INSIGHTS IAS

MODERN INDIAN HISTORY

CLASS HANDOUTS

Simon Commission (1927)

● The Indian Statutory Commission, commonly referred to as the Simon

Commission, was a group of seven British Members of Parliament under the
chairmanship of Sir John Simon.
● At the time of introducing the Montagu–Chelmsford Reforms in 1919, the
British Government declared that a commission would be sent to India after
ten years to examine the effects and operations of the constitutional reforms
and to suggest more reforms for India.
● In November 1927, the British government appointed the Simon Commission
to report on India's constitutional progress for introducing constitutional
reforms, as promised.

Recommendation of the Simon Commission

● There should be a constitutional reconstruction. It would be a federal

constitution.
● The provinces should be given full autonomy including law.
● The governor should have discretionary power to relate to internal security
and administrative powers to protect the different communities.
● The number of members of the provincial legislative council should be
increased.
● The government of India should have complete control over the high court.

Limitations of the Simon Commission

● No Indians members in the commission.

● No universal franchise was proposed.
● The position of governor-general remained unaffected.
● No provision to abolish separate electorate but rather extended to other
communities as well.
● No financial devolution was proposed.

● The Commission was strongly opposed by many in India. It was opposed by

Nehru, Gandhi and the Indian National Congress because it contained seven
members of the British Parliament but no Indians.
 ● Indians saw it as a violation of their right of self-determination and insult to
their self-respect.
● Prominent Indian nationalist Lala Lajpat led a protest in Lahore. He suffered a
police beating during the protest and died of his injuries on 17 November
around 1928.

Butler Committee (1927)

● Harcourt Butler Committee or Butler Commission was a three-member

committee headed by Harcourt Butler, appointed on December 16, 1927, to
investigate and clarify the relationship between the paramount power and the
Princes of Princely States in AD 1927.

Recommendation of Committee

1. The relationship of the paramount power with the state was not merely a
contractual relationship, but a living, growing relationship shaped by the
circumstances and policy, resting on the mixture of history and theory.
2. British paramountcy preserves the princely state.
3. The state should not be transferred without their own agreement to a
relationship with a new government in British India responsible to an Indian
legislature.

Nehru Report (1928)

● The Nehru Committee Report of 10 August 1928 was a memorandum

outlining a proposed new dominion status for the constitution for India.
● It was prepared by a committee of the All Parties Conference chaired by
Motilal Nehru with his son Jawaharlal Nehru acting as secretary. There were
nine other members of this committee.

Recommendations of Nehru committee

● Unlike the eventual Government of India Act 1935, it contained a Bill of

Rights.
● All power of government and all authority - legislative, executive and judicial -
are derived from the people and the same shall be exercised through
organisations established by, or under, and in accord with, this Constitution.
● There shall be no state religion; men and women shall have equal rights as
citizens.
 ● There should be a federal form of government with residuary powers vested in
the centre
● It included a description of the machinery of government including a proposal
for the creation of a Supreme Court and a suggestion that the provinces
should be linguistically determined.
● It did not provide for separate electorates for any community or weight for
minorities. Both of these were liberally provided in the eventual Government
of India Act 1935. However, it did allow for the reservation of minority seats in
provinces having a minority of at least ten per cent, but this was to be in strict
proportion to the size of the community.
● The language of the Union shall be Indian, which may be written either in
Devanagari (Hindi/Sanskrit), Telugu, Kannada, Marathi, Gujarati, Bengali or
Tamil in character. The use of the English language shall be permitted.

Muslim League's reaction to the Nehru Report

● With few exceptions League leaders rejected the Nehru proposals.

● In reaction, Mohammad Ali Jinnah drafted his ​Fourteen Points in 1929 ​which
became the core demands the Muslim community put forward as the price of
their participating in an independent united India.

The Fourteen points (1929)

1. The form of the future constitution should be federal with the residuary powers
vested in the provinces.
2. A uniform measure of autonomy shall be granted to all provinces.
3. All legislatures in the country and other elected bodies shall be constituted on
the definite principle of adequate and effective representation of minorities in
every province without reducing the majority in any province to a minority or
even equality.
4. In the Central Legislative, Muslim representation shall not be less than
one-third.
5. Representation of communal groups shall continue to be by means of the
separate electorate as at present, provided it shall be open to any community
at any time to abandon its separate electorate in favour of a joint electorate.
6. Any territorial distribution that might at any time be necessary shall not in any
way affect the Muslim majority in the Punjab, Bengal and the North-West
Frontier Province.
7. Full religious liberty, i.e. liberty of belief, worship and observance,
propaganda, association and education, shall be guaranteed to all
communities.
 8. No bill or any resolution or any part thereof shall be passed in any legislature
or any other elected body if three-fourth of the members of any community in
that particular body oppose such a bill resolution or part thereof on the ground
that it would be injurious to the interests of that community or in the
alternative, such other method is devised as may be found feasible and
practicable to deal with such cases.
9. Sindh should be separated from the Bombay presidency.
10. Reforms should be introduced in the North-West Frontier Province and
Baluchistan on the same footing as in the other provinces.
11. Provision should be made in the constitution giving Muslims an adequate
share, along with the other Indians, in all the services of the state and in local
self-governing bodies having due regard to the requirements of efficiency.
12. The constitution should embody adequate safeguards for the protection of
Muslim culture and for the protection and promotion of Muslim education,
language, religion, personal laws and Muslim charitable institution and for
their due share in the grants-in-aid given by the state and by local
self-governing bodies.
13. No cabinet, either central or provincial, should be formed without there being
a proportion of at least one-third Muslim ministers.
14. No change shall be made in the constitution by the Central Legislature except
with the concurrence of the State's contribution of the Indian Federation.

Civil Disobedience Movement (1930-34)

● Before starting the movement, Gandhi served on the British government an

‘11 point ultimatum’​, which, though did not include the demand for complete
independence, represented the specific grievances of the Indians.
● The ultimatum included the following demands:
1. 50% reduction of inland revenue.
2. Abolition of the salt tax and government salt monopoly.
3. Reservation of coastal shipping for Indians.
4. Lowering of the rupee-sterling exchange ratio.
5. Protection of indigenous textile industry.
6. 50% cut in military expenditure.
7. 50% reduction in expenditure on civil administration.
8. Total prohibition of intoxicants.
9. Release of all political prisoners.
10. Changes in the Arms act enabling citizens to bear arms for
self-protection.
11. Changes in the Central Intelligence Department.
Round Table Conference, (1930–32) 
 
● It is a series of meetings in three sessions called by the British government to
consider the future constitution of India. The conference resulted from a
review of the Government of India Act of 1919, undertaken in 1927 by the
Simon Commission, whose report was published in 1930. The conference
was held in London.
● The Delegation included 57 members from British India, 16 from the Indian
States and 13 from British political parties, notable among them being
● i) British India​ – H.H. Aga Khan, Nawab Sir Abdul Oayum Khan, Sir C.P.
Ramaswami Iyer, U.Ba.Pe, Mr Chintamani, Sir T.B. Sapru, Maulana Mohd.
Ali, the Nawab of Chhattari, Mr Jayakar, Hon’ble Srinivasa Sastri, Sir Pheroze
Sethna, Sir Chiman Lal Setalvad, Sir B.N. Mitra, Mr Tambe and Lt. Col. H.A.J.
Gidney.
● ii) Indian States​ – The Maharajas of Alwar, Baroda, Dholpur, Kashmir,
Patiala, Bikaner; the Nawab of Bhopal, Akbar Hydari (Hyderabad State),
M.M. Ismail (Mysore State) and M.B. Mehta (Bikaner State).
● iii) British Delegates
● Labour Party: The Premier Mr MacDonald, Lord Sankey and Mr Wedgwood
Benn.
● Conservative Party: Lord Peel, Sir Samuel Hoare, the Marquis of Zetland.
● Liberal Party: The Marquis of Reading, and the Marquis of Lothian.

First Round Table Conference (1930)

● The First Round Table Conference was held in London on Nov. 12, 1930, but
the Congress did not participate in it.
● In March 1931, Mahatma Gandhi and Lord Irwin (Viceroy of India 1926-31)
entered into a Pact, called Gandhi-Irwin Pact, by which the Congress called
off the Civil Disobedience Movement and agreed to participate in the Round
Table Conference in London.
● Mahatma Gandhi was nominated as the sole representative of the Congress.
● The first session laid down the following main principles:-
1. The form of the Constitution would be an all India Federation
embracing British Indian Provinces and those States which agreed to
join the Federation.
2. The responsibility of the Executive to the Legislature at the Centre,
subject to certain reservations and safeguards for the period of
transition.
 3. The government in Governors’ Provinces to be reconstituted on the
basis of full responsibility.

Second Round Table Conference (1931)

● The Second Round Table Conference was held in London on 7th of

September, 1931 but nothing was finally decided, as the various communities
of India could not come to an understanding regarding the distribution of seats
on a communal basis in the Provincial and Central Legislatures.
● The matter was left to the final arbitration of the British Prime Minister,
Ramsay MacDonald. Mahatma Gandhi, immediately after his return from
London, in the beginning, revived the Civil Disobedience Movement.
● The Government suppressed the movement and jailed Gandhiji and many
responsible Congress leaders.

Communal Award 1932

● Ramsay MacDonald announced the Communal Award in 1932. Owing to the

repeated failure of the communities to arrive at a concerted decision regarding
the proportion of representation, the British Govt. announced a scheme of
representation in the Provincial Assemblies.
● The Communal Award distributed seats as under:-
● General 705, Depressed Class 71, Backward Areas 20, Sikhs 85, Muslims
489, Indian Christians 21, Anglo-Indians 12, Europeans 25, Commerce and
Industry 54, Landholders 35, Universities 8 and Labour 38.
● The table of distribution avoided the term “Hindu”, in place of which the
heading “General” was substituted.
● The Depressed Classes were to vote in the General Constituencies as well as
their special seats for a period of 20 years – a stipulation which was later
modified by the ​Poona pact (Sept 1932) ​due to the efforts of Gandhiji.

● The new decisions arrived at the Second Round Table Conference may be
outlined as under:-
i) Separation of Burma.
ii) Communal principle of representation in the Provinces.
iii) Extension of franchise and creation of female electorates.
iv) The raising of the North-West Frontier Province to the status of a
Governor’s Province.

Third Round Table Conference (1932)

 ● The Third Round Table Conference was held in London on the 17th of
November, 1932 to consider the reports of various sub-committees appointed
from time to time. It ultimately led to the passage of Govt. of India Act, 1935.
● Following the publication of Communal Award, the third Session, or “the
Pocket” R.T.C. met in London to discuss a fixed agenda in private.
● It was smaller and more informal than the previous ones. Congress did not
participate as most of the leaders were in jail.

Indian National Congress President (1915 - 1930)

Name of President Year of Place of Contributions

Presidency Conference

1915 Bombay Prassana Sinha was a liberal in

outlook. Due to the influence
perhaps of the Tagore family,
he became a supporter of the
Brahmo Samaj. A moderate in
politics, he was a firm believer
Lord Satyendra
in constitutional methods.
Prasanna Sinha
(1863 - 1928) He was the first Indian to
become the Advocate-General
of Bengal in 1905, also the first
Indian to enter the Governor
General's Executive Council in
1909 which for so long had
been the preserve of
Englishmen.

1916 Lucknow In 1905, Ambica Charan

Mazumdar plunged into the
partition agitation along with
Aswini Kumar Datta,
Bhupendra Nath Basu and
Surendranath Banerjea and
organised meetings, protesting
against the partition of Bengal,
Ambica Charan Lord Curzon and Sir Joseph
Mazumdar Bampfylde Fuller.
(1850–1922)

1917 Calcutta First female President of Indian

National Congress

She was instrumental in

helping to start the first trade
unions in London.
Annie Besant (1
She joined the Theosophical
October 1847 –
Society in May 1889 and
1933)
became Mme Blavatsky's
devoted pupil and helper.

She founded a weekly

newspaper 'Commonweal' in
January 1914 for her political
work. In June 1914 she
purchased the 'Madras
Standard' and renamed it 'New
India'.

In 1917 she started the

Women's Indian Association to
which she gave her powerful
support.

1918 Delhi He founded the Hindu

Mahasabha in 1906. It was
established, to oppose not the
just claims of the Muslim
community but the "divide and
rule" policy of the British
Madan Mohan Government.
Malaviya (25
December 1861 – He started the 'Abhyudaya' as
1946) a Hindi weekly in 1907 and
made it a daily in 1915. He also
started the 'Maryada' a Hindi
monthly in 1910 and another
Hindi monthly, in 1921.
 He started the 'Leader' an
English daily in October 1909.
He was the Chairman of the
Board of Directors of the
'Hindustan Times' from 1924 to
1946.
1918 Bombay(Speci A staunch constitutionalist he
session) was opposed to the ideology of
the Non-Cooperation
Movement. Hasan Imam took a
leading part in the Khilafat
Movement. He joined the Civil
Syed Hasan Imam
Disobedience Movement in
(31 August 1871 –
1930 and was elected
1933)
Secretary of the Swadeshi
League, formed in Patna.

1919 Amritsar An All - Parties Conference

was convened by Dr Ansari,
the Congress President, and a
Committee, including Tej
Bahadur Sapru and headed by
Motilal Nehru, was appointed to
Motilal Nehru (6 May
determine the principles of a
1861 – 6 February
constitution for free India. The
1931)
report of the Committee - the
Nehru Report as it came to be
called - attempted a solution of
the communal problem which
unfortunately failed to receive
the support of a vocal section
of Muslim opinion led by the
Aga Khan and Jinnah.

On 5 February 1919, he
launched a new daily paper,
the Independent, as a
counterweight to the well
established local daily paper.
 The Nehru Report,
representing as it did the
highest common denominator
among a number of
heterogeneous parties was
based on the assumption that
the new Indian Constitution
would be based on Dominion
Status.

1920 Calcutta(Speci He played a pivotal role in the

session) Indian Independence
movement. He was popularly
known as Punjab Kesari. He
was one-third of the Lal Bal Pal
triumvirate.

Lala Lajpat Rai (28 He was also associated with

January 1865 – 17 activities of Punjab National
November 1928) Bank and Lakshmi Insurance
Company in their early stages
in 1894.
1920 Nagpur He was also in the vanguard of
the opposition to the Simon
Commission that toured the
country in 1929. He took an
active part in the Committee
that met under Motilal Nehru to
C.
frame the Constitution for India.
Vijayaraghavacharia
r(1852 – 19 April The voice of the Lion of South
1944) India

Deshbandhu 1921 Ahmedabad Hakim Ajmal Khan was one of

Chittaranjan Das those who seconded the move,
(President) and the Muslim League was
thus born.
Hakim Ajmal Khan
(Acting President)
(1863 – 29 December
1927)

1922 Gaya Chittaranjan Das, whose life is

a landmark in the history of
India's struggle for freedom,
was endearingly called
'Deshbandhu' (friend of the
country).
Deshbandhu
Chittaranjan Das (5 The turning point in his career
November 1870 – 16 came when he was called upon
June 1925) to appear on behalf of
Aurobindo Ghose in the Alipore
Bomb Case in 1908.

In 1919, Das went to Punjab as

a member of the non - official
Jallianwala Bagh Enquiry
Committee.

He organised the Swaraj Party

within the Congress in
collaboration with Motilal
Nehru, the Ali brothers, Ajmal
Khan, V. J. Patel, Pratap Guha
Roy and others.

1923 Delhi (Special In order to politicise his

Session) community, Maulana Azad
started from 13 July 1912 an
Urdu weekly the Al - Hilal from
Calcutta. Its influence was
prodigious. He was politically
Abul Kalam Azad and religiously radical.
(1888 – 22 February
1958) He was twice elected President
of the Indian National
Congress, the first time in 1923
when he was only thirty - five
 years old, and the second time
in 1940.

1924 Belgaum (Detailed in Class: Gandhian

Era)

Mohandas Gandhi (2
October 1869 - 30
January 1948)

1925 Kanpur A poet, women’s rights activist

and a freedom fighter, Sarojini
Naidu is recognised and
remembered for her
multifaceted contribution to
Sarojini Naidu (13 Indian society and the freedom
February 1879 – 2 movement.
March 1949)
Between 1915 and 18, she
delivered lectures on social
welfare, women's
empowerment and nationalism
in various parts of the country.
She helped to establish the
Women's Indian Association in
1917.

In 1931, she participated in the

round-table conference with
Gandhi and Madan Mohan
Malaviya.

She was elected as the

President of the Indian National
Congress Party in 1925, the
first-everyman to assume that
position.
 1926 Gauhati Srinivasa’s early influences
were Sir Sankaran Nair (who
presided over the Amraoti
Congress) and C.
S. Srinivasa Iyengar Vijayaraghavachariar (who
(September 11, 1874 presided over the Nagpur
– 19 May 1941) Congress 1920). He was also
an admirer of Gokhale (in
whose name he endowed a
prize) and later of Mahatma.

He actively participated in the

Congress sessions from
Ahmedabad (1921) to Lahore
(1929) and gave an
unparalleled lead to the
Congress in Madras for about
ten years.

The differences between

Motilal Nehru and Srinivasa
Iyengar on the issue of
'Dominion Status' versus
'Independence' became acute
during 1929, and although it
was decided finally in favour of
Independence at the Lahore
Congress in December, he
decided to retire from active
public life early in 1930.

1927 Madras Dr Ansari succeeded in

establishing himself in both
circles and played an important
role in the Lucknow Pact of
1916 in which the Muslim
League and the Congress
Mukhtar Ahmed agreed upon the idea of
Ansari (25 December proportional representation.
1880 – 10 May 1936)
 In 1918 he presided over the
annual session of the Muslim
League held at Delhi.

He took a keen interest in the

establishment of independent
national institutions for higher
education, two of them being
the Jamia Millia Islamia, New
Delhi and the Kashi Vidyapith
at Benares.

1928 Calcutta Discussed above

Motilal Nehru (6 May

1861 – 6 February
1931)

1929 & 30 Lahore Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru,

India’s first and longest-serving
Prime Minister remains etched
in history as the country’s
foremost visionary and leader
of the nationalistic movement.
Jawaharlal Nehru
(14 November 1889 – He rejected the proposal of
27 May 1964) dominion status offered to
India, he argued against the
Nehru Report submitted by
Motilal Nehru and demanded
full independence for the
country instead

In foreign policy, he took a

leading role in the Non-Aligned
Movement while projecting