After 'Sepoy Mutiny'(as the Britisher's called it) in 1857
Lord Canning came India as Governor General. Parliament of Great Britain passed a bill to constitute Indian Legislative Council in 1861. Governor General of India could nominate 6 to 12 members in this Council, at least half of the members should be private individuals. Similarly, the Provincial Councils were also formed by Govt. and non-Government members. But all the members were nominated. Democratic rights were not given to the people of India at that time to send representatives. In 1876 Municipal act was passed to form local self govt. of which the voters were the tax payers. Indian Association was formed by the Indians in 1878 and a demand was placed to the govt. to send members in all the Councils by way of election. After the formation of Indian National Congress in 1885 demands were placed to increase the number of members in all the Councils and to send them by way of elections.
Lord Cross ( 1823-1914) was the Secretary of State for India under the Prime Minister, Lord Salisbury, of the Conservative Party, who placed in the House of Lords an Indian Councils' Bill to supress the demand for elected representatives in the Council of Ministers. In the Bill, the Indian peoples' demand of the increase of number of members in Indian Legislative Council, discussion on Budget, and rights for participation in the question and answer session were approved. But the representation of elected members to the Council was tactfully bypassed. In the discussion of the bill Lord Salisbury said that the method of sending the representatives by election was not suitable for India. The news papers run by the Anglo-Indians echoed this opinion. In contrast to this, Indian newspapers began to create public opinion against the bill by criticising it.The newspaper,
The Bengalee, published on 1 March 1890 (pp. 99-100) wrote an editorial, "Lord Cross's bill on the reform of the Councils" and criticised it. On 26 April three protest meetings were held in three places, north, south and central Calcutta. In the 3rd May issue,
The Bengalee reported from two meetings, one presided over by Babu Dwijendranath Tagore at the Emarald Theatre and the other chaired by Babu Narendranath Sen. The proceeings throughout were carried on in a very orderly manner and amidst great enthuaism. Speeches were delivered both in Bengali and in English. Amongst the speakers, Rabindranath was one. Rabindranath in his speech supported the proposal that this meeting views with apprehension and alarm the introduction of Lord Cross's India Council's Bill in the British Parliament and desires to record its firm conviction that if this measure be passed into law in its present shape, it will create deep and widespread discontent and injure the vital interests of the Indian nation.
After 'Sepoy Mutiny'(as the Britisher's called it) in 1857 Lord Canning came India as Governor General. Parliament of Great Britain passed a bill to constitute Indian Legislative Council in 1861. Governor General of India could nominate 6 to 12 members in this Council, at least half of the members should be private individuals. Similarly, the Provincial Councils were also formed by Govt. and non-Government members. But all the members were nominated. Democratic rights were not given to the people of India at that time to send representatives. In 1876 Municipal act was passed to form local self govt. of which the voters were the tax payers. Indian Association was formed by the Indians in 1878 and a demand was placed to the govt. to send members in all the Councils by way of election. After the formation of Indian National Congress in 1885 demands were placed to increase the number of members in all the Councils and to send them by way of elections.
