Lord Irwin: Governor General and Viceroy of India (1926-1931)

On April 3, 1926 Lord Irwin was appointed 30th Viceroy and Governor-General of India. This was the most tumultuous period for the politics of India. During this period the important events were: Visit of Simon Commission (1928), Nehru Report (1928), Jinnah’s 14 Points, Murder of Saunders in 1929, Bomb thrown in Assembly Hall in Delhi by Bhagat Singh, Foundation of HSRA, Death of Lala Lajpat Rai, execution of Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev (1931), Chittagong armoury Raid (1930), Civil Disobedience Movement, Dandi March (1930), First Round Table Conference in London and Gandhi Irwin Pact, Demand for Poorna Swarajya in Lahore session.

Simon Commission 1927

As per the provisions of the GOI Act 1919, Simon Commission visited India in 1927 to investigate the progress of the governance scheme and suggest new steps for reform. Such a commission was to be announced in 1929 {after 10 years of GOI Act} but the conservative government in England advanced its date in view of the tumultuous political condition of India. This commission had no Indian members, and all seven members were from three political parties of Britain. This gave a very good opportunity to Congress to have an agenda.

They protested that Simon commission was there to deprive them of their right to participate in the determination of the constitution of their own country. In Madras session, the congress passed a resolution which advocated boycott of Simon Commission at every stage and in every form.

At the same time, the Muslim league was divided on the commission. While Mohammad Ali Jinnah supported boycott of commission, Mohammad Shafi supported the government. Thus, all parties except Shafi group of Muslim League and Justice Part of Madras were against Simon Commission.

Recommendations

• The Simon commission recommended that the Dyarchy in provinces should be abolished and provinces should be given full autonomy including law. The ministers should be made responsible to legislature. Governor should be given right of selecting the ministers from majority party in legislature.
• Regarding centre, the Simon commission recommended that it was not possible to establish a federation in the country in near future. So, pending federation, a Consultative Council of Greater India should be established which should include representatives of both the British provinces as well as Princely states.
• Sindh should be separated from Bombay. Burma should be separated from India because it is not a natural party in Indian sub-continent.
• Indian army should be indianized but British forces must be retained until India is not equipped fully.
• The commission also recommended for a local legislature for North-West Frontier Province and Baluchistan. Both NWFP and Baluchistan should acquire the right to get represented at the centre.

When it arrived at Bombay on 3rd February, 1929, the Simon Commission was greeted with strikes all over India. Wherever it went, it was welcomed with black flags and shouting “Simon Go Back“. The Government used coercive methods to break down the boycott unsuccessfully. At Lahore, Lala Lajpat Rai organized a massive protest and was fatally wounded in lathicharge.

The Indians alleged that the implicit objective of Simon Commission was to delay the process of transfer of power and widen the community feelings by provisions that could be opposite to the interests of two communities. It did not propose universal franchise and did not propose financial devolution.

Moti Lal Nehru Report 1928

The Simon commission visited India twice {1928 & 1929} and submitted its report in 1930. Indians had no interest in its find outs. The secretary of state for India Lord Birkenhead threw a challenge to these congressmen to prepare a draft of constitution of India. The political leaders accepted the challenge and called an All Party Conference in February and May 1928.  All the political parties appointed a committee under Motilal Nehru to prepare the draft constitution. It was called Nehru Committee Report, submitted on August 28, 1928 in the Lucknow conference of all parties. The key points of this report were:

• India would be given Dominion status within the British Commonwealth.
• India will be a federation, which shall have a bicameral legislature at the centre and Ministry would be responsible to the legislature.
• Governor General of India would be the constitutional head of India and will have the same powers as that of British Crown.
• There will be no separate electorate.
• The draft report also defined the citizenship and fundamental rights.

Nehru Committee Report recommended reservation of seats for Muslims only in provinces where they were in a minority. It proposed to abolish separate electorates, discard reservation of seats for Muslim majorities in the Punjab and Bengal and reject the principle of weightage for Muslim minorities. Thus, in effect, it was reversal of the Lucknow Pact.  It asked for a similar reservation for Hindus in NWFP. These points were unacceptable for the Muslim league. Due to this, Jinnah moved certain amendments in the report in the all party meeting in 1928 at Calcutta. But those amendments were not accepted by Congress. As a result, Jinnah and others refused to participation in further such conferences.

Consequently, Nehru Report was accepted by a majority vote. The congress gave an ultimatum to the British Government to accept the recommendation of the report by December 31, 1929, and also threatened for another mass movement in case the report is not accepted. The report was not accepted by the Government.

Jinnah’s 14 Points

Jinnah and others called a Muslim All Parties conference in Delhi. In that conference, Jinnah formulated the 14 points to safeguard the interests of the Muslims and made it crystal clear that no constitution, by whomsoever proposed or devised, would be acceptable to the Muslims, unless it conformed with those demands. These 14 points were: (1) Federal constitution with residuary powers vested in states.  (2) uniform measure of autonomy to all provinces (3) definite and adequate representation of minorities in every province (4) Central legislature Muslim representation shall not be less than one third (5) continuance of separate electorates (6) any redistribution of seats should not affect Muslim majority in Punjab, Bengal, NWFP. (7) full religious liberty to all communities (8) No bill or resolution can be passed in any legislature or any other elected body if three fourth of the members of any community in that particular body oppose it being injurious to that of the community. (9) Sind should be separated from the Bombay Presidency. (10) Reforms in NEFP and Baluchistan (11) Equal share of Muslim in state and local self governing bodies (12) Adequate safeguards in constitution for protection of Muslim culture, education, language, religion, personal laws, and Muslim charitable institutions. They should get their due share in grant-in-aid. (13) No cabinet, either central or provincial, should be formed without there being at least one third of the Muslim Ministers. (14) No change shall be made in the constitution by the Central legislature except with the concurrence of the states constituting the Indian Federation.

Poorna Swarajya Resolution

The Nehru report had created a kind of divide within congress also. While some leaders wanted dominion status of India, some wanted complete freedom. Finally it was decided that if the British parliament accepts the report by 31 December 1929, Congress would adopt the report as it is. If the report is not accepted by the British parliament, Congress would insist in Complete Independence and would organize a mass movement. This deadline passed and no reply came from government.

In the Lahore session of 1929 {presided by Jawaharlal Nehru}, the congress passed a Poorna Swarajya Resolution {drafted by Jawaharlal Nehru} for complete independence. As per this resolution, the Central and Provincial legislatures, and future elections would be boycotted; and a programme of Civil Disobedience would be launched.

On midnight of December 31, 1929 and January 1, 1930, Nehru unfurled the Flag of India’s independence in Lahore at bank of river Ravi. January 26, 1930 was decided to be observed as Poorna Swarajya Day. On that day, a “Declaration of Independence” pledge {drafted by Mahatma Gandhi}, which echoed the American Declaration of Independence, was taken. Mahatma Gandhi was authorized by the Congress Working Committee to determine the time, place and issue on which the Civil Disobedience was to be launched. He took the decision to break the salt law first, on which the British had imposed a duty, affecting the poorest of the poor.

CDM: Dandi March and Salt Satyagrah

Salt Satyagraha began with the Dandi March on March 12, 1930 as a part of Civil Disobedience Movement. Gandhi led the Dandi march from Sabarmati Ashram to the sea coast near the village of Dandi. In this journey of 24 days and covering a distance of 390 kilometres, thousands of people joined him.  He reached Dandi on April 6, 1930, and broke the salt law. This was formal inauguration of CDM and millions of Indians jumped in the tumult. A programme was outlined, which included the following:

• Violation of the laws such as Salt Law
• Non payment of Land Revenue, Taxes and Rent
• Boycott of courts of law, legislatures, elections, Government functionaries, Schools and Colleges.
• Peaceful picketing of shops that sold foreign goods.
• Mass strikes and processions.
• Picketing of shops that sold liquor.
• Boycott of Civil Services, Military and Police services.

The Government came into action by putting the law breakers in jails and suppressing them by police firings, lathicharge and other means. Sixty thousand people were arrested in less than one year. Properties of tax defaulters were confiscated. Gandhi and all important leaders were arrested and placed behind the bars.

First Round Table Conference 1930

Meanwhile, the First Round Table Conference took place in London. It was chaired by PM Ramsay MacDonald. It did not yield any result because the Congress did not participate in it as most of their leaders were either in jails or decided to boycott it.

Gandhi Irwin Pact, 1931

After the failure of the First Round Table Conference, some pro-British members of Indian Liberal Party such as Tej Bahadur Sapru, C. Y. Chintamani and Srinivasa Sastri appealed Gandhi to talk with the Viceroy. The talks between Gandhi and Irwin were arranged. Many congress leaders were released to make a favourable environment. On 5 March 1931, a Gandhi-Irwin pact came out of these talks which proposed that (1) Gandhi would discontinue the Civil Disobedience Movement (2) Congress agreed to participate in Second Round Table Conference (3) The ordinance promulgated in wake of CDM would be withdrawn (4) Those detained in connection with CDM would be released (5) People living in areas near sea coast would be allowed to collect duty free salt (6) Government allowed the people peaceful picketing of liquor shops.

Karachi Session of Congress 1931

In the Karachi Session 1931 {presided by Sardar Patel}, the congress formally endorsed the Gandhi Irwin Pact and he was also nominated to represent congress in Second Round Table Conference. In the same session a Karachi Resolution on Fundamental Rights and Economic Policy was also adopted. This resolution was originally drafted by Nehru and as per some historians, MN Roy had played a definite role in its drafting. This resolution for the first time gave meaning of Swaraj for common people. It included (1) Basic civil rights of freedom of speech, Freedom of Press, Freedom of assembly, Freedom of association (2) Equality before law (3) Elections on the basis of Universal Adult Franchise (4) Free and compulsory primary education (4) Substantial reduction in rent and taxes (5) Better conditions for workers including a living wage, limited hours of work (6) Protection of women and peasants (7) Government ownership or control of key industries, mines, and transport (8) Protection of Minorities.

Lahore Conspiracy Case 1928-31 and Execution of Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev and Rajguru

To avenge the killing of Lal Lajpat Rai, three members of HSRA Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, Jai Gopal and Sukh Dev conspired to kill the police chief, Scott. But they shot on the DSP – J. P. Saunders, who was killed on the spot. Bhagat Singh and others immediately fled from Lahore and to avoid recognition, he cut his beard and hair. Further, to protest against the Defense of India Act, 1915 (which the government decided to implement), the HSRA conspired to explode a bomb in Central Legislative Assembly. On 8 April 1929, Bhagat Singh and Batukeshwar Dutt threw a bomb onto the corridors of the assembly and shouted “Inquilab Zindabad!”. After that they showered the leaflets stating that it takes a loud voice to make the deaf hear.  The bomb was not intended to kill or injure any one. It was just to make noise. It was later proved by the forensics also that the bomb was not powerful to kill anybody. Bhagat Singh and Dutt surrendered themselves and were transported for life on June 12, 1929.

Meanwhile police unearthed a Bomb Factory in Lahore and arrested other members of HSRA. Of the arrested members, seven become informants and helped to solve mystery of JP Saunders’ Murder. Bhagat Singh was captured after throwing Bomb in Lahore Assembly but he was also trialled in Lahore Conspiracy Case. Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, and Sukhdev were charged for murder. They were hanged on 23 March 1931 in Lahore Jail.

The execution of these three martyrs shook the entire nation. Public was angry. When Gandhi was going to attend the Karachi session, all over the route, he was greeted with the Black flags in anger. However, the Karachi resolution admired the bravery of three martyrs.

Chittagong Armory Raid 1930

On April 18, 1930, there was an attempt to raid the armoury of the Police and Auxiliary forces from the Chittagong armoury in Bengal. The idea was to capture the two main armouries in Chittagong and then demolish the Telegraph and telephone office. It was to be followed by the assassination of Europeans Some 65 people executed this conspiracy in the name of Indian Republican Army. After everything was done, all the revolutionaries gathered outside the police armoury where leader Surya Sen took a military salute, hoisted the National Flag and proclaimed a Provisional Revolutionary Government. After that they fled to the hills. Hot pursuit by police followed. Many of the members were captured and trialled and deported for life. The leader Surya Sen was arrested in 1933 on a tip off. He was hanged in 1934 and was probably last of the militant nationalists to be executed.