The protest against the All-White Simon Commission was a crucial event in the Indian freedom struggle which united politicians from all spectrums against the British. The protests held all over the country used the iconic slogan “Simon Go Back”, coined by Yusuf Meherally who belonged to the Mumbai City district in Maharashtra. Banners emblazoned with this slogan also became a striking visual symbol of the agitation.
The Indian Statutory Commission, popularly known as the “Simon Commission” had been sent to India by the British government to assess the functioning of the Government of India Act 1919. The absence of any Indian members was perceived as an insult to the country by the nationalists, as it sent the message that Indians weren’t capable of articulating a constitutional vision for their own nation. The Commission was boycotted by the Indian National Congress and the Muslim League and was greeted with mass protests all over the country. A striking aspect of these protest marches was the use of black flags to show dissent against the colonial government, and the words “Simon Go Back”, which were printed in large characters across the banners. Some other banners described the Commission as “Indian Uninvited Guest”. Yet other banners featured the slogan Simon Waapas Jao written in Hindi and Urdu.
“Simon Go Back” became one of the most enduring slogans of the Indian freedom struggle, and the images of crowds holding the protest banners aloft are an iconic visual reminder of the agitation.
Source: Indian Culture Portal