What was the objective of simon commission? Why was it opposed in India?
What was the objective of simon commission? Why was it opposed in India?
The Indian Statutory Commission also known as Simon Commission’, was a group of seven Members of Parliament under the chairmanship of Sir John Simon (later, 1st Viscount Simon). The commission arrived in British India in 1928 to study constitutional reform in Britain’s largest and most important possession.
The reasons why it was opposed in India are as follows:
i) Indians were outraged at their exclusion from the Commission.
ii) The Congress Party decided to boycott the Commission at their session at Madras in 1927.
iii) The Muslim League led by M A Jinnah also boycotted it. A certain section of members led by Muhammad Shafi supported the government.
iv) The Justice Party in the South decided to side with the government on this issue.
v) When the Commission landed in February 1928, there were mass protests, hartals and black flag demonstrations all over the country.
vi) People were chanting the slogan, ‘Simon Go Back.’
vii) The police resorted to lathi charges to suppress the movement. Even senior leaders like Pandit Nehru were not spared.
viii) In Lahore, Lala Lajpat Rai, who was leading the demonstration against the Simon Commission, was brutally lathi-charged. He died later that year due to injuries sustained then.
ix) Dr B R Ambedkar had submitted a report on behalf of the Bahishkrit Hitakarini Sabha on the education of the depressed classes in the Bombay Presidency.
Learn more: Simon Commission
The Indian Statutory Commission also known as Simon Commission’, was a group of seven Members of Parliament under the chairmanship of Sir John Simon (later, 1st Viscount Simon). The commission arrived in British India in 1928 to study constitutional reform in Britain’s largest and most important possession.
The reasons why it was opposed in India are as follows:
i) Indians were outraged at their exclusion from the Commission.
ii) The Congress Party decided to boycott the Commission at their session at Madras in 1927.
iii) The Muslim League led by M A Jinnah also boycotted it. A certain section of members led by Muhammad Shafi supported the government.
iv) The Justice Party in the South decided to side with the government on this issue.
v) When the Commission landed in February 1928, there were mass protests, hartals and black flag demonstrations all over the country.
vi) People were chanting the slogan, ‘Simon Go Back.’
vii) The police resorted to lathi charges to suppress the movement. Even senior leaders like Pandit Nehru were not spared.
viii) In Lahore, Lala Lajpat Rai, who was leading the demonstration against the Simon Commission, was brutally lathi-charged. He died later that year due to injuries sustained then.
ix) Dr B R Ambedkar had submitted a report on behalf of the Bahishkrit Hitakarini Sabha on the education of the depressed classes in the Bombay Presidency.
Learn more: Simon Commission
