The Ghadar movement originated in the United States among the enthusiastic Punjabi immigrants who had settled on the Pacific Coast of the U.S.A. and Canada. The headquarters of the party for a propaganda campaign were established at San Francisco. Its central office was called Yugantar Ashram. Baba Sohan Singh Bhakna was elected the president of the party, Lala Hardyal as Chief Secretary. The association adopted Bande Mataram as its slogan and tricolor flag – red, yellow and green representing Hindus, Muslims and the Sikhs.

Khalsa Diwan Society was founded in 1907 in Vancouver Canada, which later merged with the Hindustani Workers Association of the Pacific Coast along with some other associations. Canadian Government exercised strict vigilance over the activities of the Indian immigrants. Immigration Law was made more stringent. Instead of accepting the unjust law, the Indians protested, consequently some of them had to be deported. In 1914 Baba Gurdit Singh, a prosperous Indian immigrant chartered a Japanese Ship, "Kamagata Maru" and sailed for Canada with 376 passengers. The Indians were not allowed to land on the soil of Canada. The ship had to return back. On reaching Calcutta, the passengers were not allowed to go to Calcutta, they were asked to board the train. The government orders were defied and all of them marched towards the city of Calcutta. The police fired at them 23 people were killed, Gurdit Singh along with 30 others escaped and the rest of them were imprisoned. This was not the end. After a fortnight another ship "Tasa Maru", with 173 passengers including Sohan Singh Bhakna were not allowed to sail.

These events coupled with other invited Ghadar Party members to reach India. Thousands of Ghadarities came to Punjab. These were the war years (1914 -1918). The desire of the national leaders to help the war efforts instead of taking advantage of the difficult hour of the British Raj, changed the situation. The revolutionaries found it difficult to make a dent. The Ghatiarities however made desperate efforts to woo some people through their visits to religious festivals and also made contacts with other terrorist organizations in other parts of the country. Timely information to the authorities shattered their plans of an organized revolution. But it may also be said, tremors of their fervor were felt all over the Punjab. As a result, many revolutionaries were imprisoned or shot dead. Kartar Singh Sarabha and Pinglay were sent to the gallows in the central jail, Lahore. As many as 82 persons were hanged. In Mandley, the Punjab revolutionary of the fame of Sohan Lal Pathak and Dr. Mathura Singh in Mehshad (Iran) and Balwant Singh in Singapore also faced the gallows. By the end of the year 1918, the revolutionary movement had become insignificant.

ROWLATT BILL.

India had helped the British Government with men, money and material throughout the first world war (1914 -18). The Punjabis in particular contributed very liberally to the war efforts. Indians were naturally looking at a new political beginning in the country. The British were obliged to repeal the defense of India act by which it had acquired extra-ordinary powers for the duration of the war. Instead of rewarding the Indians for their efforts and help to the British in the war, they replaced that act by placing two notorious bills, described as Rowlatt Bills, after the name of the Home Minister who had initiated them for consideration of the Central Legislative Assembly. These bills would give the government even more autocratic powers. Immediately after the Rowlatt Bill in January 1919, a meeting was convened by the Indian National Congress in Gandhi Ashram (Ahmedabad) wherein a resolution was passed to disobey this Act, if passed. One of the Bills was 'however' passed in the teeth of opposition and criticism of the people. It enabled the government in cases of emergency to judge cases without trial and suspected terrorists could be imprisoned. The passing of the Bill came as a great shock to the Nation as whole. Gandhiji gave a call for hartal throughout the length and breadth of the country and announced his intention of launching a Satyagraha movement on 6^th April, 1919. Under the leadership of two young Punjabis, Saif-u-Din Kitchlew and Dr Satya pal, a complete Hartal, the likes of which was never seen before, was organized at Lahore and Amritsar, first on 30^th March and then on 6th April.

JALLIANWALA BAGH .

As a consequence of the success of these Hartals, Saifuidin Kitchlew and Dr. Satya Pal were arrested in Amritsar and sent to Dharmsala. The situation in the districts of Lahore, Gurdaspur and Amritsar became serious . People came out in mobs, railway carriages, telegraph wires, the government buildings, the post offices in few places were set on fire as well. In the riots, five English men were killed and an English missionary was assaulted. To control the situation at Amritsar, the town was handed over to General Dyer on the 12^th April 1919. Martial Law was proclaimed. On 13^th April 1919, a public meeting of about twenty thousand people was held at Jallianwala Bagh. Without any warning the General blocked the only exit and ordered his troops to fire at the people. The panic stricken people ran to save their lives but the firing continued till General Dyer's ammunition exhausted and their lay the corpses of people who had met in the Jallianwala Bagh to voice their resentment against the draconian Rowlatt Act. Exact count was never established, but most records give the figure of the dead and wounded at about 2000. It was a massacre of a most non-violent gathering.

Instead of being terrorized as India had been after the Mutiny, the very horror of Punjab gave fresh courage and made her resolve to put an end to the conditions, which could permit such happenings. According to the Hunter Inquiry Committee Report, some four hundred people were shot dead and twelve hundred injured. Over and above this, many people were humiliated in a variety of ways. The women had to suffer as well and there are instances of the modesty of women having been outraged. The country as a whole demanded redress of the Punjab atrocities and all India congress committee endorsed these demands. An inquiry committee with Sir Hunter was constituted. The Indian National Congress also appointed an inquiry Committee. Hunter committee Censored General Dyer. This did not satisfy the Indians. Demand for redressal of Punjab wrongs was stepped up. The Montagul Chemsford report on constitutional reforms had been made. Based on this report, Government of India act, 1919 on constitutional reforms was passed.