Simon Commission

 Okay, here are the notes covering the key points mentioned in the lecture about Indian history, particularly focusing on the period between the Non-Cooperation Movement and the Civil Disobedience Movement:

Context: 1922-1930 Period

1. End of Non-Cooperation Movement (NCM): The NCM ended in 1922 following Gandhi's Bardoli Resolution.

2. Start of Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM): The CDM (also known as Dandi Satyagraha or Salt Satyagraha) began in 1930 under Gandhi's leadership.

3. Political Vacuum (Stagnation): The period between 1922 and 1930 experienced a relative lull in mass movements, described as political shunyata (vacuum) or stabdatha (stagnation).

Swaraj Party (or Congress-Khilafat Swaraj Party)

1. Role: The Swaraj Party emerged during this period and partially filled the political vacuum.

2. Founders: Motilal Nehru and C.R. Das.

3. Relationship with Congress:

   • It was not an anti-Congress party but a faction within the Indian National Congress (INC).

   • Its primary point of difference with the mainstream Congress (led by "No-Changers") was its advocacy for Council Entry (entering legislative councils).

   • On most other issues, it followed the Congress program.

4. Legitimization: The INC, under Gandhi's presidency at the 1924 Belgaum Session, officially approved the Swaraj Party's Council Entry program.

   • Significance of Belgaum Session: This was the only INC session ever presided over by Mahatma Gandhi. He had been released from prison earlier in 1924 due to health reasons (originally sentenced for 6 years).

5. Impact of Approval: This allowed even former "No-Changers" (like Vallabhbhai Patel, Rajendra Prasad) to later contest local elections.

Key Developments & Reports (1927-1929)

• The speaker emphasizes the importance of remembering the following three events in chronological order, as this is a common exam question:

  1. Simon Commission (Appointed 1927, Arrived India 1928)

  2. Nehru Report (1928)

  3. Jinnah's 14 Demands (1929)

1. Simon Commission (1927/1928)

• Purpose: To review the working of the Government of India Act, 1919, and recommend future constitutional reforms. (The 1919 Act itself mandated a review after 10 years).

• Early Appointment: Appointed in 1927 (two years early) mainly because the ruling Conservative Party in Britain feared the Labour Party (seen as more pro-Indian) might win the next election and control the reform process.

• Composition: 7 members (1 Chairman + 6 Members), all British. Crucially, no Indians were included.

• Nickname: Called the "White Commission" due to the exclusion of Indians.

• Indian Reaction: Widespread boycott across India ("Simon Go Back" slogans) because Indians were not involved in deciding their own future.

  • Protests: Held nationwide with black flags.

  • Lahore: Led by Lala Lajpat Rai, who was severely injured in a lathi charge by police officer Saunders and subsequently died. His famous quote: "Every blow on my body will prove a nail in the coffin of the British Empire." This led to Saunders' assassination by Bhagat Singh and the HSRA.

  • Lucknow: Led by Jawaharlal Nehru and G.B. Pant.

  • Madras: Led by Tanguturi Prakasam Pantulu, who famously bared his chest to police gunfire, earning him the title "Andhra Kesari".

• Supporters of the Commission:

  • Justice Party (Madras).

  • Unionist Party (Punjab).

  • Muhammad Shafi faction of the Muslim League (the League split over this).

  • Dr. B.R. Ambedkar: Supported it to present the case for the Depressed Classes' rights and safeguards, fearing they wouldn't be addressed by the INC. He submitted a report demanding Provincial Autonomy, Universal Adult Franchise (age 21), and Diarchy at the Centre.

• Report Submission: The commission submitted its report in 1930.

2. Nehru Report (1928)

• Context: A response to the challenge by Lord Birkenhead (Secretary of State for India) who claimed Indians couldn't agree on a constitution.

• Initiation: The INC accepted the challenge at the 1927 Madras Session (President: M.A. Ansari). They resolved to boycott Simon and convene an All Parties Conference (APC) to draft a constitution.

• Nehru Committee: A sub-committee formed by the APC, chaired by Motilal Nehru, tasked with drafting the constitution.

• Key Recommendations (Draft Constitution):

  1. Dominion Status for India (Adhinivesha Pratipatti).

  2. Rejection of Separate Electorates; advocacy for Joint Electorates with reservation of seats for minorities in proportion to their population.

  3. Secular State (based on the Western model - complete separation of state and religion).

  4. 19 Fundamental Rights, including equal rights for women.

  5. Universal Adult Franchise (voting rights for all adults, proposed age 21).

  6. Formation of Linguistic States (states based on language).

  7. Provincial Autonomy.

  8. Diarchy at the Centre.

• Reception & Conflict:

  • Approved by a majority at the 1928 Calcutta INC Session (President: Motilal Nehru).

  • Opposed by: Jawaharlal Nehru and Subhas Chandra Bose, who demanded Purna Swaraj (Complete Independence), not just Dominion Status. They formed the Independence for Indian League.

  • Gandhi's Compromise: Gave the British Government a one-year ultimatum (until Dec 1929) to accept the Nehru Report (Dominion Status). Failure would lead to the INC launching the CDM for Purna Swaraj.

  • Muslim League Rejection: Jinnah's amendments (Delhi Proposals) were rejected by the APC (Hindu Mahasabha opposed them), leading Jinnah to reject the Nehru Report.

3. Jinnah's 14 Demands (1929)

• Presented by Muhammad Ali Jinnah as a counter to the Nehru Report, outlining specific demands for Muslim rights and safeguards after the rejection of his earlier proposals and separate electorates.

Path to Civil Disobedience Movement

1. Deepavali Declaration (Oct 31, 1929): Lord Irwin (Viceroy) made a vague statement suggesting Dominion Status was the eventual goal, to be discussed after the Simon Commission report, and proposed Round Table Conferences (RTCs). This was seen as insufficient by the INC.

2. One-Year Ultimatum Expires (Dec 1929): The British government did not accept the Nehru Report within the year.

3. Lahore INC Session (Dec 1929):

   • President: Jawaharlal Nehru.

   • Declared Purna Swaraj (Complete Independence) as the INC's goal, formally abandoning the Dominion Status demand.

   • Resolved to launch the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM) under Gandhi's leadership.

   • Decided to celebrate January 26, 1930, as the first Independence Day.

Other Points

• Muddiman Committee (Unofficial): An earlier, unofficial committee formed due to pressure (partly from Swarajists) to examine defects in the 1919 Act. It reported flaws but was largely ignored by the British government.

• Secretary of State for India: Lord Birkenhead, known for challenging Indians to create their own constitution.

• House of Lords: Mentioned in relation to S.P. Sinha being a member, questioning why he wasn't included in the Simon Commission if only British Parliament members were eligible.