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    Round Table Conferences and Communal Award Poona Pact 1930–1932

    Explore key outcomes of the Round Table Conferences (1930–32), the Communal Award, and the Poona Pact between Gandhi and Ambedkar on minority representation in India.

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    Nevertheless, the Round Table Conferences played a role in shaping the political discourse and highlighting the diverse interests and challenges in India's struggle for self-rule.




    Three Round Table Conferences and Their Legacy

    FACTORS

    1st RTC (1930-1931)

    2nd RTC (1931)

    3rd RTC (1932)

    Dates

    November 12, 1930 - January 19, 1931

    September 7, 1931 - December 1, 1931

    November 17, 1932 - December 24, 1932

    Key Participants
    • Ramsay MacDonald (British Prime Minister)
    • B.R. Ambedkar
    • Tej Bahadur Sapru
    • Aga Khan III
    • Srinivasa Sastri
    • Sarojini Naidu
    • Various Princes and Representatives from Indian States
    • Mahatma Gandhi
    • B.R. Ambedkar
    • Madan Mohan Malaviya
    • Sarojini Naidu
    • Sir Mohammad Iqbal
    • Aga Khan III
    • Ramsay MacDonald (British Prime Minister)
    • B.R. Ambedkar
    • Tej Bahadur Sapru
    • Sir Mohammad Iqbal
    • Various Representatives from Indian States

    Main Discussions
    • The structure of government in British India
    • Representation of the provinces
    • The role of native princes in governance
    • Minority representation and rights
    • Representation in the central legislature
    • Minority rights and representation
    • The Federal Structure
    • Gandhi-Irwin Pact & its implications
    • Awarding a separate electorate to the 'Depressed Classes' (Scheduled Castes)
    • Representation of minority communities
    • Drafting of a new constitution for India.

    Key Outcomes
    • It was decided that India should have a federal structure with autonomy for provinces.
    • Agreement on the need for communal representation.
    • Disagreements, mainly between Congress and other parties, led to no significant outcomes.
    • The British government began to lose faith in the Congress as the sole representative of Indian interests.
    • Communal Award declared.
    • B.R. Ambedkar and Mahatma Gandhi reached the Poona Pact, which revised the Communal Award by increasing representation for Depressed Classes.

    Communal Award and Compromise of Poona Pact 1932

    Communal Award of 1932

    • Provincial legislature seats were set to be doubled.
    • Separate electorates for minorities were maintained.
    • Muslims received additional representation in areas where they were a minority.
    • In all provinces except NWFP, 3% of seats were reserved for women.
    • Depressed classes, Dalits, and untouchables were officially recognized as minorities.
    • Specific allocations were made for labor, landlords, traders, and industrialists.
    • Various groups, including Muslims, Europeans, Sikhs, Indian Christians, Anglo-Indians, Depressed Classes, and Marathas, received separate electorates.
    • Depressed classes were allocated seats through elections from constituencies where only they could vote, but they could also vote in general elections.
    • Special electorates were established for sectors like labor, commerce, industry, mining, plantations, and landowners.
    • In Punjab, Sikhs, who comprised 13.2% of the population, were allocated 32 out of 175 seats.

    Responses to Communal Award and Poona Pact of 1932

    Responses

    •  Muslim leaders welcomed it as it ensured separate representation for Muslims, while many Hindu leaders criticized it for perpetuating caste divisions. 
    • The award was seen as a threat to Hindu unity and the political aspirations of the depressed classes.
    • Mahatma Gandhi strongly opposed the Communal Award and undertook a fast unto death in protest.

    Poona Pact

    • The Poona Pact was an agreement reached between Mahatma Gandhi and Dr. B.R. Ambedkar in September 1932.
    • Aimed to address the issue of separate electorates for the depressed classes as proposed by the Communal Award during the Round Table Conferences.
    • The agreement proposed a reservation of seats for the depressed classes within the general electorate instead of separate electorates.
    • Gandhi and Ambedkar reached a compromise to ensure the political representation of the depressed classes while preserving the unity of Hindus.
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