Round Table Conferences (India)
Encyclopedia
This article is about the Anglo-Indian Round Table Conferences. For the Dutch-Indonesian Round Table Conference, see Dutch-Indonesian Round Table Conference
. For other uses of Round Table, see Round Table (disambiguation)
.
The three Round Table Conferences of 1930–32 were a series of conferences organised by the British government to discuss constitutional reforms in India. They were conducted as per the recommendation by the report submitted by the Simon Commission
in May 1930. Demands for swaraj
, or self-rule, in India had been growing increasingly strong. By the 1930s, many British politicians believed that India needed to move towards dominion status. However, there were significant disagreements between the Indian and the British political parties that the Conferences would not resolve.
on November 12, 1930 at London and chaired by the British Prime Minister, Ramsay MacDonald
. The three British political parties were represented by sixteen delegates. There were fifty-seven political leaders from British India and sixteen delegates from the princely states. However, the Indian National Congress
, along with Indian business leaders, kept away from the conference. Many of them were in jail for their participation in civil disobedience.
The idea of an All-India Federation was moved to the centre of discussion. All the groups attending the conference supported this concept. The responsibility of the Executive to Legislature was discussed, and B. R. Ambedkar
demanded a separate electorate for the so-called Untouchables
.
During the Conference, Gandhi could not reach agreement with the Muslims on Muslim representation and safeguards. At the end of the conference Ramsay MacDonald undertook to produce a Communal Award
for minority representation, with the provision that any free agreement between the parties could be substituted for his award.
Gandhi took particular exception to the treatment of untouchables as a minority separate from the rest of the Hindu community. He clashed with the leader of depressed classes, B. R. Ambedkar
, over this issue: the two eventually resolved the situation with the Poona Pact
of 1932.
In this conference, Chaudhary Rahmat Ali, a college student, coined the name "Pakistan" (which means "land of pureness") as the name for the Muslim part of partitioned India. Jinnah did not attend it.
From September 1931 until March 1933, under the supervision of Samuel Hoare, the proposed reforms took the form reflected in the Government of India Act 1935
.
Dutch-Indonesian Round Table Conference
The Dutch–Indonesian Round Table Conference was held in the Hague from August 23 - November 2, 1949, between representatives of the Netherlands, the Republic of Indonesia and the BFO representing various states the Dutch had created in the Indonesian archipelago...
. For other uses of Round Table, see Round Table (disambiguation)
Round Table (disambiguation)
The Round Table is the legendary gathering place of King Arthur's knights in the Arthurian legend.Round Table, round table, or roundtable can also refer to:* Round table , a type of table with no sides....
.
The three Round Table Conferences of 1930–32 were a series of conferences organised by the British government to discuss constitutional reforms in India. They were conducted as per the recommendation by the report submitted by the Simon Commission
Simon Commission
The Indian Statutory Commission was a group of seven British Members of Parliament that had been dispatched to India in 1927 to study constitutional reform in Britain's most important colonial dependency. It was commonly referred to as the Simon Commission after its chairman, Sir John Simon...
in May 1930. Demands for swaraj
Swaraj
Swaraj can mean generally self-governance or "self-rule", and was used synonymously with "home-rule" by Gandhi but the word usually refers to Gandhi's concept for Indian independence from foreign domination. Swaraj lays stress on governance not by a hierarchical government, but self governance...
, or self-rule, in India had been growing increasingly strong. By the 1930s, many British politicians believed that India needed to move towards dominion status. However, there were significant disagreements between the Indian and the British political parties that the Conferences would not resolve.
First Round Table Conference (November 1930 – January 1931)
The Round Table Conference was opened officially by King George VGeorge V of the United Kingdom
George V was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 through the First World War until his death in 1936....
on November 12, 1930 at London and chaired by the British Prime Minister, Ramsay MacDonald
Ramsay MacDonald
James Ramsay MacDonald, PC, FRS was a British politician who was the first ever Labour Prime Minister, leading a minority government for two terms....
. The three British political parties were represented by sixteen delegates. There were fifty-seven political leaders from British India and sixteen delegates from the princely states. However, the Indian National Congress
Indian National Congress
The Indian National Congress is one of the two major political parties in India, the other being the Bharatiya Janata Party. It is the largest and one of the oldest democratic political parties in the world. The party's modern liberal platform is largely considered center-left in the Indian...
, along with Indian business leaders, kept away from the conference. Many of them were in jail for their participation in civil disobedience.
Participants
- Muslim League: Muhammad Ali, Muhammad Shafi, the Aga KhanAga KhanAga Khan is the hereditary title of the Imam of the largest branch of the Ismā'īlī followers of the Shī‘a faith. They affirm the Imamat of the descendants of Ismail ibn Jafar, eldest son of Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq, while the larger Twelver branch of Shi`ism follows Ismail's younger brother Musa...
, Muhammad Ali JinnahMuhammad Ali JinnahMuhammad Ali Jinnah was a Muslim lawyer, politician, statesman and the founder of Pakistan. He is popularly and officially known in Pakistan as Quaid-e-Azam and Baba-e-Qaum ....
, Muhammad Zafrulla KhanMuhammad Zafrulla KhanChaudhry Sir Muhammad Zafarullah Khan, KCSI was a Pakistani politician, diplomat, international jurist, and scholar of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, known for drafting the Pakistan Resolution, for his representation of Pakistan at the United Nations, and serving as a judge at the International...
, A.K. Fazlul Huq - Hindu Mahasabha: B. S. MoonjeB. S. MoonjeDr. B.S. Moonje was born at Bilaspur, currently in Chattisgarh state. He took his Medical Degree from Grant Medical College in Mumbai in 1898 and was employed in Bombay Municipal Corporation as a Medical Officer on a handsome salary...
and M.R. Jayakar - Liberals: Tej Bahadur Sapru, C. Y. ChintamaniC. Y. ChintamaniSir C.Y. Chintamani was an Indian editor, journalist, liberal politician and parliamentarian of the early 20th century. He was born on Telugu new year day at Vizianagaram, Andhra Pradesh, India. He was called "Pope of Indian Journalism" by Sri V.S...
and Srinivasa Sastri - Sikh: Sardar Ujjal SinghSardar Ujjal SinghSardar Ujjal Singh was an Indian politician who served as the Governor of Punjab , followed by Governor of Tamil Nadu from...
- Depressed ClassesDalitDalit is a designation for a group of people traditionally regarded as Untouchable. Dalits are a mixed population, consisting of numerous castes from all over South Asia; they speak a variety of languages and practice a multitude of religions...
: B. R. AmbedkarB. R. AmbedkarBhimrao Ramji Ambedkar , popularly also known as Babasaheb, was an Indian jurist, political leader, philosopher, thinker, anthropologist, historian, orator, prolific writer, economist, scholar, editor, a revolutionary and one of the founding fathers of independent India. He was also the Chairman... - Princely states: Akbar HydariAkbar HydariSir Muhammad Saleh Akbar Hydari, KCIE, CSI was the last British-appointed and the first Indian governor of the Indian state of Assam. He entered the Indian civil service in 1919 and began his career in Madras Presidency. He held many administrative positions in the states and at the centre...
(Dewan of Hyderabad), Sir Mirza Ismail Diwan of Mysore, Kailas Narain Haksar of Gwalior, Maharaja Bhupinder SinghMaharaja Bhupinder SinghMaharaja Bhupinder Singh, GCSI, GCIE, GCVO, GBE was the ruling Maharaja of the princely state of Patiala from 1900 to 1938.- Biography :...
of Patiala, Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad IIIMaharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad III165454565Sayajirao Gaekwad III was the Maharaja of Baroda State from 1875 to 1939, and is notably remembered for reforming much of his state during his rule....
of Baroda, Maharaja Hari SinghHari SinghMaharaja Hari Singh was the last ruling Maharaja of the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir in India.He was married four times...
of Jammu and Kashmir, Maharaja Ganga SinghMaharaja Ganga SinghHis Highness General Sir Maharaja Ganga Singh GCSI, GCIE, GCVO, GCStJ, GBE, KCB was the ruling Maharaja of the princely state of Bikaner from 1888 to 1943...
of Bikaner, Nawab Hamidullah KhanHamidullah KhanHajji Nawab Hafiz Muhammad Hamidullah Khan was the last ruling Nawab of Bhopal, which merged with the state of Madhya Pradesh in 1956. He ruled from 1926 when his mother, Begum Kaikhusrau Jahan Begum, abdicated in his favor, until 1949 and held the honorific title until his death in 1960...
of Bhopal, K.S. Ranjitsinhji of Nawanagar, Maharaja Jai Singh Prabhakar of Alwar and the rulers of IndoreIndoreIndore is one of the major city in India, the largest city and commercial center of the state of Madhya Pradesh in central India. Indore is located 190 km west of the state capital Bhopal. According to the 2011 Indian census, Indore city has a population of 1,960,631...
, RewaRewaRewa may refer to:*Rewa Province, Fiji*Rewa, Poland*Rewa's Village, a community project in Kerikeri, New Zealand, named after a Maori chief*Rewa F.C...
, DholpurDholpurDholpur is a city in eastern-most parts of the Rajasthan state of India. It is the administrative headquarters of Dholpur District and was formerly seat of the Dholpur princely state, before Independence....
, KoriyaKoriyaKoriya, also spelled as Korea, was a princely state of British Empire in India. After Indian Independence in 1947, the ruler of Koriya acceded to the Union of India on 1 January 1948 and was made part of Surguja District of Central Provinces and Berar province. On January 1950, “Central Provinces...
, SangliSangliSangli is a city in the state of Maharashtra of India. Sangli is known as the Turmeric city for its vast production of Turmeric. Sangli is situated on the banks of river Krishna and is the largest market place for Turmeric in Asia and houses many sugar factories, which it is also noted for...
and SarilaSarilaSarila is a town and a nagar panchayat in Hamirpur district in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. it is situted on Rath-Jalapur Road 0r MDR-41B it is 28km from Rath-Geography:...
.
The idea of an All-India Federation was moved to the centre of discussion. All the groups attending the conference supported this concept. The responsibility of the Executive to Legislature was discussed, and B. R. Ambedkar
B. R. Ambedkar
Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar , popularly also known as Babasaheb, was an Indian jurist, political leader, philosopher, thinker, anthropologist, historian, orator, prolific writer, economist, scholar, editor, a revolutionary and one of the founding fathers of independent India. He was also the Chairman...
demanded a separate electorate for the so-called Untouchables
Dalit
Dalit is a designation for a group of people traditionally regarded as Untouchable. Dalits are a mixed population, consisting of numerous castes from all over South Asia; they speak a variety of languages and practice a multitude of religions...
.
Second Round Table Conference (September – December 1931)
The second session opened on September 7, 1931. There were three major differences between the first and second Round Table Conferences. By the second:- Congress Representation — The Gandhi-Irwin PactGandhi-Irwin PactGandhi–Irwin Pact refers to a political agreement signed by Mahatma Gandhi and the then Viceroy of India, Lord Irwin on 5 March 1931 before the second Round Table Conference in London...
opened the way for Congress participation in this conference. Mahatma GandhiMahatma GandhiMohandas Karamchand Gandhi , pronounced . 2 October 1869 – 30 January 1948) was the pre-eminent political and ideological leader of India during the Indian independence movement...
was invited from India and attended as the sole official Congress representative accompanied by Sarojini NaiduSarojini NaiduSarojini Naidu , also known by the sobriquet The Nightingale of India, was a child prodigy, Indian independence activist and poet...
and also Madan Mohan MalaviyaMadan Mohan MalaviyaMadan Mohan Malaviya was an Indian educationist, and freedom fighter notable for his role in the Indian independence movement and his espousal of Hindu nationalism...
, Ghanshyam Das BirlaGhanshyam Das BirlaGhanshyam Das "G.D." Birla was an Indian businessman and member of the influential Birla Family.Birla's grandfather Shiv Narayana Birla wanted to diversify from the traditional marwari business of lending money against pawned items. He left Pilani, his hometown in Rajasthan with a modest capital...
, Muhammad IqbalMuhammad IqbalSir Muhammad Iqbal , commonly referred to as Allama Iqbal , was a poet and philosopher born in Sialkot, then in the Punjab Province of British India, now in Pakistan...
, Sir Mirza Ismail Diwan of Mysore, S K Dutta and Sir Syed Ali Imam. Gandhi claimed that the Congress alone represented political India; that the Untouchables were Hindus and should not be treated as a “minority”; and that there should be no separate electorates or special safeguards for Muslims or other minorities. These claims were rejected by the other Indian participants. According to this pact, Gandhi was asked to call off the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM) and if he did so the prisoners of the British government would be freed excepting the criminal prisoners, i.e those who had killed British officials. He returned to India, disappointed with the results and empty-handed.
- National Government — two weeks earlier the LabourLabour Party (UK)The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
government in London had fallen. Ramsay MacDonaldRamsay MacDonaldJames Ramsay MacDonald, PC, FRS was a British politician who was the first ever Labour Prime Minister, leading a minority government for two terms....
now headed a National Government dominated by the Conservative PartyConservative Party (UK)The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
.
- Financial Crisis – During the conference, Britain went off the Gold Standard further distracting the National Government.
During the Conference, Gandhi could not reach agreement with the Muslims on Muslim representation and safeguards. At the end of the conference Ramsay MacDonald undertook to produce a Communal Award
Communal Award
The Communal Award was announced by the British Prime Minister Ramsay Macdonald on 4 August 1932 to grant separate electorates to minority communities in India, including Muslims, Sikhs, and Dalit in India....
for minority representation, with the provision that any free agreement between the parties could be substituted for his award.
Gandhi took particular exception to the treatment of untouchables as a minority separate from the rest of the Hindu community. He clashed with the leader of depressed classes, B. R. Ambedkar
B. R. Ambedkar
Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar , popularly also known as Babasaheb, was an Indian jurist, political leader, philosopher, thinker, anthropologist, historian, orator, prolific writer, economist, scholar, editor, a revolutionary and one of the founding fathers of independent India. He was also the Chairman...
, over this issue: the two eventually resolved the situation with the Poona Pact
Poona Pact
The Poona Pact refers to an agreement between the lower caste Untouchables of India led by Dr. B. R...
of 1932.
Third Round Table Conference (November – December 1932)
The third and last session assembled on November 17, 1932. Only forty-six delegates attended since most of the main political figures of India were not present. The Labour Party from Britain and the Indian National Congress refused to attend.In this conference, Chaudhary Rahmat Ali, a college student, coined the name "Pakistan" (which means "land of pureness") as the name for the Muslim part of partitioned India. Jinnah did not attend it.
From September 1931 until March 1933, under the supervision of Samuel Hoare, the proposed reforms took the form reflected in the Government of India Act 1935
Government of India Act 1935
The Government of India Act 1935 was originally passed in August 1935 , and is said to have been the longest Act of Parliament ever enacted by that time. Because of its length, the Act was retroactively split by the Government of India Act 1935 into two separate Acts:# The Government of India...
.