Swaraj-A Lasting Legacy Constitutional And Political Developments (1773-1947)

Email

Whatsapp

Facebook

Pinterest

Twitter

Copy link

For the Indian sub-continent, as for the rest of the colonial world, the twentieth century peaked at Independence. Triumph duly brought its rewards in terms of national selfdetermination, international recognition and representative government. Looking back, the years of struggle and sacrifices, of concerted endeavour and supreme achievement seem much the more admirable. Historical events in retrospect do not as a rule apportion blame, but try to get at the objective reality. It is therefore all the more necessary to tell the reader how particular a development was handled by those who were placed at the decisionmaking level without questioning their authenticity. History, as someone has said is a harsh task master. One does not escape its whip-lash by fighting shy of looking it in the eye. This message the author has endeavoured to keep in sight while reciting the great Indian epic of political emancipation, of self-less sacrifices, unflinching determination and unwavering perseverance. The book, in short, is structured to unfold in some detail the political and constitutional drama enacted over a time space of three-quarters of a century happily resulting in lifting India from the depths of bondage to the zenith of its glory.

V. (Ishwashwar) Verma occupies pride of place among the literary circle of Himachal Pradesh. Previous to this title he has penned no fewer than eight books, all highly acclaimed. In 1995 appeared his first work, the Emergence of Himachal Pradesh, a well researched study of the formation of the State right from its inception in April 1948 as a centrally administered chief commissioner's province to the attainment of statehood in 1971. In the series of tribal studies, he has covered the historical, religious, socio-economic aspects of various scheduled tribes of the State. The 'Shimla Hill States in the 19th century' besides recounting the power struggle between the Nepal Gurkhas and the 'Company Bahadur' for domination of the hills named after Shimla, later the summer capital of British Indian government, it paints a portrait of the community life of the hill people as lived before the dawn of independence. Attempted on similar lines, 'The Sikhs and the Kangra Hill States', traces the inter- play of power politics between the renowned Katoches of Nagar Kot and the fiercely proud Sikhs of the Punjab till Maharaja Ranjit Singh's singular empire was annexed by the British, more by deceit and treachery than valour.

For India, that is Bharat, 1947, was a year of triumph as also of tragedy. Of triumph, because the freedom for which thousand of Indians had aspired, clamoured, battled and died was at the end of a long and tortuous journey won without any violence or bloody revolution. Of tragedy, because the dream for a united India vanished in thin air with the dismemberment of the land. The study of the long and monumental march truly begins on 7 March, 1835, with the announcement of Lord William Bentick that 'the great object of the British Govern ment ought to be the promotion of European literature and science among the natives of India'. From this small step was to grow a mighty political and intellectual unity in British India never seen before. History is witness how this seemingly insignificant decision was to transform the face of India, inspire an idea of a free and united country and how the dream came near to realization when the tragedy of partition shattered it, and notwithstanding the misfortune, we, the people of India, chose a democratic constitution with a parliamentary form of government styled more on the Westminster model. By the Government of India Act, 1858, the governance of the country was taken over by the Crown from the trading East India Company. The Indian Council Act, 1862, for the first time, associated non-officials with law-making function. Politically awakened with the spread of western education, the nationalistic ambition found expression in the founding of the Indian National Congress in 1885, which coincidentally celebrates its 125th anniversary this year. In 1906, a Liberal Government came to power in England with Lord Morley, as the Secretary of State for India, and he, in association with Lord Minto, the Governor general of India, proposed reforms which were embodied in the Indian Council Act, 1907. This enactment, however, did not secure effective participation of Indians in the legislative and executive government of India. The First World War broke out on 4th August, 1914, and the sterling role which India played in the conduct of that war quickened the political aspirations of the people in India. The political activity in the country had its effect in England and on August 20, 1917, Mr. Montague made the historical declaration of 'increasing association of Indians in every walk of the administration and gradual development of self-governing institutions with a view to the progressive realization of responsible government in India as an integral part of the British Empire'. Although the reforms were not enthusiastically welcomed in India, the Government of India Act, 1919, which came into opera tion on 1 January, 1921, was the first step towards the realization of the goal, and the last step was taken on 15 August, 1947 when India and Pakistan attained independence. The pre-1919 setup of government was simple: unitary in character. Its cardinal features were concentration of all authority in the Governor-general; supremacy of the executive in the field of administration as also in the sphere of legislation; and the ultimate responsibility of the British Government for the whole of the British Indian government. The supremacy of the Parliament over the Government of India and that of the latter over local governments was firmly established.

**Contents and Sample Pages**