University of Agriculture Faisalabad

(PARS Campus)

BS. Chemistry 2nd SEMESTER (MORNING)

Submitted By: Muhammad Bilal (2022-ag-5146)

Faisal Latif (2022-ag-5116)
Group No:
17
Subject:
Social Studies and Humanities
Submitted To:
Prof. Dr. Asif Naveed.
The Round Table Conference: 1930-1932

RTC: First Session-21 November 1930 to 19 January 1931

The Round Table Conferences were held partially to support the Simon Commission, and
partially to meet the objection that it contained no Indian members. A series of Round Table
conferences were held between 1930 to 1932. The first session was opened by King George V in
London on 10 November 1930. A fifty-eight-member Indian delegation led by Aga Khan III
representing diverse interests, Muslims, liberals, and the Chamber of Princes was present. Only
the Congress, the largest political party in India, was absent. During this session, a Federal
Structure Subcommittee was formed under Lord
Sankey. The Communal question could not be
resolved. Edward Thomson, on the prompting of
some quarters he did not name, proposed that the
communal question be submitted to the
arbitration of three members, one Hindu, one
Muslim, and one British. Thomson also observed
that the younger Muslims were not as communal
as the older. The Muslim delegates resented this
remark and this proposal found no favour.
After the first session, 19 January 1931, British
Prime Minister Ramsay Macdonald (1866-1937)
committed that if the Indian Legislature was formed based on a federation, the British would
recognize the principle that the executive would be responsible to the legislature. During this
session, the Princes gave their permission to join a federation.
Meanwhile in India, both the Congress and the Muslim League were
voicing their demands. It was during this session that Sir Muhammad Iqbal delivered his
Allahabad address. Motilal Nehru demanded full dominion status by 31 December 1931; his son
Jawaharlal Nehru demanded full independence. On 5 April 1930 Gandhi broke the Salt Law,
heralding another Civil Disobedience Movement.

RTC: Second Session-7 September to 1 December 1931

This session saw Sir Muhammad Iqbal and Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya as new delegates with
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi as the sole representative of the Congress. Communal
differences could not be resolved despite the initial conciliatory gestures of Gandhi. Liberals like
Sir Chimanial Setalvad, Vitthal Bhai Patel, Sir Srinivasa Shastri, and Sir Tej Bahadur Sapru were in
favor of a settlement but Mahasabhaites like Madan Mohan Malaviya were not. At the first RTC
session, a formulation by M.A. Jinnah had been vetoed by M.R. Jaykar (1873-1959) of the
Mahasabha party. Gandhi had to announce to
Sir Muhammad Shafi on 8 October that his
mediatory efforts had failed and that he had
his limits. In this session, the Princes withdrew
their assesment to join a Federation. The role
of Jinnah was described as 'unique'. According
to a British journal:
“The Hindus thought he was a Muslim
communalist, the Muslims took him to be pro-
Hindu, the princess deemed him to be too
democratic, the British considered him to be a
rabid extremist-with the result that was everywhere but nowhere. None wanted him."
This is a correct assessment and is also ironic because it was Jinnah who had originally
written to Macdonald on 19 June 1929 that only a Conference of Indian delegates in London
could break the political impasse. Since Jinnah was denied a leading role, the efforts of the
Muslim delegates became ineffective. Allama Iqbal disagreed with Sir Akbar Hyderi during the
RTC and on his return to India criticized the role of the Muslim delegates as well as the British
Government.
The Depressed Classes (Untouchable Hindus), led by Dr Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar (1891-
1956), had asked for separate electorates like the Muslims. Gandhi asked the Muslim delegates
to oppose this demand. The Muslims agreed to abide by any agreement reached between
Gandhi and Ambedkar but said that they could not reasonably oppose the extension of the
same right they had claimed for themselves.

RTC: Third Session-17 November to 24 December 1932

This session of the Conference was almost

inconsequential; only the White Paper embodying
recommendations of all three sessions was of
consequence. Gandhi and Jinnah were both absent.
There was a change of Viceroy and Lord Willingdon,
who had succeeded Lord Irwin, had Gandhi arrested.
The Gandhi-Irwin Pact was undone and the Congress
started another Civil Disobedience Movement. Jinnah
was not invited to this session because he had
accused Lord Sankey, Chairman of the Federal
Structure Sub-Committee, of partiality. He explained
that his insistence on the Fourteen Points was the
reason for his exclusion from this RTC session.
Summary: The Round Table Conference 1930-32
RTC: First Session: Nov 1930-Jan 1931

 A 58-member Indian delegation led by the Aga Khan III represented diverse interests.
King George V opened the first session. The Congress was absent. The Communal
question could not be resolved.
 The British Prime Minister Ramsay Macdonald (1866-1937), made the commitment that
the British would recognize that the executive would be responsible to the legislature if
the Indian legislature was formed as a federation.
 In India the Congress and the Muslim League voiced various demands, including that of
full dominion status by 31 December 1931; and also of full independence. Gandhi broke
the Salt Law, thus beginning a major Civil Disobedience Movement.

RTC Second Session: September to Dec 1931

Allama Iqbal was a delegate to this session, as was Gandhi. Again communal differences could
not be resolved. The Princes withdrew their agreement to join a federation. The Quaid-i-Azam's
role was described as ‘unique no one wanted him, and the Muslim delegates were not in
agreement with one another.

RTC: Third Session Nov-Dec 1932

This session was almost meaningless; except for a White Paper embodying recommendations
for all three sessions.
 Lord Willingdon was appointed the new Viceroy for India, who had Gandhi arrested. The
Congress began another Civil Disobedience Movement.
 The Quaid-i-Azam was not invited to this session.