9.10 The RTCs

The RTCs

2020-04-27 15:20:32

Irwin’s Declaration (October 31, 1929)

  • Aka Diwali declaration.
  • as Labour Government came to power it said that the intention of British gov was the attainment of Dominion Status for India.
  • He also proposed a RTC after Simon Commission report was published.

1st RTC Was Held b/w Nov 1930 and Jan 1931

  • was opened by King George V and chaired by Ramsay Macdonald.
  • Congress did not participate.
  • Outcome : It was generally agreed that India was to develop into a federation but little was done for its implementation due to ongoing CDM protests.

Gandhi-Irwin Pact Aka Delhi Pact Feb 1931

Irwin agreed on

  • Immediate release of political prisoner not convicted of violence.
  • remission of not collected fines.
  • return all land not yet sold.
  • Lenient treatment of resignants.
  • Right to make salt in coastal villages for personal consumption.
  • Withdrawal of emergency ordinances.
  • He turned down commuation of Bhagat Singh and others death sentences and public inquiry into police excess.
  • Gandhi agreed to suspend CDM and participate in next RTC.

-   RJ Moore : bourgeois factor significant behind compromise
-   Sumit Sarkar : IN bourgeois played crucial role
-   Judith B, Markovits, Basudev Chatterji has similar views
-   But business group did not speak w/ one voice
-   ADD Gordon : enthusiasm of industrialist dampened by depression, boycott, hartals, social disruption
-   Marketers and traders staunch supporter of MG
-   INC umbrella org so cannot take

2nd RTC b/w Sep 1931 to Dec 1931

  • After the Gandhi-Irwin pact.
  • Indian liberal like Tej Bahadur Sapru, C.Y. Chintamani and Srinivasa Sastri appealed to Gandhi towards it.
  • Gandhi along with A Rangaswani Iyengar and M M Malviya were present.
  • Lord Irwin was replaced by Willingdon.
  • Winston Churchill objected negotiations with Congress.

Outcomes

  • Creation of 2 muslim majority provinces NWFP and Sindh.
  • Setting up of Indian Consultative Committee.
  • Expert committee in Finance, Franchise and States.
  • Prospect of unilateral British Communal Award if Indians fail to agree.

3rd RTC

  • Nov 1932.
  • Congress refused to attend was not invited.
  • Labor party also refused to attend.
  • White Paper was issued became basis of 1935 act.
  • Chaudhary Rahmat Ali proposed name of Pakistan.
  • Other members of the RTC were mostly loyalists, communalists, careerists, and place-hunters, big landlords and representatives of the princes.
  • 2nd RTC the gov dismissed the demand for freedom.