Question : Although the Government of India Act 1935 replaced diarchy with Provincial Autonomy the overriding powers of the Governor diluted the spirit of autonomy. Elucidate.
(2015)
Answer : The Government of India Act 1935 ended the system of dyarchy introduced by the Government of India Act 1919 and provided for the establishment of a “Federation of India”, to be made up of both British India and some or all of the “princely states”.
However, the degree of autonomy introduced at the provincial level was subject to important limitations: the provincial Governors retained important reserve powers, and the British authorities also retained a right to ....
Question : The safety-valve thesis does not adequately explain the birth of the Indian National Congress in 1885.
(2014)
Answer : The concept of Safety Valve Theory says that the British had seen the political situation in the country leading to another rebellion along the lines of the War of Independence of 1857, and wished to avoid such a situation. So, they wanted to provide a platform to the people, where they could discuss their political problems.
A. O. Hume was a retired British Civil Servant and had a series of meetings with Lord Dufferin, the Viceroy. ....
Question : Though the Act of 1919 was superseded by that of 1935 the preamble to the former was not repealed-the preservation of the smile of the Cheshire cat after its disappearance and the latter said nothing about Dominion Status Elucidate.
(2013)
Answer : While it had become uncommon for British Acts of Parliament to contain a preamble, the absence of one from the Government of India Act, 1935 contrasts sharply with the 1919 Act, which set out the broad philosophy of that Act’s aims in relation to Indian political development.
The 1919 Act’s preamble quoted, and centred on, the statement of the Secretary of State for India, Edwin Montagu (17 July 1917–19 March 1922) to the House of Commons ....
Question : Analyse the factors responsible for the Civil Disobedience Movement (1930-31). How far were its aims realised in the Government of India Act of 1935.
(2005)
Answer : The Civil Disobedience movement launched in March 1930 opened a new era in India’s struggle for independence. It began with the Dandi March, when Gandhiji along with his 78 followers started from his ashram at Sabarmati on a march to Dandi on the sea coast on foot. The civil disobedience was launched due to variety of reasons, mainly related to developments in 1920s.
To begin with, the year 1927 witnessed many portents of national recovery. There ....
Question : Explain the attitude of the Indian National Congress towards the constitutional changes of 1909, 1919 and 1935.
(1998)
Answer : The British Government played the game of 'Divide and Rule'. While suppressing the militant nationalists, it tried to win over moderate nationalist opinion so that the militant nationalists could be isolated and suppressed. To placate the moderate nationalists, it announced constitutional concessions through the Indian Councils Act of 1909 which are known as the Morely-Minto Reforms of 1909. The Morely-Minto Reforms increased the number of elected members in the Imperial Legislative Council and the provincial ....
Question : The Montague Declaration (20 August 1917) was observed more closely in the 'realm of imperial relations' than anything else.
(1998)
Answer : In 1918, Edwin Montague, the secretary of State, and Lord Chelmsford, the Viceroy, produced their scheme of constitutional reforms which led to the enactment of the Govenrment of India Act of 1919. The Provincial Legislative Councils were enlarged and the majority of their members were to be elected. The provincial governments were given more powers under the system of Dyarachy. Under this system some subjects, such as finance and law and order, were called 'reserved' ....
