The Round Table Conference & Civil Disobedience Movement

Introduction

The Round Table Conference was a series of three meetings held in London between 1930 and 1932 to discuss constitutional reforms in India. Initiated by the British government, these conferences aimed to address Indian demands for self-governance and to find a solution to India’s constitutional future. The conferences brought together Indian political leaders, representatives from the British government, and various stakeholders to deliberate on issues such as communal representation, minority rights, and the future structure of governance in India.

Comprehensive Overview of Round Table Conference

• Agreement on Convening Round Table Conference: The Viceroy of India, Lord Irwin, and the British Prime Minister, Ramsay MacDonald, concurred on the necessity of convening a round table conference, recognizing the insufficiency of the recommendations in the Simon Commission report.

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First Round Table Conference (London, November 1930 – January 1931)

• Opened by King George V, and chaired by Ramsay MacDonald.
• Indian Representatives as Equals: This was the first conference arranged between the British and the Indians as equals. Congress and some prominent leaders abstained.
  • Indian representation by diverse groups: Princely states, Muslim League, Hindu Mahasabha, Sikhs, Parsis, Liberals, Depressed classes, Justice party, Labour, Christians, women, universities, and others.
• The Government of India was represented by Narendra Nath Law, Bhupendra Nath Mitra, C.P. Ramaswami Iyer, and M. Ramachandra Rao.
• Outcome: Inadequate achievements; discussions on India’s federation, defense and finance safeguards, transfer of departments, but little implementation, civil disobedience persisted.

Second Round Table Conference (London, September 1931 – December 1931)

• Gandhi as Sole Representative: The Indian National Congress nominated Gandhi as its sole representative. A. Rangaswami Iyengar and Madan Mohan Malaviya were also there.
• Liberal Party Members: Members of the Indian Liberal Party, such as Tej Bahadur Sapru, C.Y. Chintamani, and Srinivasa Sastri, appealed to Gandhi to talk with the Viceroy.
• Government of India: It was represented by C.P. Ramaswami Iyer, Narendra Nath Law, and M. Ramachandra Rao.
• Issues: Change in Viceroy from Irwin to Willingdon, Formation of a National Government in Britain and Opposition by right-wing factions in Britain against Congress’s equal negotiation.
• Gandhi’s Demand:  Advocated a partnership based on equality, immediate responsible government, and Congress’s representation of all of India.
• Deadlock on minority issues; separate electorates demanded by various groups, Gandhi opposed.
• Princely States: They were apprehensive about federation after the suspension of the civil disobedience movement.
• Outcome: 
• • Two Muslim-majority provinces were announced—North-West Frontier Province (NWFP) and Sindh.
  • The setting up of an Indian Consultative Committee.
  • Setting up of three expert committees—finance, franchise, and states.
  • The prospect of a unilateral British Communal Award if Indians failed to agree.

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Third Round Table Conference (November 1932 – December 1932)

• Congress and Gandhi abstained, limiting Indian leader’s participation.
• Similar issues persisted, and little progress was made.
• Recommendations debated in the British Parliament, followed by the formation of a Joint Select Committee.
• The Government of India Act of 1935 was enforced in July 1935 based on the committee’s draft Bill.

Resumption of Civil Disobedience Movement (1931-1934)

• On the failure of the second Round Table Conference, the Congress Working Committee decided on December 29, 1931 to resume the civil disobedience movement.
• Truce Period (March-December 1931)
  • United Provinces: Movement for rent reduction and against summary evictions.
  • NWFP: Repression against Khudai Khidmatgars and peasants protesting brutal tax collection.
  • Bengal: Draconian ordinances and mass detentions were used in the name of fighting terrorism.
    • Firing incident on political prisoners in Hijli Jail.
• Changed Government Attitude after Second RTC
  • British officials’ response to the Delhi Pact: Raised Congress’s political prestige, and undermined British influence.
  • British Policy Considerations: Prevent Gandhi from building mass movement momentum, Gain confidence of those opposing Congress – government functionaries loyalists, and Prevent consolidation of the national movement in rural areas.
  • Government Action: Repressive ordinances leading to virtual martial law – ban on Congress organizations, arrests, property confiscation, occupation of Gandhi ashrams, Press censorship and banning of nationalist literature.
  • Viceroy Willingdon refused a meeting with Gandhi on December 31. On January 4, 1932, Gandhi was arrested.
• Popular Response
• • Massive response:  About 80,000 satyagrahis were jailed in the initial four months, involving urban and rural poor.
  • Various Forms of Protest: Picketing, non-violent demonstrations, national day celebrations, hoisting the national flag, non-payment of taxes, salt satyagraha, forest law violations.
  • Concurrent upsurges in princely states – Kashmir and Alwar.
  • Inability to sustain the movement due to a lack of time for leaders to build momentum and unpreparedness among the masses.
• Conclusion of Civil Disobedience Movement: Gandhi decided to withdraw the movement in April 1934.

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Communal Award and Poona Pact

• Round Table Conferences and Gandhi’s Opposition
  • In the Second Round Table Conference, Ambedkar pushed for separate electorates for the depressed classes.
  • Gandhi opposed separate electorates for depressed classes, advocating a joint electorate with reserved seats. 
  • Gandhi’s objection led to an impasse among Indian delegates.
• Main Provisions of Communal Award
  • Separate Electorates: Provided to Muslims, Europeans, Sikhs, Indian Christians, Anglo-Indians, depressed classes, women, Marathas, including depressed classes.
  • Reserved seats based on communal representation in provincial legislatures.
  • Double Voting Rights: Offered double voting rights for depressed classes (one through separate electorates, one in general electorates).
  • Reservation for Women: 3 percent of seats were to be reserved for women in all provinces except in the North West Frontier Province.
  • Allocations of seats were to be made for labourers, landlords, traders, and industrialists.
  • Congress did not fully accept or reject the Communal Award, respecting minority consent.
• Gandhi’s Response and Poona Pact (1932)
  • Gandhi viewed the Communal Award as detrimental to Indian unity and ineffective in addressing untouchability.
  • Gandhi went on an indefinite fast demanding a joint electorate with increased reserved seats for depressed classes.
  • The Poona Pact, negotiated by various leaders, including B.R. Ambedkar and M.C. Rajah, led to a compromise.
  • Poona Pact agreed on reserved seats for depressed classes but within joint electorates, accepting Gandhi’s demands.
• Poona Pact (1932)
  • Signed by B.R. Ambedkar on behalf of the depressed classes on September 24, 1932.
  • Abandoned the concept of separate electorates for the depressed classes as proposed in the Communal Award.
  • Increased reserved seats for depressed classes from 71 to 147 in provincial legislatures and to 18% in the Central Legislature.
  • Accepted as an amendment to the Communal Award by the government.
• Joint Electorates and Its Impact
• • Allegations by the All India Scheduled Caste Federation that joint electorates in the Government of India Act, 1935, deprived the scheduled castes of genuine representation.
  • Claimed that the system favoured the Hindu majority, enabling them to nominate individuals compliant with their interests from the scheduled castes.
  • Demand for the reinstatement of separate electorates and nullification of joint electorates and reserved seats.
  • B.R. Ambedkar continued to criticize the Poona Pact until 1947.

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Conclusion

• The Round Table Conferences served as a platform for discussions between British and Indian representatives on constitutional reforms for India, yet failed to achieve a consensus. 
• Following the conferences, the Communal Award was introduced, which granted separate electorates for religious minorities, exacerbating communal tensions. In response, the Poona Pact was negotiated, amending the Communal Award to ensure adequate representation for Dalits within Hindu communities. 
• These events highlighted the complexities of India’s path to independence and the challenges of balancing diverse interests within the Indian subcontinent.