Edwin Samuel Montagu stated about the Rowlatt Act being a Preventive Murder. Edwin Montagu was a British politician from the Liberal party. Born on 6th February 1879, Edwin Montagu served as the Secretary of State for India from 1917 to 1922. After Sir Herbert Samuel and Sir Rufus Isaacs, Edwin Montagu was the third practising Jew in the British cabinet. Edwin Montagu was appointed as Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster by the monarch of United Kingdom George V under Prime Minister Herbert Henry Asquith. Edwin Montagu was in office from 3rd February 1915 to 25th May 1915 succeeding Charles Masterman. Later Winston Churchill succeeded Edwin Montagu as the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster. 

Edwin Montagu was again appointed as Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster by the monarch of United Kingdom George V under Prime Minister Herbert Henry Asquith. Edwin Montagu was in office for the second time from 11th January 1916 to 9th July 1916 succeeding Herbert Samuel. Later Thomas McKinnon Wood succeeded Edwin Montagu as the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster. 

Edwin Montagu served as the Secretary of State for India from 17th July 1917 to 19th March 1922. George V was the monarch during this period and David Llyod George was the Prime Minister. Edwin Montagu succeeded Austen Chamberlain as the Secretary of State of India. Edwin Montagu was succeeded by William Robert Wellesley Peel (1st Earl Peel) also known as The Viscount Peel.

Edwin Montagu received his education from Clifton College, the City of London School, University College London and Trinity College, Cambridge. He was elected Member of Parliament in 1906 from Chesterton. He served as Under Secretary of State for India from 1910 to 1914 under H.H. Asquith. He also served as the Financial Secretary to the Treasury in 1915 and in 1916. Edwin Montagu died at the age of 45 on 15th November 1924.