With the end of the British preoccupation with the War, it seemed they had decided to divert their attention to the danger of Awakened India. The Defence of India Act was still on the Statute Book. Even then the Rowlatt Committee was appointed to enquire into the nature of Indian unrest and suggest measures to meet its threat to the empire. The Committee in its report recommended that the harsh and repressive provisions of the war-time Defence of India Act be retained permanently on the Statute Book. When Gandhiji, though he was still convalescing, heard of the recommendations and of the proposed Bills based on them, he decided to oppose the Bills and tried to prevent them from becoming Law; hence the countrywide agitation against this legislation.
