In 1927, the British government appointed the Simon Commission to propose constitutional reforms for India. But the Indian leaders of the nationalist movement were irked by the absence of Indian members in the Commission. Responding to their displeasure, the British challenged the Indians to prove that they could draw up a constitution themselves. Leaders of the nationalist movement, thus formed a committee and drafted the Nehru Report in 1928.
The leaders set up an All Parties Conference including representatives from the All India Liberal Federation, All India Muslim League, Sikh Central League and others. Some of the notable members of this Committee were: Motilal Nehnu, Sir Ali Imam, Tej Bahadur Sapru, Subash Chandra Bose. M.R. Jayakar and Annie Besant.
The Committee met at Delhi in January 1928, but a political consensus could not be reached. The second meeting of the All Parties Conference was held in March the same year, but the leaders still had their differences. The differences primarily arose over the electoral rights of the minorities. The Muslim League demanded separate electorate for Muslims, which was opposed by other groups. It was only during the third session of the All Parties Conference held at Bombay in May 1928 that a seven member-committee under the chairmanship of Motilal Nehru came up with the features of the Constitution.
The Nehru Report was presented in the fourth session of the All Parties Conference held in August 1928. It appealed for a new dominion status (India would be a self-governing nation of the British Empire) and a federal set-up of government for the Constitution of India. It also proposed for the Joint Electorates with reservation of seats for minorities in the legislatures.
Other notable features included a section on fundamental rights: the right to free expression, equality before the law, right to bear arms, freedom of conscience, free profession, free propagation of religion and most importantly the right to free and elementary education.
As we read on Page 15, the proposal for dominion status was squashed with the demand for ‘Complete Independence at the Lahore Session in 1929 and soon Poorna Swaraj became the war cry. However, India was a dominion state until 1950, when it became a Republic.
Did you know?
The Muslim League leaders rejected the Nehru Report proposals. Mohammad Ali Jinnah of the League drafted his Fourteen Points in 1929 to safeguard the political rights of Muslims in a self-governing India.
Picture Credit : Google
