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The Gandhi-Irwin Pact (1931) – Overview
- Date Signed: March 5, 1931
- Signatories:
- Mahatma Gandhi (on behalf of the Indian National Congress)
- Lord Irwin (the Viceroy of India, on behalf of the British government)
- Primary Purpose: To facilitate the participation of the Indian National Congress in the Second Round Table Conference in London.
- Common Nickname: ‘The Two Mahatmas’ (as referred to by Sarojini Naidu).
- Key Mediators: Tej Bahadur Sapru and M.R. Jaykar initiated the talks.
Key Provisions of the Pact
| From the British Government (Lord Irwin) | From the Indian National Congress (Mahatma Gandhi) |
|---|---|
| Agreed to withdraw all ordinances promulgated in connection with the Civil Disobedience Movement. | Agreed to end the Civil Disobedience Movement. |
| Would release political prisoners, but only those not charged with violence. | Agreed to participate in the Second Round Table Conference. |
| Would permit peaceful picketing of liquor and foreign cloth shops. | |
| Would restore confiscated properties of satyagrahis (where not yet sold). | |
| Allowed free collection or manufacture of salt by persons near the sea-coast. | |
| Officially invited the Indian National Congress to the Second Round Table Conference. |
What Was Not Included in the Pact
- The British government did NOT accept Gandhiji’s demand for an official inquiry into police excesses.
Outcome: The Second Round Table Conference
- Congress Representation: Mahatma Gandhi attended as the sole official representative of the Indian National Congress.
- Other Indian Participants:
- Sarojini Naidu (representing women’s organizations)
- Pt. Madan Mohan Malviya (Hindu Mahasabha)
- B.R. Ambedkar (Depressed Classes)
- Muhammad Ali Jinnah and Aga Khan (Muslim representatives)
- Tej Bahadur Sapru (Liberals)
- Key Leaders Who Did NOT Participate:
- Dr. Rajendra Prasad
- Vallabhbhai Patel (was in prison)
Contemporary Reactions & Criticism
- The pact was criticized by some for not achieving more substantial concessions.
- Alan Campbell Johnson (Lord Irwin’s biographer) described Gandhi’s gains from the pact as “consolation prizes”.
- Within the Congress, leaders like Subhas Chandra Bose were strongly critical, believing the pact to be inadequate.
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