BACKGROUND
The Nehru report was presented in an answer to the information submitted by the Simon Commission. In November 1927, the British Government appointed a statutory commission headed by Sir John Simon to inquire into the constitutional affairs of the country.
Indian peCommissionple did not welcome this Commission because all the members were English, and not a single Indian was included in the Commission. After the failure of the Simon Commission, he challenged the Indians by saying,
“If they have any political capability and competence, then they should form a unanimous institution and present it to us, and we will implement it.”
PREFACE
The Nehru Report was an answer to the challenge thrown to Indians by Lord Birkenhead, that the composition of the Simon Commission had to be purely British because Indians were incapable of arriving at an agreed solution as regards the constitutional problem of India. The main objective was to constitute proposals for the Indian Constitution.
DELHI MUSLIMS PROPOSAL
A group of prominent Muslims met in Delhi on March 20, 1927, to find a way out of the political deadlock. Mr. Jinnah presided over this meeting. The following formula was evolved.
- Sindh should be separated from Bombay.
- Reforms should be introduced in NWFP.
- In Punjab and Bengal, the proportion of representation should be by population, etc.
FORMATION OF COMMITTEE
It was decided that a committee of jurists should be appointed to prepare a draft of the future constitution of India. It was designed 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 on this committee, including two Muslim members.
MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE
The members of the committee are the following.
- Motilal Nehru
- Jawaharlal Nehru
- Sir Tej Bahadur Sapru
- GR Pardhan
- MR. Jaikar
- N.A. Joshi
- Sir Al Imam
- Shoaib Qureshi
CONTENTS OF NEHRU REPORT
The anti-Muslim suggestions of the Nehru Report were as follows;
- Ending of separate electorate
- Ending of more states than the population
- Ending in more Muslim seats than the population
- Refusal to give one-third representation to Muslims in the centre
- Separation of Sindh province to Bomby
- Suggestion for reforms in NWFP and avoidance from Baluchistan
- Demand for Central Solid Government
- The need to order the Colonial Rule
1. ENDING OF SEPARATE ELECTORATE
The right of a separate electorate for Muslims should be ended. This is a cause of sectarianism.
2. SENDING OF MORE SEATS THAN THE POPULATION
The right of Protection of seats according to population proportion should be ended. Protection of centres means accepting sectarianism, which is as bad as a separate electorate. With that justification, the suggestion was made that the demand for representation according to the proportion of the population of Punjab and Bengal was rejected. The Muslim majority in these provinces can easily protect its interests.
3. ENDING OF MORE MUSLIM SLATS THAN THE POPULATION
Muslims should be given representation according to their population proportion in Muslim minority provinces, and the method of providing more seats than the population should be stopped.
4. REFUSAL TO GIVE ONE-THIRD REPRESENTATION TO MUSLIMS IN THE CENTRE
The Muslims should not be given one-third representation in the Central Assembly; instead, according to the proportion of their population, 25 seats should be reserved for them.
5. SEPARATION OF SIND PROVINCE FROM BOMBAY
The division of provinces should be carried out on two bases: firstly, the language should be ordinary, and secondly, the people of that area must desire to separate.
As the province of Sind covers both these terms, it should be separated from Bombay.
6. SUGGESTIONS FOR REFORMS IN NW.FP AND AVOIDANCE FROM BALUCHISTAN
This suggestion did not mention constitutional reforms that should be implemented in N.WEP Baluchistan. The justification was given that it was not said by mistake.
7. DEMAND FOR STRONG CENTRAL GOVERNMENT
A central type of Government must be implemented in India under which the centre should have more power than the provinces. Besides, no discussed authority should be given to the centre so that it can become intense.
8. DEMAND OF ORDERING THE COLONIAL RULE
Instead of giving complete freedom, India should be a colony where Defence and Foreign Affairs should remain with the British.
REACTION OF MUSLIM LEAGUE
The anti-Muslim suggestions of the Nehru Report shattered the Lucknow pact and Delhi suggestions. Different Muslim leaders expressed their views and feelings on the report.
1. COMMENT OF SIR AGHA KHAN
“Any sensible person cannot think that Muslims will accept these insulting conditions”.
2. VIEW OF QUAID-E-AZAM
The Quaid-e-Azam, on December 22 1928, at the failure of the Calcutta convention and due to the Hindu’s Stubbornness, commented on the Nehru Report;
“From now, the paths of Hindus and Muslims are separate.”
However, It was an attempt to serve Hindu dominance over Muslims. The Nehru Committee’s most significant blow was the rejection of separate electorates. Only two demands of Muslims were considered in the Nehru Report, but both were incomplete. The Nehru Report reflected the inner prejudice and narrow-minded approach of the Hindus.
FINAL NOTE
The suggestions of the Nehru Report were based on Muslim enmity and were against Muslims’ constitutional interests and rights. Under these suggestions, the Hindus had forgotten the terms of the Lucknow Pact.
REFERENCES
- Pakistan Studies by Waqar Ahmad Cheema
