Did the Nehru Report had made justice to India’s desire to frame its own constitution?

IAS Main Exam: Paper I

Model Question

Did the Nehru Report had made justice to India’s desire to frame its own constitution?

Corn Wallis, the governor general of East India company once lamented that Indians are unfit to rule themselves. And the successive tradition continued where Indians were deprived of any representation in all walk of life. This observation caused the nationalist leaders to prove that Indians were capable of ruling themselves.

The Nehru report in 1928 proved as a testimony to India’s capability. It was lord Birkenhead who commented that Indians were at the time incapable of framing a constitution for themselves. In a open challenge the Congress working committee authourised a committee to frame a constitution module. The committee was chaired by Motilal Nehru.

The report , famously called  ‘Nehru Report’ proved it’s members capability by making following key recommendations, they are;

        I.            India to seek dominion status within the empire of British Raj.

      II.            Envisioned adult franchise

    III.            Supported equal rights to women

    IV.            Freedom to form Trade Unions

      V.            Disassociation of state from religion

    VI.            Promised to give more freedom to trade unions

  VII.      Not supported the communal representation. However, it supported special representation to minority, i.e Reserved seats

VIII.Nehru report fervently advocated Indians capability in framing their own constitution. Interestingly, the objective resolution, when moved by Jawaharlal Nehru had its connection to Nerhru report.

The Nehru report justified Indian action on seeking through a constitutional mechanism. It proved as the source of first effort in clearly responding to Britishers doubt on Indians. Further, the report caused following good measures for the future legislators;

     I.  The report boosted Congress’s image and its members especially in their      capability in framing constitution 

TheII. The report was a moral defeat on the part of British

   III. After the report, the nationalist leaders openly campaigned on more        constitutional reform

    IV. Over all, the report aided the Indians lawmakers in framing their own future constitution

Finally, Nehru report garnered support from all corners of political spectrum. It was interesting to note that Mohammad Ali Jinnah brought out  his own  ‘Fourteen Point’ report as a counter to Nehru report. Jinnah made particular attach on the Congress for failing to give due representation to Muslims in India. As experts noted, the political quarrel between the Indian National Congress and the Muslim League did not damage the image of Nehru report.

*****

Author:

Kannan Periyanayagam

Note: Any clarification, addition or correction is welcome. You may comment on the blog itself or mail to kannajee2000@gmail.com