Simon Commission, 1927

 

The Simon Commission, officially known as the Indian Statutory Commission, was a group of British officials sent to India in 1927 to assess the progress of the Government of India Act of 1919 and recommend further reforms. The Commission was named after its chairman, Sir John Simon, a British politician and lawyer.

The Commission was met with widespread opposition from the Indian nationalist movement, which saw it as a ploy by the British government to delay granting India greater autonomy. The Indian National Congress, which was the largest political party in India at the time, boycotted the Commission, and protests and demonstrations were held throughout the country.

The Simon Commission was appointed by the British government in response to growing demands for Indian self-government. The Government of India Act of 1919 had established a system of dyarchy, which gave Indians some measure of representation in government, but the nationalist movement demanded complete independence from British rule.

The Simon Commission consisted of seven British officials, all of whom were members of the British Parliament. The Commission was tasked with reviewing the progress of the Government of India Act of 1919 and making recommendations for further reforms.

However, the composition of the Commission was heavily criticized by the Indian nationalist movement, as it did not include any Indian members. The Commission was seen as a purely British affair and was viewed as a symbol of British arrogance and indifference to Indian aspirations.

The Indian nationalist movement responded to the Commission with widespread protests and demonstrations. The Indian National Congress, which was led by Mahatma Gandhi, called for a boycott of the Commission and organized a nationwide hartal, or general strike, in protest.

The Simon Commission arrived in India in February 1928, and its arrival was met with widespread protests and demonstrations. The Commission's members were jeered and pelted with stones, and they had to be protected by the police.

The Commission traveled throughout India, holding public hearings and meeting with local officials and representatives. However, its efforts were largely in vain, as the Indian nationalist movement refused to cooperate with it.

The Indian nationalist movement saw the Simon Commission as a ploy by the British government to delay granting India greater autonomy. The Commission's terms of reference did not include any provision for complete independence, and the Indian nationalist movement saw this as evidence that the British government had no intention of granting India self-government.

The Indian National Congress responded to the Simon Commission's arrival with a series of resolutions demanding complete independence from British rule. The Congress declared that "the goal of the Indian people is complete independence," and it demanded that the British government grant India the same rights and privileges enjoyed by other self-governing dominions within the British Empire.

The Simon Commission submitted its report to the British government in May 1930. The report recommended a series of constitutional reforms, including the establishment of a federal system of government, the abolition of dyarchy, and the creation of a responsible government in India.

However, the report did not recommend complete independence for India, and it was met with widespread criticism from the Indian nationalist movement. The Congress rejected the report outright and demanded that the British government immediately grant India complete independence.

The Simon Commission was a pivotal moment in India's struggle for self-government. The Commission's arrival in India sparked widespread protests and demonstrations, and it was met with widespread opposition from the Indian nationalist movement.

The Commission's report recommended a series of constitutional reforms, but it did not recommend complete independence for India. The Indian nationalist movement rejected the report outright and demanded that the British government immediately grant India complete independence.

The Simon Commission ultimately failed to achieve its objectives, but it did help to galvanize the Indian nationalist movement and raise awareness of the need for greater Indian self-government. The Commission's arrival in India marked a turning point in India's struggle for independence, and it paved the way for future negotiations and discussions between the Indian nationalist movement and the British government.