Nehru Report (1928)

Lord Birkenhead’s, the secretary of states for India was of the opinion that,
the Hindu –Muslim differences were unbridgeable. He stated that the leader of two
communities could never come to an understanding in respect of the future
constitution for India. Speaking in the House of Commons, he threw a challenge to
the Indian leaders to produced an agreed constitution and submit it to the British
parliament for consideration.

The Indians took it a challenged An All party conference was convinced at

Bombay on 19th may 1928.It was presided over by Dr.M.A.Ansari. The conference
appointed a committee under the chairmanship of Motilal Nehru to determine the
principles of the constitution of India. The following were the other members of
the committee.

(1)Taj Bahadur Sapru

(2)Subash Chandra Bose

(3)MA.Ansari

(4)Sirdar mangal Singh

(5)G.R.Pradan

(6)Ali Imam and

(7)Mr.Qureshi

The committee submitted its repot on 10 th August 1928.It was popularly

known as “Nehru Report”. The following were the principles in the Report;

(1)India should have a full responsible Government

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(2)Sindh should be made separated provinces with Muslim majority.

(3)Separate seat for Muslims should be given in provinces and centre

(4)The India Government should be federal in nature.

(5)The constitution put provide for 19 fundamental rights for the Indian citizens.

(6)The Governor General would be king’s representative. He was free to choose

the prime minister.

(7)There would be Bicameral legislature at the centre-the House of Representatives

and senet. The House of Representatives could consist of 500 members elected for
a period of five years. It was to be the lower house. The senate was to be the upper
house. It should consist of two hundred members, elected for a period of seven
years.

(8)The Governor General should act an advice of the executive council .The
Governor also should act likewise.

(9)The residuary powers would vest with the centre.

The INC passed a resolution welcoming the Nehru report. In the beginning
the Muslim league accepted the report. Later Muslim league rejected the report.
The Nationalist like Abul Kalam Azad and MA.Ansari supported the report. But
leaders like Agakhan and MA.Jinna criticized the report. According to
Dr.Zacharias, Nehru report was a masterly and statesman like one.