[Mission 2022] QUIZ – 2021: INSIGHTS STATIC , 25 August 2021 – History

Solution: d)

An all-white, seven-member Indian Statutory Commission, popularly known as the Simon Commission, was set up by the British government on November 8, 1927. The commission was to recommend to the British government whether India was ready for further constitutional reforms and along what lines.

The Simon Commission published a two-volume report in May 1930. It proposed the abolition of dyarchy and the establishment of representative government in the provinces which should be given autonomy. It said that the governor should have discretionary power in relation to internal security and administrative powers to protect the different communities. The number of members of provincial legislative council should be increased.

Solution: c)

Those advocating entry into legislative councils came to be known as the ‘Swarajists’, while the other school of thought led by C. Rajagopalachari, Vallabhbhai Patel, Rajendra Prasad and M.A. Ansari came to be known as the ‘Nochangers’.  The ‘No-changers’ opposed council entry, advocated concentration on constructive work, and continuation of boycott and non-cooperation, and quiet preparation for resumption of the suspended civil disobedience programme.

The Swarajists had their reasons for advocating the entry into the councils. The councils could be used as an arena of political struggle; there was no intention to use the councils as organs for gradual transformation of colonial rule.

Solution: c)

At the Gaya session of the Congress (December 1922), C.R. Das and Motilal Nehru resigned from the presidentship and secretaryship respectively of the Congress and announced the formation of Congress-Khilafat Swarajya Party or simply Swarajist Party, with C.R. Das as the president and Motilal Nehru as one of the secretaries.

Solution: b)

Achievements

(i) With coalition partners, they out-voted the government several times, even on matters relating to budgetary grants, and passed adjournment motions.

(ii) They agitated through powerful speeches on selfgovernment, civil liberties and industrialisation.

(iii) Vithalbhai Patel was elected speaker of Central Legislative Assembly in 1925.

(iv) A noteworthy achievement was the defeat of the Public Safety Bill in 1928 which was aimed at empowering the Government to deport undesirable and subversive foreigners.

(v) By their activities, they filled the political vacuum at a time when the national movement was recouping its strength.

(vi) They exposed the hollowness of the Montford scheme.

(vii) They demonstrated that the councils could be used creatively.

Drawbacks

(i) The Swarajists lacked a policy to coordinate their militancy inside legislatures with the mass struggle outside. They relied totally on newspaper reporting to communicate with the public.

(ii) An obstructionist strategy had its limitations.

(iii) They could not carry on with their coalition partners very far because of conflicting ideas, which further

limited their effectiveness.

(iv) They failed to resist the perks and privileges of power and office.

(v) They failed to support the peasants’ cause in Bengal and lost support among Muslim members who were propeasant.

Solution: d)

Simon Commission:

In November 1927 itself (i.e., 2 years before the schedule), the British Government announced the appointment of a seven member statutory commission under the chairmanship of Sir John Simon to report on the condition of India under its new Constitution. The commission submitted its report in 1930. To consider the proposals of the commission, the British Government convened three round table

conferences of the representatives of the British Government, British India and Indian princely states. On the basis of these discussions, a ‘White Paper on Constitutional Reforms’ was prepared and submitted for the consideration of the Joint Select Committee of the British Parliament. The recommendations of this committee were incorporated (with certain changes) in the next Government of India Act of 1935.