What was round table conference

Congress wanted a clear declaration from British Government that the main aim of these conferences would be to draft a scheme for Dominion Status to India. However, Muslim leaders stayed away from the movement because Hindus were exploiting the Muslim demand for their own rights.

Gandhi had given ultimatum for the approval of Nehru Report. In this scenario, when the first Round Table Conference started M. K Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru were in the jail. Along with sixteen British members, there were fifty seven representatives from all Indian states and all parties except Indian National Congress. Moonje and M.

After lengthy debate, it was decided that federal form of government will be established for India. The Central Executive would be responsible to Federal Legislature. Provinces will be given autonomy in their own affairs and Sindh will be considered a separate province with a responsible government.

Two sub-committees were also appointed one will work out the detail of Federal form of government and the other one will sort out the problems of minorities.

Both communities failed to reach any logical conclusion. The constitutional discussions formed the basis of the Government of India Act, with its plan for a federal organization involving the Indian Princely States.

Subjects: History — Contemporary History post View all related items in Oxford Reference ». All Rights Reserved. Under the terms of the licence agreement, an individual user may print out a PDF of a single entry from a reference work in OR for personal use for details see Privacy Policy and Legal Notice. Oxford Reference. Publications Pages Publications Pages. Recently viewed 0 Save Search. Your current browser may not support copying via this button. On 5 March they agreed the folowing to pave the way for the Congress' participation in the second Round Table Conference: Congress would discontinue the Civil Disobedience Movement, it would participate in the second Round Table Conference, the Government would withdraw all ordinances issued to curb the Congress, the Government would withdraw all prosecutions relating to offenses not involving violence and the Government would release all persons undergoing sentences of imprisonment for their activities in the Civil Disobedience Movement.

Two weeks before the Conference convened, the Labour government had been replaced by the Conservatives. At the conference, Gandhi claimed to represent all people of India. This view, however, was not shared by other delegates. In fact, the division between the many attending groups was one of the reasons why the outcomes of the second Round Table Conference were again no substantial results regarding India's constitutional future.

Meanwhile, civil unrest had spread throughout India again, and upon return to India Gandhi was arrested along with other Congress leaders. A separate province of Sind was created and the interests of minorities were safeguarded by MacDonald's Communal Award. Many other Indian leaders were also absent. Like the two first conferences, little was achieved. The recommendations were published in a White Paper in March and debated in Parliament afterwards. A Joint Select Committee was formed to analyse the recommendations and formulate a new Act for India.

Abbasy, C. Ghuznavi, K. Mehta, Sir B. Mitra, B.