द इण्डियन स्ट्रगल / भारतीय स्वाधीनता संग्राम (नेताजी सुभाष चन्द्र बोस - ऐतिहासिक विश्लेषण)

166 THE INDIAN STRUGGLE
rest were Conservatives. Thus the co-operation of all the
political parties in Britain was secured for the work of the
Commission. The Commission was charged with inquiring
into 'the working of the system of government, the growth
of education and the development of representative institutions
in British India and matters connected therewith and to what
extent it is desirable to establish the principle of responsible
government or to extend, modify or restrict the degree of
responsible government then existing therein, including the
question whether the establishment of second chambers of
the local legislatures is or is not desirable.' It was stated
on behalf of the Government that Indians had perforce to
be excluded from the Commission because it was an ex-
clusively Parliamentary Commission and the necessity of
having a Parliamentary Commission was explained by the
Viceroy in the following words: 'It would be generally
agreed that what is required is a Commission which would
be unbiased and competent to present an accurate picture
of facts to Parliament; but it must also be a body on whose
recommendations Parliament should be found willing to take
whatever action a study of these facts may indicate to be
appropriate.' Simultaneously with the announcement of the
Commission, the Viceroy and the Governor of Provinces
invited a number of public men in order to explain to them
the motive and intention of the Government. The Com-
mission was appointed by Royal Warrant of November 26th,
1927, and Lord Birkenhead, the Secretary of State for India,
while speaking in the House of Lords the same month on the
appointment of the Commission, challenged Indian politicians
to produce an agreed constitution for India.
The announcement regarding the Statutory Commission
evoked a chorus of condemnation from Congress leaders of
all parts of India as also from the public at large. The public
had become so much accustomed to the idea of self-deter-
mination for India, that they no longer regarded the British
Parliament as the arbiter of India's destiny. It was therefore
but natural that the Congress should, without hesitation or
delay, decide to boycott the Commission (popularly known
as Simon Commission). That was, of course, no surprise for