The Simon Commission and the Nehru Report are significant chapters in India’s struggle for self-governance during the period of British colonial rule. The Simon Commission, appointed in 1927, was tasked with examining and making recommendations for further constitutional reforms in British India. However, it sparked widespread protests and boycotts in India due to its composition of all-British members, with no Indian representation. In response to the Simon Commission, the Indian National Congress convened the All Parties Conference in 1928, which appointed a committee led by Motilal Nehru to draft a constitution for India. The result was the Nehru Report, presented in 1928, which proposed significant constitutional reforms, including dominion status for India within the British Empire. This introduction sets the stage for an exploration of the events surrounding the Simon Commission and the Nehru Report, highlighting their implications for India’s nationalist movement and the trajectory of its struggle for independence.
The Simon Commission, also called the Indian Statutory Commission, was a group of seven Members of Parliament led by Sir John Simon. They were supposed to look into how India’s laws were working and suggest any needed changes. On the other hand, the Nehru Report of 1928 was put together by a committee led by Pt. Motilal Nehru. It was the Indian National Congress’s way of strongly reacting to the British Government’s failure to create a suitable constitution for India.
Background
- The Simon Commission, also known as the Indian Statutory Commission, was led by Sir John Simon and included seven Members of Parliament. It came to British India in 1928 to look into making changes to the country’s laws.
- Ten years earlier, in 1919, the Government of India Act had said that a commission should be appointed to check how things were going and suggest any needed changes.
- People who wanted India to be free were very angry that there wasn’t even one Indian on the Commission.
Objective of Commission
- The British government set up a commission to check how the Government of India Act of 1919 was working. They wanted to see if any changes were needed to make the system work better.
- But their real aim was to create division among different communities in India. They wanted to delay giving Indians more power to govern themselves.
- They also wanted to support local movements that could weaken the bigger national movements in the country.
Criticism
- People felt insulted that the Commission had only Europeans in it, which showed disrespect for Indian nationalism.
- Because of this, the Indian National Congress decided not to work with the Commission in any way.
- The Commission had seven members, all Englishmen who were part of the British Parliament.
- The British government said they picked only British citizens because the Commission had to report to the British Parliament. But this argument didn’t hold up because there were two Indian members of the British Parliament, Lord Sinha and Mr. Saklatwala.
- The British government said they couldn’t pick any Indians for the Commission because Indians didn’t all agree on the issue.
Outcome
- The Commission’s report came out in 1930. Before it was released, the government promised to consider Indian opinions in the future and said that India would eventually get dominion status through constitutional reforms.
- The report suggested getting rid of the diarchy system and having representative governments in the provinces. It also said that separate communal voting should continue until tensions between communities eased.
- The Simon Commission led to the Government of India Act of 1935, which laid the groundwork for many parts of the current Indian Constitution.
- In 1937, the first provincial elections were held, and Congress governments were set up in most provinces.
- The Commission’s arrival energized the Indian independence movement, inspiring leaders and the public to push even harder for freedom.
In conclusion, the Simon Commission marked a pivotal moment in India’s struggle for independence. Its formation, composed entirely of British members, sparked widespread outrage and protests across the country. The Commission’s report, published in 1930, outlined recommendations for constitutional reforms, but its failure to include any Indian representation undermined its credibility among the Indian populace. Despite the Commission’s shortcomings, its arrival served as a catalyst for the Indian independence movement, galvanizing leaders and the masses alike. The subsequent Government of India Act of 1935, influenced by the Commission’s recommendations, laid the groundwork for significant constitutional changes in India. Ultimately, while the Simon Commission may have failed to achieve its intended goals, it played a significant role in shaping the trajectory of India’s nationalist movement and paved the way for the country’s eventual independence.
Also Read: Revolutionary Activities During 1920’s.