UPSC Prelims 2013 Q39: Modern History – Constitutional Developments & British Plans (1909 - 1947)
The people of India agitated against the arrival of Simon Commission because
- (a) Indians never wanted the review of the working of the Act of 1919
- (b) Simon Commission recommended the abolition of Dyarchy in the Provinces
- (c) there was no Indian member in the Simon Commission
- (d) the Simon Commission suggested the partition of the country
Answer: (c) there was no Indian member in the Simon Commission
Explanation
Agitation against the Simon Commission
The Indian Statutory Commission was appointed in November 1927 to review the Government of India Act, 1919.
All seven members were British; there was no Indian.
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Chairman | Sir John Simon |
| Arrived | February 1928, at Bombay |
| Protest | Black flags and the slogan 'Simon Go Back' |
| Tragedy | Lala Lajpat Rai died after a lathi charge at Lahore (November 1928) |
| Indian answer | The Nehru Report (1928), a draft constitution |
The options checked:
| Option | Verdict |
|---|---|
| (a) Indians never wanted a review of the 1919 Act | Incorrect; they wanted a review with Indians on it |
| (b) It recommended abolition of Dyarchy | Incorrect; that came later, in its 1930 report |
| (c) There was no Indian member | Correct |
| (d) It suggested partition | Incorrect |
Answer: (c) there was no Indian member in the Simon Commission.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) Incorrect. Indians did want a review; they objected to being left out of it.
- (b) Incorrect. The proposal to end Dyarchy came in the report, after the agitation.
- (c) CORRECT. There was no Indian member in the Simon Commission.
- (d) Incorrect. The Commission did not suggest partition.
Key point
Simon Commission (appointed 1927, arrived 1928): all-British; 'Simon Go Back'; Lala Lajpat Rai's death; answered by the Nehru Report (1928).
Remember
Simon Commission: no Indian member.
Common mistakes
- Confusing the reason for the protest with the Commission's later recommendations.
- Forgetting the two dates: appointed 1927, arrived 1928.
- Not linking it to Lajpat Rai's death and Bhagat Singh's revenge.
Exam tip
'All-white commission' is the standard phrase. No Indian member was the insult.
Sources
- Bipan Chandra — India's Struggle for Independence, Ch 21 (The Run-up to Civil Disobedience)
- Spectrum — A Brief History of Modern India (Simon Commission and the Nehru Report)