Round Table Conferences in British India: Successes and Failures
First Round Table Conference:
This meeting happened in London from November 12, 1930 to January 19, 1931.
It had important people from British India, leaders from princely states, and members of three British political parties.
The Indian National Congress didn't join because many of its leaders were in jail for civil disobedience.
The conference lasted for a while, but not much of what they talked about was put into action, and the Congress Party continued its civil disobedience.
This meeting was seen as a failure.
Second Round Table Conference:
It was held in London from September 7, 1931, to December 1, 1931.
British representatives from different political parties, including the British Prime Minister, James Ramsay Macdonald, were there.
Indian princely states were represented by their rulers.
British Indians were represented by important people like Mahatma Gandhi, Md. Ali Jinnah, and others from different communities.
They talked about many things, including how to give fair representation to the depressed classes or untouchables. Gandhi and Ambedkar disagreed on this, but they signed an agreement called the Poona Pact in 1932.
The conference also discussed how the government of India should be set up, the power of provinces, protecting the rights of minorities, and the role of princely states.
Third Round Table Conference:
This conference took place from November 17, 1932, to December 24, 1932.
It had only 46 delegates in total.
The Indian National Congress and the Labour Party decided not to go.
Indian princely states were represented by their rulers.
British Indians were represented by people like the Aga Khan, leaders from the depressed classes, women, Europeans, Anglo-Indians, and labor groups.
This conference didn't achieve much because most of the big parties didn't show up, and they couldn't agree on how the constitution should be.
After these conferences, the British government made a document in 1933 that became the basis for the Government of India Act in 1935.
