FREEDOM STRUGGLE - MOTILAL NEHRU COMMITTEE - JUNE, 1928

MOTILAL NEHRU COMMITTEE - (JUNE, 1928) :-

The Secretary of State, Lord Berkinhead challenged the political parties of India to draft, a model constitution, acceptable to all. The All - Party Conference was held in Delhi under the Chairmanship of Z.A. Ansari. Motilal Nehru was appointed the Chairman of the Drafting Committe.

The recommendations of the Committee were-

- A federal government at the Centre with British India and Princely States.

- Abolition of Dyarchy

- Elected govts. in provinces with complete autonomy

- Civil Liberties.

The most controversial parts of the Report was that it denied seperate communal electorates to the Muslims. Instead in provided for a reservation of 1/3 rd seats in the gereral electorate to the Muslims.

Jinnah rejected the report and came out with his 14 -point Formula suggesting measures on minority rights. However Congress served an ultimatim fixing Dec. 1929 as deadline for the implementation of the report.

In Dec 1929, the historic Lahore Session was helf, presided over by jawaharlal Nehru - Poorna Swaraj was declared the highest goal of Congress - The tricolour flag prepared by P. Venkaiah was hoisted for the fist time and it was decided to celebrate Jan 26 every year as Independence Day.

In Feb, 1930, Gandhi met Irwin with his demands that included a right to make salt, 50% reduction in rent, (land tax), export duties, military expenditure and a better exchange ratio between sterling and Indian rupee. The demands were rejected.