Essay on movement of the Indians against the Simon Commission

a. Introduction:

The British government in England formally constituted a commission, or rather an enquiry commission to recommend further constitutional reforms that may be introduced in India.

The Commission was headed by Sir John Simon, and it was by his name that the commission came to be known as the Simon Commission.

b. Background of the Appointment of the Commission:

The Indian national leaders had been continuously demanding constitutional reforms since 1919 when the Montague-Chelmsford Reform (1919) was introduced by the British govt.

The demand for reforms was made in view of the fact that the Act of 1919 fell far short of the aspirations of the Indian people.

Under the circumstances the Conservative govt, of Britain thought it prudent to open the issue of introducing reforms in India by appointing a commission. And hence the appointment of the Simon Commission.

c. Movement against the Simon Commission:

In fact, exclusion of the Indian members in a Commission that concerned Indians alone was viewed as a deliberate insult to the self-respect of the Indian people.

Obviously Simon Commission was opposed by a” shades of the Indian public opinion and thus it provided a common meeting ground for different political parties.

All-India hartal was observed on the day of Commission’s landing in India. Protest demonstrations were held everywhere the members of the Simon Commission visited.

Hostile demonstrations were held in all the major “cities and towns. There were also clashes between the demonstrators and the police in several places.

In one such incident Lala Lajpat Rai was severely injured when a lathi was blown by the police to break up the gathering at Lahore. His death a few months after was obviously attributed to the injury that he had received.

As a consequence people’s wrath and determination were intensified. Under the circumstances the Indian National Congress in its Madras session (1927) adopted certain important resolutions which included drafting of a constitution for India.

Meanwhile the resurgent national movement was further strengthened by the student and youth movements inaugurated by Jawaharlal Nehru and Subhas Chandra Bose.

These two leaders being deeply influenced by the socialist ideas sought to initiate anti-imperialist, anti-capitalist and anti-feudal ideals among the students and youths of India.

Even the contemporary student and the youth community went to the extent of demanding complete independence which went one step forward of the Congress demand for Swaraj.