http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montagu%E2%80%93Chelmsford_Reforms http://www.rediff.com/news/slide-show/slide-show-1-an-interview-with-former-secr etary-general-of-parliament-subhash-c-kashyap/20110427.

htm The Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms were reforms introduced by the British Government in India to introduce self-governing institutions gradually to India. The refor ms take their name from Edwin Samuel Montagu, the Secretary of State for India d uring the latter parts of World War I and Lord Chelmsford, Viceroy of India betw een 1916 and 1921. The reforms were outlined in the Montagu-Chelmsford Report pr epared in 1918 and formed the basis of the Government of India Act 1919. Indian nationalists considered that the reforms did not go far enough while British con servatives were critical of them. Contents [hide] * * * * * * * 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Background The report Reception in India Review See also Reference and further reading Further Reference

[edit] Background Edwin Montague became Secretary of State for India in June 1917 after Austen Cha mberlain resigned after the capture of Kut by the Turks in 1916 and the capture of an Indian army staged there. He put before the British Cabinet a proposed sta tement containing a phrase that he intended to work towards "the gradual develop ment of free institutions in India with a view to ultimate self-government." Lor d Curzon thought that this phrase gave too great an emphasis on working towards self-government and suggested an alternative phrase that the Government would wo rk towards "increasing association of Indians in every branch of the administrat ion and the gradual development of self-governing institutions with a view to th e progressive realization of responsible government in India as an integral part of the British Empire." The Cabinet approved the statement with Curzon's phrase incorporated in place of Montagu's original phrase. [edit] The report In late 1917, Montagu went to India to meet up with Lord Chelmsford, the Viceroy of India, to meet with leaders of Indian community such as Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi and Muhammed Ali Jinnah to discuss the introduction of limited self-gover nment to India and protecting the rights of minority communities such as Muslims and Sikhs. The Report went before Cabinet on 24 May and 7 June 1918 and was embodied in the Government of India Act of 1919. These reforms represented the maximum concessi ons the British were prepared to make at that time. The franchise was extended, and increased authority was given to central and provincial legislative councils , but the viceroy remained responsible only to London. The changes at the provincial level were significant, as the provincial legislat ive councils contained a considerable majority of elected members. In a system c alled "dyarchy," the nation-building departments of government agriculture, educ ation, public works, and the like were placed under ministers who were individua lly responsible to the legislature. The departments that made up the "steel fram e" of British rule finance, revenue, and home affairs were retained by executive councillors who were nominated by the Governor. They were often, but not always , British and who were responsible to the governor.

In 1921 another change recommended by the report was carried out when elected lo cal councils were set up in rural areas, and during the 1920s urban municipal co rporations were made more democratic and "Indianized." [edit] Reception in India The 1919 reforms did not satisfy political demands in India. The British repress ed opposition, and restrictions on the press and on movement were reenacted in t he Rowlatt Acts introduced in 1919. These measures were rammed through the Legis lative Council with the unanimous opposition of the Indian members. Several memb ers of the council including Jinnah resigned in protest. These measures were wid ely seen throughout India of the betrayal of strong support given by the populat ion for the British war effort. Gandhi launched a nationwide protest against the Rowlatt Acts with the strongest level of protest in the Punjab. An apparently unwitting example of violation of rules against the gathering of people led to the massacre at Jalianwala Bagh in Amritsar in April 1919. This tragedy galvanized such political leaders as Nehru and Gandhi and the masses who followed them to press for further action. Montagu ordered an inquiry into the events at Amritsar by Lord Hunter. The Hunte r Inquiry recommended that General Dyer, who commanded the troops, be dismissed, leading to Dyer's sacking. Many British citizens supported Dyer, whom they cons idered had not received fair treatment from the Hunter Inquiry. The conservative Morning Post newspaper collected a subscription of 26,000 for General Dyer and S ir Edward Carson moved a censure motion in Montagu which was nearly successful. Although Montagu was saved largely due to a strong speech in his defence by Wins ton Churchill, Lloyd George's secretary reported that some of the Tories could h ave assaulted him (Montagu) physically they were so angry. The Amritsar massacre further inflamed Indian nationalist sentiment ending the i nitial response of reluctant co-operation. At the grass roots level, many young Indians wanted faster progress towards Indian independence and were disappointed by lack of advancement as Britons returned to their former positions in the adm inistration. At the Indian National Congress annual session in September 1920, d preferably within th elegates supported Gandhi's proposal of swaraj or self rule e British empire or outside it if necessary. The proposal was to be implemented through a policy of non-cooperation with British rule meaning that Congress did not stand candidates in the first elections held under the Montagu-Chelmsford re forms in 1921. [edit] Review The Montagu-Chelmsford report stated that there should be a review after 10 year s. Sir John Simon headed the committee (Simon Commission) responsible for the re view which recommended further constitutional change. Three roundtable conferenc es were held in London in 1930, 1931 and 1932 with representation of the major i nterests. Gandhi attended the 1931 roundtable after negotiations with the Britis h Government. The major disagreement between Congress and the British was separa te electorates for each community which Congress opposed but which were retained in Ramsay MacDonald's Indian Communal Award. A new Government of India Act 1935 was passed continuing the move towards self-government first made in the Montag u-Chelmsford Report.