The Round Table Conferences

Question 1

Background

Answer 1

• Despite all the opposition;
• The Simon Commission, produced a 2 volume report in 1930.
• It still didn’t benefit the Muslims; however it SUPPORTED, the idea of separate electorates, BUT REJECTED, Muslim having 1/3 sure of seats in the Central Assembly and the idea of Sindh being spectated from Bombay.
• The British called a round table conference to discuss the commission’s recommendations.

Question 2

The First RTC (Nov 1930)

Answer 2

• Held in London
• Attended by Muslim League, Liberals, & Representatives of the Princely States.
• Congress didn’t attend, as it was not given a guarantee that any agreement reached would be implemented.
• Due to that not much progress was made.
• Some advances were made;
  1) The princes declared that they would join a future Indian Federation, if their rights were recognised.
  2) The British agreed that representative Govt, should be introduced at a provincial level.
• The Muslims, left feeling some ground had been gained.

Question 3

The Second RTC (September 1931)

Answer 3

• The returning Indian Representatives, urged Ghnadi to stop his non cooperation movement, & agree to attend the next set of talks.
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• In February 1931, Ghandi met with Viceroy, Lord Irwin, in the first of a series of meetings to agree terms of future progress.
• Many British politicians, were against Irwin holding talks with a man who had opposed the British, but he was staunch, and understood their importance.
• On 5 March the Ghandi Irwin pact was signed;
  1) Irwin agreed to release most political prisoners, & return property seized by the British.

2) In return Ghandi called off his non cooperation, and agreed to attend the next RTC. He also agreed to give up his demand for full independence, in return for a Federal India, which would see the people call the shots.
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• The Second RTC, took place in London, between September & December 1931.
• It failed for 2 reasons;
  1) The Labour Party had lost power in Britain and the new coalition Govt. was less keen to reach a compromise in India.
  2) Ghandi took a hard line on the talks and refused to recognise the problems of the minorities in the subcontinent.

Question 4

The Communal Awards (1932)

Answer 4

• The British PM, considered himself as “a friend of the Indians” & wanted to succour them, especially after the failure of the Second RTC.
• To do this he announced the “Communal award” on August 16th 1932
• This award gave, the right of separate electorate to all the minority communities in the country. In addition to this The Principle of Weightage was also applied.
• It didn’t go down well with the Muslims, as it reduced their majority in Punjab & Bengal. For instance, in Punjab, Muslims accounted for 56% of the total population, but were given only 86/175 seats, in the Punjab Assembly.
• Despite this they accepted it, in the best interests of the country.
• The Congress rejected it, & even launched a campaign against it.
• Ghandi protested against the declaration of untouchables as a minority and undertook a fast to death.
  He also held meetings with the untouchables leadership, to persuade them that they were not minorities.

Question 5

Third RTC (November 1932)

Answer 5

• Little chance of success.
• Lord Irwin has been replaced by Lord Willington as viceroy, who was not willing to make as many concessions.
• Soon the non cooperation movement restarted and the new viceroy had many leaders of the Congress arrested; Ghandi, & Nehru.
• In January it was officially restarted.
• After these events no party expected to achieve anything.
• The Congress & princes boycotted it.
• Jinnah went into voluntary exile, thwarted & disenchanted by the the lack of progress, & was not even invited.
• The Muslims were this represented by Agha Khan, but there were only 46 delegates and the meeting broke up, with no resolution reached.