Seditious Meetings Act (1907): All You Need To Know
Introduction
One of the laws used to slow the growth of the Swadeshi movement was the Seditious Meetings Act of 1907. The purpose of this Act is to codify and alter the laws governing the prohibition of public gatherings that could incite dissent or disturb the peace of the community.
Important Provision of The Act
• The Imperial Legislative Council of the British Raj passed the Seditious Meetings Act in 1907, allowing the government to forbid political gatherings.
• It was passed to improve the laws against public gatherings that can incite dissent or disturb the peace of the community.
• When British Government intelligence learned that the Ghadar Movement existed and had been created with the intention of inciting political violence in India, this legislation was passed.
• In the British House of Commons in February 1908, Vickerman Rutherford brought up the act and questioned how it would affect "the interests of good relations between the rulers and the ruled."
• Donald Mackenzie Smeaton argued in favor of the Act, saying that "the Regulation of 1818 and Subsidiary Local Regulations conferring similar powers were of immense value in and after the pacification of Burma in ridding the country of enemies not only of the Government, but of the people.
Repercussions of This Act
• The Act, together with a number of other repressive measures against press freedom and other freedoms, had the effect of stifling extremists.
• At that time, they were unable to put together a powerful political party.
• One of the fanatics, Arubindo Ghosh, got up and headed to Pondicherry.
• Bipin Chandra Pal too took a short break from politics.
• Lala Lajpat Rai travelled to England.
• Extremist nationalism was temporarily suppressed. Later, it evolved into Militant Nationalism.
• Ullaskar Dutt and Barindra Ghosh were given harsh prison terms.
• Ras Behari Bose and Senapati Bapat disappeared.
Conclusion
It was prolonged until March 31, 1911, at which point the Prevention of Seditious Meetings Act, 1911, took its place. Under this Act, no case may be heard in a court lower than a Presidency Magistrate, a Magistrate of the First Class, or a Sub-Divisional Magistrate.