The Round Table Conferences (1930–1932)
Background — From Protest to Negotiation
To understand the Round Table Conferences (RTCs), we must recall the political climate of late 1920s India.
The Simon Commission (1927) had ignited widespread protests, uniting Indians in their demand for self-government. To pacify Indian aspirations, the newly elected Labour Government under Ramsay MacDonald announced in October 1929 (through Lord Irwin’s declaration) that Britain intended to formulate a new constitutional framework for India — after consulting Indian leaders.
This promise of consultation took the shape of three Round Table Conferences, held in London between 1930 and 1932, meant to discuss the future of India’s political structure.
However, the participation — and therefore the legitimacy — of these conferences depended heavily on whether the Indian National Congress (INC) joined them.
The First Round Table Conference (November 1930 – January 1931)
(a) Setting the Stage
The First Round Table Conference was convened in London from November 1930 to January 1931.
At this time, India was in the midst of the Civil Disobedience Movement — the salt satyagraha, no-rent campaigns, and massive arrests had created a revolutionary mood.
Consequently, the Congress boycotted this conference, believing that genuine constitutional discussions could not take place while India was under repression.
(b) Participants
Even without Congress, the British invited 74 Indian delegates representing various interests, communities, and princely states. Some notable participants were:
| Category | Representatives |
|---|---|
| Depressed Classes | Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, R. Srinivasan |
| Hindu Mahasabha | M.R. Jayakar, B.S. Moonje |
| Liberals | Tej Bahadur Sapru, C.Y. Chintamani |
| Muslim Opinion | Aga Khan, M.A. Jinnah, Maulana Mohammad Ali Jauhar, Muhammad Shafi, Fazlul Huq |
| Sikhs | Sardar Sampuran Singh |
| Indian Christians | K.T. Paul |
| Justice Party (Madras) | Arcot Ramasamy Mudaliar, Bhaskarrao Jadhav, Sir A.P. Patro |
| Labour | N.M. Joshi |
| Princely States | 16 representatives |
(c) Key Recommendations
Despite the absence of Congress, the conference produced two key recommendations:
- The establishment of an All-India Federation — comprising both British Indian provinces and princely states.
- The creation of a responsible government at the Centre, albeit with certain British safeguards for defence and finance during the transition.
However, without Congress — the largest and most influential political force — the discussions were hollow. The British soon realized that no constitutional progress was possible without Congress participation.
This realization paved the way for the Gandhi–Irwin Pact (March 1931), through which Congress agreed to join the next conference.
The Second Round Table Conference (September – December 1931)
(a) Composition and Context
The Second RTC was held from 7 September to 1 December 1931.
This time, the Congress participated, represented solely by Mahatma Gandhi, who attended as the “sole representative of the Indian National Congress.”
However, the overall atmosphere was far less optimistic. Two major political changes had taken place:
- In August 1931, Ramsay MacDonald’s Labour Cabinet resigned, replaced by a National Government dominated by Conservatives, who were far less sympathetic to Indian aspirations.
- In India, Lord Willingdon replaced Lord Irwin as Viceroy and adopted a harsh, repressive policy.
Thus, Gandhi arrived in London to face an unsympathetic British establishment and a divided Indian representation.
(b) New Faces at the Table
Many delegates from the first RTC returned, but several new prominent figures joined:
- Muhammad Iqbal (the poet-philosopher of Pakistan’s idea)
- Madan Mohan Malaviya (educationist and moderate leader)
- Sarojini Naidu (representing Indian women)
- G.D. Birla (representing Indian industry)
- S.K. Datta (representing Indian Christians)
- Ali Imam and others from various interest groups
(c) The Core Disagreements
1. Gandhi’s Claim of Representation
At the conference, Gandhi asserted that Congress represented the entire Indian people, regardless of religion or caste.
This claim was challenged by three major groups:
- Muslim League, led by Jinnah, claimed to speak for Muslim interests.
- Princes, who said Congress had no authority over their autonomous states.
- Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, representing the Depressed Classes, who argued that Congress and upper-caste Hindu leaders did not represent the Dalits.
This created deep divisions among Indian delegates — weakening the national position.
2. The Controversy over Separate Electorates
A major deadlock emerged over the issue of separate electorates (i.e., reserved seats and separate voting for communities).
- Muslims, Depressed Classes, Christians, and Anglo-Indians demanded separate electorates.
- Gandhi strongly opposed separate electorates for the Depressed Classes, believing it would further fragment Hindu society and permanently divide the community.
The conference ended with no agreement on this critical issue.
(d) Limited Recommendations
The Second RTC concluded on 1 December 1931, making only formal recommendations on technical matters such as:
- The composition of the proposed Indian Federation
- The structure of the Federal Judiciary
- The procedure for accession of princely states
- The distribution of financial powers between the Centre and provinces
At the end, Prime Minister MacDonald announced:
- The creation of two Muslim-majority provinces — Sindh (separated from Bombay) and NWFP (to get provincial status).
- And warned that, if Indian leaders failed to agree, Britain might unilaterally announce its own communal settlement — which later came as the Communal Award (1932).
Gandhi returned to India disheartened and disappointed — the conference had failed to secure even the promise of Dominion Status.
The Third Round Table Conference (November – December 1932)
(a) Composition
Held from 17 November to 24 December 1932, this final RTC was largely a formal exercise.
- Only 46 delegates attended — carefully chosen by the Conservative Government to ensure compliance.
- Neither the Indian National Congress nor the British Labour Party participated.
(b) Participants
Among Indian leaders who attended all three conferences were:
- Dr. B.R. Ambedkar
- Tej Bahadur Sapru
- M.R. Jayakar
- Aga Khan
- N.M. Joshi
Notably, M.A. Jinnah was not invited to the third RTC.
(c) Outcome
Like its predecessors, the Third RTC achieved very little. It was essentially a ritualistic closure to the constitutional talks, as the British government had already decided to draft its own constitution for India based on these discussions.
Aftermath — From Discussion to Legislation
The cumulative recommendations of all three RTCs were compiled into a White Paper, published in March 1933, and debated in the British Parliament.
A Joint Parliamentary Committee was then formed to examine the proposals in detail.
- It submitted its final report on 22 November 1934.
- A bill based on this report was passed on 2 August 1935.
- After receiving the Royal Assent, it became the Government of India Act, 1935 — the most comprehensive constitutional framework for British India until independence.
Chronological Summary
| Event | Time Period | Viceroy | British Prime Minister | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Simon Commission | 1927 | Lord Irwin | Stanley Baldwin | Triggered nationwide protest |
| First RTC | Nov 1930 – Jan 1931 | Lord Irwin | Ramsay MacDonald (Labour) | Boycotted by INC |
| Second RTC | Sept – Dec 1931 | Lord Willingdon | Ramsay MacDonald (National Govt) | Attended by Gandhi |
| Third RTC | Nov – Dec 1932 | Lord Willingdon | Ramsay MacDonald (National Govt) | Congress absent |
Significance and Evaluation
The Round Table Conferences failed to achieve genuine political reconciliation but were historically significant for several reasons:
- Exposed the British strategy — to divide Indian opinion through separate electorates and community-based representation.
- Revealed Congress’s growing authority, since even the British acknowledged no settlement was possible without its cooperation.
- Deepened communal and political divisions, particularly between the Congress, Muslim League, and Depressed Classes.
- Laid the foundation for constitutional reform, culminating in the Government of India Act (1935).
- Marked Gandhi’s moral victory, for he stood as the lone Indian voice of conscience against a vast imperial machinery.
In Essence:
The Round Table Conferences (1930–32) represented Britain’s attempt to negotiate without conceding real power and India’s effort to achieve freedom through dialogue rather than confrontation.
Though they failed politically, they succeeded in exposing the hollowness of British liberalism and paving the way for India’s next phase of constitutional struggle — leading eventually to the demand for complete independence (Purna Swaraj) and the birth of the Government of India Act, 1935.