowlatt Act at that time was: No Dalil, No Vakil, No Appeal, i.e., no pleas, no lawyer, no appeal.

Despite much opposition the Rowlatt Act came into operation on 21 March, 1919. The purpose of the Act was to curb the growing nationalist upsurge in the country.

Mahatma Gandhi called upon the people to do Satyagraha against such an oppressive measure, i.e., to disobey the law without resorting to violence.

(b) Below points summarise the reasons with reference to the Jallianwala Bagh Tragedy for launching the Non-Cooperation Movement by the Congress under Gandhi's leadership:

1. On 11 April, General Dyer arrived and took command of the city.
2. Proclamations were issued prohibiting all meetings and processions.
3. On 13 April, 1919 a public meeting took place at Jallianwala Bagh in defiance of the orders.
4. The Jallianwala Bagh was an open space surrounded by the backs of houses on three sides and having only one narrow entrance through the congested lanes of the city.
5. General Dyer without any warning opened fire upon the peaceful crowd and continued firing on them until all his ammunition was exhausted.
6. According to the official figures, some four hundred people were killed and about two hundred wounded.
7. Jallianwala Bagh massacre was followed by other indignities of being flogged and handcuffed and searches throughout Punjab.