Ahmadiyyat - The Renaissance of Islam — Page 239
THE REN AISSANCE OF ISLAM 239 Indians and the cause of all backward communities, and to safeguarding the rights and interests of Muslims. The Government of India Act 1919 had provided that after the experience of the working of dyarchy for ten years, a Royal Commission would be appointed to make recommen- dations with regard to the further constitutional advance of India. By 1926 political leadership in India had begun to agitate for the appointment of the Royal Commission, in response to which a Royal Commission was appointed under the chairmanship of Sir John (later Lord) Simon, in the autumn of 1927. The Commission was composed of members of the two Houses of Parliament. The Indian National Congress took great umbrage at the exclusion of Indians from the membership of the Commission and dec- lared that it would not co-operate with the Commission. Thus the question of co-operation with the Commission became a matter of keen controversy in Indian political circles. In an effort to placate opposition to the Commission, it was announced that the Commission would invite a com- mittee of the Central Indian Legislature to sit with it and to participate in its proceedings while the Commission exa- mined witnesses, and that when the Commission visited each province, a committee elected by the Provincial Legislature should also sit with it and participate in its meetings. Hazrat Khalifatul Masih II came out very strongly in support of the presentation of the Muslim case before the Commission, both at the provincial and central levels. He made out a strong case in favour of co-operation; lest the Muslim case should go by default. He did not profess to hope for any very favourable result from the report of the Com- mission, but was anxious that the Muslim case should be put clearly and forcibly before the Commission. The very strong plea that Hazrat Khalifatul Masih II made for co-operation with the Commission had considerable influence in persuading Muslims to co-operate in setting up the Central and Provincial committees which were to work with the Commission.