It had no Indian representative.
Explanation
The Government of India Act, 1919, included a provision for the appointment of a statutory commission after ten years to inquire into the working of the system of government and recommend further constitutional reforms. The British government appointed the Indian Statutory Commission, commonly known as the Simon Commission, in November 1927, two years ahead of schedule.Reason for Boycott:
- The Commission consisted of seven members, all of whom were British Members of Parliament.
- There was no Indian member in the body constituted to determine the future constitution of India.
- This exclusion was interpreted by Indian nationalists as a racial insult and a violation of the principle of self-determination, implying that Indians were incapable of framing their own constitution.
- Consequently, the Commission faced a near-universal boycott by almost all Indian political parties, including the Congress, the Hindu Mahasabha, and the Muslim League (Jinnah faction), under the slogan "Simon Go Back."
Analysis of Other Options:
- It proposed the partition of India. is incorrect: The Commission did not propose the partition of India. It recommended the abolition of dyarchy and the introduction of provincial autonomy.
- It recommended the abolition of the Indian National Congress. is incorrect: It did not recommend the abolition of the Indian National Congress.
- It increased the tax on salt. is incorrect: While the salt tax was a major grievance leading to the Civil Disobedience Movement (1930), it was not the specific reason for the boycott of the Simon Commission in 1927.
Key Takeaway:
The primary cause for the boycott of the Simon Commission was its "All-White" composition, which completely excluded Indian representation in the constitutional reform process.