Round Table Conferences (1930-1932)
Q) W hy were the three RTCs held? [7]
Ø All the constitutional proposals presented so far had been rejected by one group or another.
• Simon Commission rejected by Indians.
• Nehru Report rejected by Muslims.
• 14 points of Jinnah not acceptable to INC.
Ø In 1929, Labour government came into power. It was sympathetic towards Indians and wanted to listen
to Indian point of view on future reforms.
Therefore, Indian leaders from different political parties were invited to India.
Ø Gandhi had started a non-cooperation movement, as his demand to implement Nehru Report as
constitution of India was not accepted by British government. The movement turned violent. Hindu-
Muslim conflicts started. Now, to save the situation, an early agreement on reforms (acceptable to all) for
India was important.
These conferences were held between 1930-1932. Its recommendations/agreements were made part of 1935 act.
First Round Table Conference (held between November 1930- January 1931):
• It was attended by a total of 39 members from British India, princely states and British political parties.
• Muslims were represented by Sir Agha Khan, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, Maulana Muhammad Ali.
It was agreed in this conference that:
ü India will be a federation.
ü Princely states also agreed to join the federation.
ü Minorities will be protected in the future constitution.
Factors that reduced the importance of the conference were:
û INC was not present (it had started a non-cooperation movement, and its leaders were
arrested).
û So without the party representing the majority, the agreements were of vague (unclear) nature.
Ø British government realized that without INC, the next RTC would be meaningless.
Second Round Table Conference:
ü As a result of Gandhi-Irwin pact, INC was represented by Gandhi.
û Gandhi adopted a very stubborn and unreasonable attitude.
û He refused to recognize the representative character of other participants, and claimed to be representing
whole India.
û He even rejected the demands of minorities, claiming that there was no minority problem in India.
û Minorities, in return, rejected Gandhi’s solution, which was a copy of the Nehru Report.
û Labour Party that had arranged the RTCs lost power in Britain.
ü Sindh to be separated from Bombay.
ü NWFP to be given provincial status.
Third Round Table Conference:
It was a short and unimportant one.
û Conservative Party was back in power. It was not very keen to continue with the RTCs.
û INC was not present. It had started non-cooperation movement again.
û Jinnah was neither invited, nor was he willing to attend the last RTC. As he was considered a
troublemaker, he was not invited.
û No major decision was made other than reviewing the reports of various committees.
Though many expectations were aroused by the RTC, however, RTCs ended up in achieving little. Whatever was
agreed upon in the RTCs was made part of Government of India Act 1935.
Q) W hy were the three RTCs held? [7]
Q) W hat was Gandhi-Irwin pact? [4]
Q) W hy did the second RTC fail? [7]
Q) “The three RTCs held between 1930-1932 achieved little”. D o you agree or not? Explain your
answer. [14]
