why was Simon commission constituted and why was it rejected by Indians?
Answers
The India Statutory Commission popularly known as Simon Commission was constituted in November 1927 to suggest constitutional reforms of India or British India.
It was opposed by the people of India as all its seven members were British and thus no Indian member. Secondly the Indian people at that time wanted complete independence rather than constitutional reforms.
Answer:
The Indian Statutory Commission also known as Simon Commison', was a group of seven Members of Parliament under the chairmanship of Sir John Simon (later, 1st Viscount Simon). The commission arrived in British India in 1928 to study constitutional reform in Britain's largest and most important possession. One of its members was the future leader of the Labour Party Clement Attlee, who became committed to self-government for India.
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.[1]
In November 1927, the British government appointed the Simon Commission to report on India's constitutional progress for introducing constitutional reforms, as promised. The Commission was strongly opposed by many Indians. It was opposed by Nehru, Gandhi, Jinnah, the Muslim League and Indian National Congress because it contained seven members of the British Parliament but no Indians. Indians saw it as a violation to their right of self determination and insult to their self respect. However it was supported by B R Ambedkar and Periyar E. V. Ramasamy.[2]
Prominent Indian nationalist Lala Lajpat Rai led a protest in Lahore. He suffered a police beating during the protest, and died of his injuries on 17 November 1928.